What Are The Difference Between Ground Staff And Cargo Staff?

Author: Sudipta Roy

Being one of the most popular and fastest-growing industries in the world, the aviation industry offers numerous job opportunities with competitive salary packages that young aspirants dream of.

Aviation colleges offer professional aviation courses that can help aspirants climb the steps to success quickly in the aviation industry by getting selected for positions such as air hostess, ground staff, cargo staff, etc.

Today, let us have a close look at the difference between the ground staff and Cargo staff in the aviation industry to understand the responsibilities and opportunities of the respective positions in a much clear way.

Ground Staff

Airport Ground staff is an invincible part of the aviation industry. They are responsible for taking care of the passengers before, after, or in between a flight and ensuring the smooth functioning of the airport.

Responsibilities

  • They provide passengers with flight information and help them with making reservations, help them with check-ins carry out security checks, book air tickets, and assist passengers during their transfers between domestic and international flights.

  • Handling the baggage and loading and unloading.

  • The ground staff assists passengers with limited mobility and those with children.

  • Directing passengers to the taxi spot.

  • They also assist in cleaning and stocking refreshments in an aircraft and refueling it.

  • Assist passengers in case of loss of baggage.

Eligibility

Clear 10+2 board examination from a recognized board in any stream.

  • No additional requirements are there for becoming a ground staff but aspirants who want to fly high with a successful career in the aviation industry as a ground staff can pursue a Ground Staff Training Course from the best ground staff training institute in Kolkata.

  • Ground staffs need to have exceptional customer service and problem-solving skills. As a ground staff, you must be polite, friendly composed and should always be willing to help and resolve customers’ queries and problems.

  • You must be active and physically fit as the position demands long-standing hours and movements.

Career:-

Airline Ticketing Agent:-

They provide passengers with flight information and answer their queries. An Airline Ticketing Agent also helps passengers with reservation, booking, and verification of passports and visas. The average salary of an Airline Ticketing Agent in India is around INR 18,000 TO 20, 000(approx.) per month as freshers which can increase to around INR 4-5 Lakhs (approx.) per annum.

Airline Operations Agent:-

The main duties of an airline Operations Agent are to maintain schedules, record the number of passengers, baggage, and amount of fuel, supervise the loading and unloading of cargo, and many others. The average salary of an Airline Operations Agent in India is around INR 3 -5 Lakhs (approx.) per annum.

Ramp Planner:-

A ramp Planner is responsible for keeping a track of the airline departure and arrival time of the flights at an airport. They coordinate with various departments to ensure an aircraft is perfectly ready for its next flight. The salary of a ramp Planner in India is around INR 3-5 Lakhs (approx.) per annum depending on experience.

Ground Staff can also work in Travel and Tour agencies and aviation firms. Major Airlines that hire ground staff are Air India, Indigo, Spice Jet, British Airways, Lufthansa, and many more.

Cargo Staff

Air Cargo staff plays an important role in the Airline Industry.

Responsibilities:

They are responsible for loading luggage and other items on airplanes and unloading them after a plane lands

They also ensure that the luggage is smoothly transferred between planes.

Eligibility

To become an Air Cargo staff, you just need to clear your class 12 board examinations from a recognized board.

Aspirants who want to fly high in the aviation industry by becoming a cargo staff can pursue cargo handling courses

The top aviation College in Kolkata offers an array of cargo handling courses like Advanced Diploma in Air Cargo Management, Advanced Aviation Course for Cargo Handling, etc. that interested aspirants can pursue to reach the zenith of success in the aviation industry. International Air Transport Association (IATA) also offers cargo management courses such as an Advanced Cargo rating and marketing course, an Air cargo diploma course, and Cargo Introductory course that would enhance aspirants’ opportunities to establish a successful global career in the Aviation Industry. Short-term online certificate courses in air cargo management are also available for candidates who want to gain basic knowledge in Cargo Handling.

Career

Air Cargo Manager:

An Air Cargo Manager ensures that the correct procedures are being followed during operations such as the loading, storing, and unloading of goods to and from an airplane. The basic responsibility of an Air Cargo Manager is to ensure that all of the goods are delivered in good shape to the correct receiver. They supervise the overall operations of the cargo delivery business. He/she stays in touch with the staff and personnel carrying out the related tasks and has to manually keep a check on the inbound and outbound cargo of a company. They ensure that a correct database is maintained and are responsible for resolving complaints if any promptly. The Air Cargo Manager is also responsible to create business plans and ensure that the operations are carried out efficiently. The average starting salary is INR 3 to 4 Lakhs per annum, increasing up to INR 10-15 Lakhs with experience.

Cargo Operation Manager:

The Cargo Operations manager coordinates and supervises the activities of the ground crew in the loading, unloading, and securing of aircraft cargo. They may determine the quantity and orientation of cargo and compute the aircraft's center of gravity. He/ say may accompany the aircraft as a member of the flight crew, supervise the handling of cargo in flight, and assist and brief passengers on safety and emergency procedures. The average salary for this position is INR 7 Lakhs to 9 Lakhs per annum which increases with experience

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor:

He/she ensures the distribution of cargo in such a manner that space use is maximized. An Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor is responsible for calculating load weights for different aircraft compartments, using charts and computerized applications. He/ She also directs ground crews in the process of loading, unloading, and securing aircraft cargo or baggage. The average salary is around INR 3 Lakhs to 5 Lakhs per annum.

These are the main differences between ground staff and cargo staff in terms of eligibility, responsibilities, career opportunities, etc to give aspirants a better understanding of these two important positions in the aviation industry.