Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to complete despatch duties for a commercial aircraft flight, including providing appropriate assistance to passengers with special needs, boarding passengers, resolving boarding problems, communicating with cabin/customer service manager and command pilot/captain, processing all required paperwork and despatching the aircraft in accordance with workplace procedures and regulatory requirements. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Application of the Unit 

Work must be carried out in accordance with workplace procedures and the relevant regulatory requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant regulatory authorities.

Use for ADF Aviation is to be in accordance with relevant Defence Orders and Instructions and applicable CASA compliance.

Work is performed under some supervision usually within a team environment.

Work involves the application of operational principles and procedures, regulations, safety codes and protocols to the completion of aircraft despatch duties across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian aviation industry.

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Provide assistance to passengers with special needs 

1.1 Special needs passengers are identified and their boarding passes checked and processed in accordance with workplace procedures

1.2 Special needs passengers are assisted to board the aircraft in accordance with workplace procedures and relevant regulatory requirements

2 Board passengers 

2.1 Upon the boarding announcement, passengers are greeted at the gate and their boarding passes either checked manually, or fed into the automated reader

2.2 If using manual processes, the passenger's details are added to the passenger list and loading sheet and their boarding pass processed and returned in accordance with workplace procedures

2.3 If using computerised processes, the passenger's boarding pass is returned, upon confirmation

2.4 In the event of a problem with the boarding pass, appropriate action is taken in consultation with the passenger to resolve the problem

2.5 If a problem with a boarding pass cannot be readily resolved, the passenger is referred to appropriate customer service staff

2.6 Passengers' cabin baggage is monitored for size and weight and, where necessary, checked with the aid of the cabin baggage size gauge

2.7 Where cabin baggage is found to be oversize/overweight, the passenger is courteously advised that it must be carried in the hold and arrangements are made to have it appropriately tagged and transferred to the baggage handling section

2.8 Passengers are directed to the aircraft via the aerobridge/aircraft stairs dependent on type of aircraft and airport facility

3 Communicate with cabin /customer service manager and command pilot /captain 

3.1 Appropriate communications are maintained with the cabin/customer service manager on the aircraft to facilitate smooth and timely boarding of passengers

3.2 Printouts or manually-completed passenger list, manifest, load sheet and special meals list are provided to the cabin/customer service manager on the aircraft in accordance with workplace procedures

3.3 Once the provisional load sheet has been signed by the command pilot/captain, a copy is retained in accordance with workplace procedures

4 Despatch aircraft 

4.1 Upon closing of aircraft door, authority is given to retract the aerobridge/stairs, where applicable

4.2 Copies of passenger list and load sheet are processed/filed in accordance with workplace procedures and regulatory requirements

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

This describes the essential knowledge and skills and their level required for this unit.

Required knowledge :

• Relevant sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders

• Relevant OH&S, hygiene and environmental procedures and regulations

• Relevant customs, quarantine, equal opportunity and anti-discrimination regulations

• Principles of customer service

• Airline's on-time performance standards

• Workplace standards and procedures for the completion of aircraft despatch duties

• Procedures for assisting passengers with special needs

• Policies and procedures concerning oversize/overweight cabin baggage

• Risks that exist when completing aircraft despatch duties and related risk control procedures and precautions

• Problems that may occur when completing aircraft despatch duties and appropriate action that should be taken in each case

Required skills :

• Communicate effectively with others when completing aircraft despatch duties

• Read and interpret instructions, regulations, procedures and other information relevant to aircraft despatch duties

• Interpret and follow operational instructions and prioritise work

• Complete documentation related to aircraft despatch duties

• Operate electronic communication equipment to required protocol

• Work collaboratively with others when completing aircraft despatch duties

• Adapt appropriately to cultural differences in the workplace, including modes of behaviour and interactions with others

• Promptly report and/or rectify any identified problems that may occur when completing aircraft despatch duties in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

• Implement contingency plans for unexpected events that may arise when completing aircraft despatch duties

• Apply precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate hazards that may exist when completing aircraft despatch duties

• Monitor and anticipate operational problems and hazards and take appropriate action

• Monitor work activities in terms of planned schedule

• Modify activities dependent on differing workplace contingencies, situations and environments

• Work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment

• Adapt to differences in equipment and operating environment in accordance with standard operating procedures

• Select and use required personal protective equipment conforming to industry and OH&S standards

• Implement OH&S procedures and relevant regulations

• Identify and correctly use equipment required when completing aircraft despatch duties

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required knowledge and skills, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

• The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria of this unit and include demonstration of applying:
• the underpinning knowledge and skills
• relevant legislation and workplace procedures
• other relevant aspects of the range statement

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Performance is demonstrated consistently over a period of time and in a suitable range of contexts
• Resources for assessment include:
• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulated practical and knowledge assessment, and/or
• access to an appropriate range of relevant operational situations in the workplace
• In both real and simulated environments, access is required to:
• relevant and appropriate materials and equipment, and
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

Method of assessment 

• Assessment of this unit must be undertaken by a registered training organisation
• As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral tests
• Practical assessment must occur:
• through activities in an appropriately simulated environment at the registered training organisation, and/or
• in an appropriate range of situations in the workplace

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance.

Aircraft despatch operations may be completed:

• on any aircraft type in commercial service
• for domestic and international flights
• for short and/or long haul services
• in any allowable operating and weather conditions
• in accordance with enterprise and operational requirements

Performance may be demonstrated:

• in an approved simulated aircraft despatch situation
• during the despatch of a passenger-carrying aircraft

Problems during the despatch of an aircraft may include:

• failed-to-board passengers
• seating problem such as non-notified seat changes or an accidental double booking
• crew rest seat no longer available
• need to wait for passengers from a connecting flight
• passengers who have lost their boarding pass
• passengers with oversize/overweight cabin baggage
• malfunctioning aircraft
• cancellation of flight
• security alert

Special needs passengers may include:

• children travelling alone or under supervision
• pregnant women
• nursing mothers
• the elderly
• persons with a physical and/or intellectual disability
• prisoners being transported under escort
• non-English speaking passengers

Equipment/resources required to assist passengers with various types of special need may include:

• wheelchairs
• transport carts
• personal elevators
• ramps
• special restraints
• bassinets and other relevant baby equipment
• appropriate medical equipment
• translators or text information in appropriate languages
• identification tags (where relevant)

Persons consulted during the dispatch of an aircraft may include:

• passengers
• customer service manager on the aircraft
• command pilot/captain
• other cabin crew and flight crew members
• ground support staff
• baggage handling staff
• aircraft resourcing staff
• supervisors and managers
• technical staff

Dependent on the type of organisation concerned and the local terminology used, workplace procedures may include:

• company procedures
• enterprise procedures
• organisational procedures
• established procedures
• standard operating procedures

Information/documents may include:

• sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders relevant to the completion of aircraft despatch duties
• workplace procedures and instructions and job specification
• passenger list/manifest and aircraft load sheet
• special meals list
• emergency procedures
• flight passenger schedules
• manufacturers instructions for equipment used during aircraft dispatch operations
• induction and training materials
• conditions of service, legislation and industrial agreements including workplace agreements and awards

Applicable regulations and legislation may include:

• sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders pertaining to the despatch of aircraft
• relevant OH&S legislation
• environmental protection legislation
• equal opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation
• relevant customs and quarantine regulations
• relevant Australian Standards
• industrial relations and workplace compensation legislation

Competency Field 

L - Resource Management