Airport And Aviation Management

Airport and aviation management sits at the intersection of transport infrastructure, commercial operations, safety regulation, and customer experience, making it one of the most operationally complex management disciplines there is. Airports are among the largest and most intricate businesses in any national economy, managing everything from aircraft ground handling and air traffic flow coordination to retail concessions, baggage systems, security operations, and environmental compliance. Airlines, meanwhile, face the continuous challenge of optimising routes, managing fleets, pricing seats in competitive markets, and maintaining safety standards across global operations.

Understanding how both sides of this industry work, and how to manage within it, is the focus of this degree.

At University College Birmingham you will study this four-year full-time programme, which includes a sandwich year and a work placement. The placement gives you direct professional experience within the aviation industry, potentially with an airport, airline, ground handling company, or aviation authority, giving you the contextual knowledge and professional connections that are essential in a sector where operational experience is highly valued by employers. Across the programme you will study airport operations, airline management, aviation safety and security, air transport economics, logistics, customer service management, and the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern civil aviation.

The typical entry tariff is 104 points.

Graduates from aviation management programmes work across the industry in roles including airport operations management, airline commercial management, ground operations supervision, aviation safety and compliance, aviation consultancy, and air cargo management. The sector also employs aviation managers in government bodies, regulatory agencies, and international organisations. The sandwich year placement is often a direct route into graduate employment with the same organisation.

Further study in aviation management, transport planning, logistics, or business administration is a progression route for those aiming for senior management careers in the industry.