Abstract
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which started in China as of December 2019, has spread all over the world and caused different adverse effects in each country. The coronavirus has affected millions of people around the world and caused thousands of deaths. The pandemic, which causes us to question our knowledge to be true and is a new factor that should be seen as a risk in future planning, has brought new regulations in all vital activities. The fact that airline transportation is one of the sectors most affected by coronavirus determined the scope of the study. Within the scope of the study, exploratory case study was preferred and how airport operations were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic was illustrated.
TopIntroduction
The Coronavirus (Covid 19) Pandemic, which started in China as of December 2019, has spread all over the world and has had different negative effects in every country. The pandemic has affected millions of people in all regions around the world, causing thousands of deaths (WHO, 2020). The spread of the virus has caused significant disruptions in all sectors, especially in the service sector. The pandemic, as a new factor that made us question the things we know to be true, has brought new regulations in all vital activities and should be considered as a risk factor in future planning.
The global epidemic caused by the spread of coronavirus; quarantine, hospitalizations and tragically increased deaths brought widespread uncertainty. Travel restrictions have reduced the mobility of individuals around the world, and the negative effects associated with it have spread to numerous sectors (Sobieralski, 2020: 1). Although it has had different effects in all sectors, the airline industry is one of the leading sectors where coronavirus will leave a strong mark and will likely experience a challenging change and transformation. (Nižetić, 2020: 10960).
The impact of the pandemic on the sustainability of product and service supply chains is an important motivator of this study. The fact that air transportation is one of the sectors most affected by coronavirus has determined the scope of the study. Considering that the process will not end very soon and similar situations may occur in the future, arises the need to define what measures have been developed in line with the effective execution of operational activities in the process of combating the pandemic in the aviation sector and to disseminate examples of good practice. In this context, the following questions are sought in this study;
The study is arranged as follows. In the section after the introduction, a general review of the impact of coronavirus on the aviation sector and airport activities are presented. Then, in the application section, airport operations were theoretically included and the change and transformation of airport operations after the Coronavirus outbreak were examined. Finally, in line with the findings, a general evaluation was made and recommendations were presented for future studies.
It is aimed that the results obtained within the scope of the study will guide academics and practitioners working in the field of aviation for effective operation management in coronavirus and different pandemic processes that may occur in the future.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Occupational Health and Safety Unit: This unit is responsible for determining the factors that may cause occupational accidents and diseases, identifying and analyzing the risks that may occur, protecting the health of the employees, making the working and environmental conditions of the enterprises healthy and safe, and organizing the methods and functions to take the necessary measures.
Warehouse: The place where the commercial goods that comes to the customs are placed, protected.
Information Services: Information desks are places where there are staff at airports who can assist passengers with questions about their journeys, the airport or the area where the airport is located.
Ramp: This service provided at airports include meeting and parking the aircraft, unloading and loading the aircraft, providing equipment, generators, heating, cooling and propulsion vehicles, cabin interior and exterior cleaning, provision of toilet and water service to the aircraft, de-icing the aircraft in bad weather conditions and the implementation of anti-icing measures, passenger and crew transportation between the aircraft and passenger terminal, and the protection of pallets, containers and other unit loading equipment.
Airline Companies: Businesses that offer (produce) air transport services.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): ICAO is an international aviation organization established in 1947, affiliated with the United Nations.
Life Eve Common (HES-Hayat Eve Sigar) Code: Controlled in Turkey under Social Life, transportation or shared with processes such as institutions and people in the visit is a code indicating that any risk was moved in terms of Covidien-19 diseases.
Duty-Free Shops: Sales stores that sell tax-free to domestic or foreign passengers who go abroad, come from abroad or fly in transit are called Duty Free Shops.
Cargo: All kinds of goods carried in an aircraft except mail, catering materials and luggage.
International Air Transport Association (IATA): IATA is the agency that audits the tariffs and authorization of passenger and cargo transportation via airline.
Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA): It is an association founded in 1956 by a group of air traffic controllers in Washington, D.C.
Passenger Services: All ticket, baggage and passport control procedures carried out according to international rules and airline standards from the entrance of the passenger to the airport to boarding and welcoming passengers and directing them to the passport control on arrival, helping the passenger with all kinds of problems related to his/her baggage.
Terminal Management: It is the operator responsible for the operation of the terminal in the airport.
European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol): It is an international organization whose primary aim is to improve European air traffic management.
Operation: This department ensure the coordination of the services provided to the aircraft and the timely execution of the operation.
State Airports Authority (DHMI): The regulation of air traffic in Turkey's airspace and the airports operated by the control task, the State Airports Authority is carried out by the General Directorate.
Ground Services: Ground service businesses operating in airports serve planes, passengers, passengers' accompanying luggage and cargo transportation in the most general means.
Integrated Management System: In order to achieve the strategic goals, set by the airports, an Integrated Management System is created in order to manage all processes effectively, efficiently and sustainably.
Catering Services: Catering is prepared to meet the eating and drinking needs of the passengers during the flight of the airline companies at the airports, the unloading of the remaining food and beverages, the loading of fresh food and beverages for the flight crew and passengers, are provided by the catering companies.