Most powerful department within your airline
 

We started debating this after a few drinks tonight. Think it might make for a good thread. So here goes --

Which is the most powerful department in your airline and why?
Flight Ops? Finance? Dispatch? System Ops. Control? Marketing?

Human Resources. Unfortunately!

In Europe - without a doubt - Industry and Government Affairs.

All the big issues facing the airlines - environment, airport charges, security, ATC, safety, consumer protection - are highly politicised. In any big airline, the no 1 politico will be the CEO's right-hand man.

And we thought the industry was deregulated, right?

HR - should be there to help but always in with the MD stiring. Normally seem to be moaning about Management Pilots rosters, yes even they have rules to comply with such as 7 in 28 days off

Beancounters - know the price of everything, the value of nothing

Cabin Services

Most important dept?
 

How about the HoneyCart man, y'all ain't going nowhere anywhere without this guy!!

It was Cabin Services until last week;)

Probably now the baggage handlers:(

FINANCIAL department unfortunately....they will always find ways to cut-reduce..eliminate amount of mony payed to flt crews..pretexts can always be found.........management is happy
this is..universal:{

commercial department...... opening up new routes without reviewing the man power :(

Crewscheduling; they can make or break the pilot community's morale.
In my book that is extremely powerful.

In easy it's flight ops admin. They run the show. I have always been nice to these lovely people.

Cabin Crew Dept in our outfit. I would also add that the most powerful person in the company is the checker you fly with ;)

Most powerful?.....catering!! The control they can influence is painful!

Payroll........obviously:ugh:

HR. A bunch of lightweights with loads of knowledge of the theory but not a clue about how to communicate with people!
My limited dealings with these people makes me realise that they are a bunch of kids with absolutely no idea how to deal with human beings. I really hate them!! :E

Marketing.

Surprised no one mentioned the QA department:}

Maintenance Dept.

If the a/c is tech, the airline doesn’t make money and everyone in all the other departments can go home. As an operational asset the aeroplane is the money maker…. engineers and crew are joint 2nd in the food chain behind the health of the a/c and i can't remember the last time i heard a pilot tell an engineer what's what.

The most important are aircraft maintenance. This is from a pilot's perspective.
The least important, Upper Mgmt. Not all of them, but some go from airline to airline, stuffing millions, if not tens of millions of scarce dollars (some via 'free' stock: this is in their contracts) into their pockets, and lacking people skills, they continue to damage or cripple airline after airline, from a long-term perspective.

Check what dangerous situations happened as a result of their type$ of "outsourcing". Many of us anticipated a major incident or crash this winter-at our company. Events have taken place which we have never heard of before. Never.