In this assessment, the intent is to explore your understanding of disruption management and how you would respond as the Duty Manager of the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC).

The task is designed to explore your decision making and clear-thinking capabilities, information gathering methods from other sections within the IOC and your knowledge of how to use the data supplied to you. As we have demonstrated on many occasions through the course, there may be a range of correct and incorrect answers to the task.

This is an individual assessment with an expectation that your response will not exceed 2000 words (+10%). I have not specified a minimum number of words.

You need to be clearly able to articulate:

Your recommended outcome there may be one or more responses you feel are worthwhile with respect to this event. Identify why this is your preferred outcome.

Articulate all your considerations (even if not used) and explain why the considerations were or were not used.

How the information supplied from various sections with the IOC potentially impacts on your outcome(s). It is recommended that you are identify this by section.

The impacts on the airline operations and our customers.

There are 3 questions requiring answers - scenario 1 and scenario 2a and 2b. Please answer them all.

Overview

SWINJET (SW) has entered the passenger airline business utilising 4 x Boeing B737-800 passenger aircraft on Trans-Tasman services operating routes as follows:

Melbourne/Auckland/Melbourne

Sydney/Auckland/Sydney

Melbourne/Christchurch/Melbourne

Sydney/Christchurch/Sydney

Planned Schedules (local times) Daily Operations

SW001/SW002 SYD 0630 1130 AKL 1230 1350 SYD

SW017/SW018 SYD 2230 0330 AKL 0600 0720 SYD

SW005/SW006 SYD 0900 1400 CHC 1500 1620 SYD

SW003/SW004 MEL 0700 1230 AKL 1330 1545 MEL

SW019/SW020 MEL 0730 1250 CHC 1350 1550 MEL

Our crew scheduling allows for one crew set (2 pilots and 4 flight attendants) to be rostered on reserve each day in Sydney and Melbourne.

The regulator has allowed us to operate under the following crew duty limits:

DUTY TIME: 12 hours FLIGHT TIME: 8 hours

Engineering staff is available at all locations.

SWINJET is a full-service carrier and prides itself on high quality service.

Specific aircraft performance data has not been provided as this data is not required to work your solutions.

Scenario 1: (15 points)

SW020 has returned from Christchurch to Melbourne on time. Upon landing the pilots report a bird-strike that requires further inspection.

How might this impact our operation?

What actions will you take to obtain the best outcome?

Which areas of the IOC are affected and why?

The engineering team have advised that they will need to visually inspect the aircraft post arrival and provide feedback as soon as possible. This inspection occurs; damage is identified. The engineers advised that specialised equipment is required to further assess the damage with the intention to remediate the issues. The specialised equipment is not available until 2300 local.

What are your actions now?

What are your considerations?

It is now 0100 and a phone call has been received at the IOC. The engineers have identified that some replacement parts are required. These parts are in Auckland and are smallish in size allowing flexibility in method of getting the parts to our engineers. We have worked with our customs broker to immediately clear the cargo on arrival in Australia due to the AOG (Aircraft On Ground) status. Our Auckland contacts have advised they need 2 hours to source, pack and deliver the parts to our representative in Auckland. Our engineers have advise that they will need approximately 3 hours to return the aircraft to service after receiving our parts.

What are your actions now?

How are our services impacted?

Recommend an outcome.

Scenario 2a: (15 points)

SW017 is planned to depart for Auckland.

The flight is full; time is now 2210 local. Boarding has just commenced.

Flight is completely full. Flight plan fuel is 12,000kgs and this has already been preloaded. Cargo has already been preloaded and our ground team is currently loading bags.

The IOC has just received updated weather forecasts. Unfortunately, our flight to Auckland will be impacted. Aucklands weather has deteriorated and is not expected to improve until the next morning. This weather issues apply to all other airports within New Zealand. To depart Sydney tonight, we will need to carry additional fuel to allow us to return to Australia in case the weather conditions are so poor and prevent us landing in Auckland. The captain has advised the IOC that she requires an additional 5,000kgs of fuel to carry Sydney as an alternate for Auckland or 7,000kgs of fuel to carry Melbourne as an alternate. Captain has advised that she can uplift all passengers and fuel.

How might this impact our operation?

What actions will you take to obtain the best outcome?

Which areas of the IOC are affected and why?

Why has the captain given the options of Sydney and Melbourne?

Which alternate location would you use and why?

As part of your actions as Duty Manager, you contact the fuel company to get a fuel truck back to the aircraft. The company advises that they have had calls from other operators flying to New Zealand who also need to top up fuel and they can not guarantee a fuel truck until 2240 local. The fuel uplift will take approximately 10 minutes. Being proactive, the IOC calls up the phone number to get a Sydney Airport curfew dispensation just in case the fuel uplift is delayed. The request is denied. The IOCs customer service people have confirmed there is no hotel accommodation available in Sydney due to a large event.

What are your actions now? Why?

How are our services impacted?

Recommend an outcome.

Scenario 2b: (5 points)

In scenario 2a SWINJET is a full-service legacy carrier. If SWINJET were a low-cost carrier, would any of the decisions made in your response to 2a possibly have been different? (In certain circumstances they may, but not all). Discuss.