AIRPORT MANAGEMENT - 2025/6

Module Overview

This Airport Management module provides a comprehensive overview of the management and strategic dimensions of airports. Covering the structure of the airport industry, it examines airport economics and the airport-airline relationship, highlighting the importance of collaboration for efficiency and growth. The module touches on airport service quality and passenger experience, alongside the strategic provision of commercial facilities. Students will explore airport competition, marketing's role in fostering growth, and the significant economic and social impacts of airports on local and global scales. The module addresses the environmental responsibilities of airports, promoting sustainable management practices. Students will be prepared for roles in the evolving airport and aviation industry, equipped with the required knowledge and skills.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

ITANI Nadine (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

n/a

Module content

This Airport Management module provides a comprehensive overview of the management and strategic dimensions of airports. Covering the structure of the airport industry, it examines airport economics and the airport-airline relationship, highlighting the importance of collaboration for efficiency and growth. The module touches on airport service quality and passenger experience, alongside the strategic provision of commercial facilities. Students will explore airport competition, marketing's role in fostering growth, and the significant economic and social impacts of airports on local and global scales. The module addresses the environmental responsibilities of airports, promoting sustainable management practices. Students will be prepared for roles in the evolving airport and aviation industry, equipped with the required knowledge and skills.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

In cases where the original group project is not suitable for re-assessment (e.g., only one student needs to retake the failed group project), an individual essay of 1000 words will be assigned.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to deliver a twin outcome. Firstly, it will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to work effectively in groups and deliver a comprehensive insight into airport management topics. Secondly, each candidate will undertake an individual assignment and apply critical thinking and analysis of emerging trends in airport economics and management.  

   

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of: 

• 
  Group presentation addresses learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3 and 6. 
  


• 
  Individual assignment addresses learning outcomes: 3, 4, 5 and 7. 
  

Formative assessment and feedback 

Students will create a draft version of one of the assessments. Students will receive written feedback together with their returned reports. Apart from comments on the group presentation and assignment, a formal sheet outlines students’ strengths, areas for improvements and suggestions on how to improve students’ performance for other assignments.   

 

Module aims

• Provide a deep understanding of the airport industry's structure, focusing on the roles, responsibilities, and interrelationships of the various stakeholders, including airport operators, airlines, regulatory bodies, and service providers.
• Explore the economic aspects of airport management, including revenue streams, cost control, financial planning, and the economic principles underpinning airport operations and development.
• Examine the complexities of the relationship between airports and airlines, emphasizing collaboration and negotiation strategies, service agreements, and the impact of these relationships on airport operations and expansion.
• Assess the importance of service quality and passenger experience in airport management, including strategies for assessment, improvement, and the role of technology in enhancing passenger satisfaction.
• Analyse the strategic planning and management of commercial facilities at airports, including retail, dining, hotels, parking, and leisure services, and their contribution to the airport's revenue and passenger experience.
• Evaluate the competitive dynamics of the airport industry and the importance of effective marketing strategies in attracting airlines, passengers, and commercial partners, as well as differentiating an airport in a global marketplace.
• Assess the broader economic and social impacts of airports on their local communities and the global economy, including job creation, economic development, and social responsibility initiatives.
• Analyse the environmental challenges faced by airports, including noise pollution, emissions, biodiversity, and waste management, and to explore sustainable practices and technologies aimed at minimising environmental impact.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Provide a framework of contemporary knowledge and theories supported by examples from the aviation industry. The current issues and debates will be highlighted so that the students are able to apply critical thinking to the literature and theory. Furthermore, the learning and teaching strategy is designed to develop students' cultural awareness, digital literacy, confidence, and competence in working with others, leadership, communication skills, employability, and professionalism. This in turn will enhance students' resourcefulness and resilience and contribute to their employability.

The teaching and learning methods include:

Lectures and guest lectures designed to provide a framework of knowledge. seminars an in-class-exercises and discussion topics will highlight contemporary issues and allow the students to form and challenge perspectives from the vested stakeholders. tasks to challenge the conventional paradigms and enhance critical thinking.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN2218

Other information

This module adopts the university curriculum framework which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities:

Global and Cultural Capabilities:

The module revolves around the development and management of air transport organisations (Airports/ Airlines) from a global perspective. Students develop an understanding of the influence of environment on the industry's development, including international, national and cultural environments. Since students are from different countries with diverse cultural backgrounds, class discussions and seminar exercises will be used to reinforce students' global and cultural capabilities.

Digital Capabilities:

Teaching and learning materials are provided in several formats, and students are encouraged to use discussion boards for communication. Students will be provided instruction on digital literature review searches that support their development of independent learning and successful assessment preparation. Students will use the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), SurreyLearn, video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and data analytics software to facilitate learning. These include accessing teaching and learning materials and engaging with their instructors and peers.

Employability:

Guest lecturers will be present up-to-date insight from the air transport industry on relevant topics and provide an opportunity for students to directly learn from industry experts and stakeholders. Students will gain knowledge on current developments in air travel and be taught to critically evaluate these developments. They will also learn how to develop strategies to manage these developments. All these skills can be transferred to various situations at the workplace, including problem-solving tasks.

Sustainability:

This module motivates students to critically evaluate the economic, social and environmental impacts of air travel/ transport industry through evidence-based learning, case study analysis and class discussions. Students will also learn the invaluable relationship between air connectivity, the business cycle, economic and social prosperity. Students will be guided in developing recommendations for striking a balance between the socio-economic benefits of aviation and mitigating the industry's environmental impacts.

Resourcefulness and Resilience:

The assessment strategy which comprises two stages; formative assessment and summative assessment. Through this strategy, this module empowers students to build self-evaluation into assessment processes and create spaces for students to reflect on their own performance whilst reviewing feedback. The structured schedule of the two-stage assessment will also support students in developing time management skills. Also, students are motivated to make informed decisions from a range of options as to which aspect of their work they would like to request feedback. The critical nature of the in-class discussion will help foster openness by encouraging students to understand and discuss contrasting perspectives.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.