Services and links
Featured employer
Transport & Logistics
Air Transport
International Air Transport is a dynamic and fast-changing industry and has a major role to play in both the UK and world economies, transporting passengers and freight worldwide. The UK is arguably the most important air transport hub in Europe, with over 130 airlines operating from the regional airports, including Heathrow, the world's busiest international airport. Yorkshire boasts three international airports, along with smaller local airports for private aircraft. Alongside the air freight and passenger transport services, more specialist services such as aircraft maintenance and flight training facilities provided by regional airports also provide an important contribution to the regional economy.
The UK's newest airport is Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield airport, built on the RAF Finningley site near Doncaster and part of the Peel Airports Group, the Airport Group for the North of England. With a runway almost 2 miles long, it caters for any type of commercial aircraft and is expected to be carrying 50,000 tonnes of airfreight along with 2.3 million passengers each year by 2014.
At 682 feet (207m) above sea level, Leeds Bradford airport (LBA) is the highest commercial airport in the UK and the largest in the Yorkshire region. The airport sustains around 2,000 jobs with a further 2,000 created in airport-related services. Leeds Bradford airport concentrates on passenger flights with estimated numbers reaching over 5 million passengers per year by 2016. It's the headquarters of Jet2 providing low-cost flights across Europe. However, LBA also deals with some air freight though at lesser volume than the other airports in the region. Future developments for cargo relate to operating niche services handling small parcels and high value or perishable items rather than larger items or quantities.
Operating since 1974 and now part of the Regional Airports Division of the Manchester Airports Group, Humberside airport employs more than 700 people, is the headquarters for Eastern Airways and contributes in excess of £14million to the local economy annually. With its proximity to the Humber Ports and location within the Humber Trade Zone, Humberside airport is building its freight business in the specialised niche air cargo market of transporting perishable food products. They are making their name with freight flights several times a week carrying 10-20 tonnes of Icelandic fish, making for a more efficient transport process for the 50% of the UK's fish imports which are destined for the Yorkshire region. They also provide crucial freight and helicopter services to the North Sea oil and gas fields, flying 30-40,000 passenger journeys a year to and from the oil and gas platforms.
Jobs in this area for graduates include cabin crew, air traffic control, freight forwarders as well as various technical roles in the industry.
Air cabin crew are the people who take responsibility for ensuring that flights run to schedule and that safety procedures are followed. You'll be the face of the airline, making sure customers have a pleasant flight and a comfortable journey. Like most customer facing roles you need to be friendly, enthusiastic and a good communicator. You also need to be good under pressure and calm in a crisis as passengers will look to you for reassurance in difficult situations.
Air traffic controllers make sure that planes move across the skies safely. They instruct pilots on routes, plane height and speed and advise them of other aircraft in the sky. They are essential for the safe movement of aircraft along major routes as well as the safe take off and landing of planes.
Graduates are taken on from any subject but a maths or technical degree can be an advantage. You'll need to be meticulously organised, be a great problem solver, be decisive and posses good verbal communication skills. You're also expected to have a good fitness level, good eyesight (although contact lenses or glasses are allowed dependant on prescription) have colour vision and a good level of hearing. Check out the National Air Traffic Services website for more details on entry requirements and how to apply.
Freight forwarders co-ordinate the safe passage of goods in, out and across the country. This can include dealing with storage and transport of goods to and from its destination. Graduates looking to work in this area need to be highly organised and meticulous and posses excellent problem solving skills.
Job vacancies in Transport & Logistics
Useful links:
International Air Transport Association
Includes general information on air transportation.
Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport
Located at Finningley outside Doncaster, the region's newest airport offers flights to Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean along with airfreight services.
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Based 8 miles from Leeds and 7 miles from Bradford, it calls itself 'Yorkshire's premier airport'.
Humberside airport is located between Scunthorpe and Grimsby, and offers flights within Europe as well as freight transport.
Low-cost airline flying to Europe, based at Leeds Bradford airport.
Airline flying to other UK airports and Norway, with their headquarters at Humberside airport.