When people think of airport jobs, they’ll usually include check-in assistants and security people, as well as pilots and flight attendants.

But there’s a huge number of other incredible roles that are required to make air travel possible.

Important… but there are people even more important!. Like the people who guide planes into parking spots and reverse them out when they’re ready to depart.

And the teams who scare away birds and pick up litter off the runway.

Let’s start with the Airport Fire and Rescue Service. Every airport needs specially trained fire crews teams who are always on standby, ready to go in under two minutes. As well as major incidents, they deal with fuel spills, medical emergencies – and even things like fire alarms in terminals. And they’re always practising. There’s often a strange looking plane with no wings in the corner of an airfield. Their unique design combines parts of different aircraft, allows for realistic training scenarios.

One part of an airport community that people would prefer not to have around is wildlife… let’s talk birds. It’s not because we don’t like birds, it’s just that airports aren’t safe for them, and big birds like gulls and geese can cause very serious damage if they’re unlucky enough to be sucked into an engine when a planes’ zooming along a runway – or if they hit the cockpit windscreen. This is where wildlife patrols come in. Some call them the birdmen.

They use sound cannons, distress calls and even lasers to keep birds away from the runways. But different birds behave in different ways, and they also get smart and used to certain methods, so the wildlife patrols have to get creative. Although sometimes the oldest trick works best – just yelling “SHOO!”

They’re part of the ground crew, who do brilliant jobs making sure the runways and aprons – that’s the areas where the planes park – stay safe, organised – and free of ice and snow too.

A role that’s as close to plane choreography as it gets is the marshaller. They use hand signals or wands to guide planes to the correct parking spot. It’s crucial for safety, especially in tight areas.

Baggage handling is very important… after you have checked your bag, it zooms through an underground maze of belts and scanners, on machinery able to process hundreds of bags every minute, which is no mean feat when you think that bags and suitcases come in all shapes and sizes. Bags pass through intelligent X-ray machines that slice images into digital layers. Safe bags go one way but if something odd shows up, the system triggers an alarm and that bag goes for inspection. Whilst high tech scanners can help identify risky items, ultimately a human security officer will open a bag and check its contents.

From checking bags to monitoring airport gates and patrolling the perimeter, the security team are quiet champions keeping everyone safe…

Want to know something super COOL? It’s not just aircraft and buildings that are being built more eco-friendly, airports are becoming more green and sustainable thanks to clever ground operations, and the teams who run them. Electric tugs, baggage trucks and catering vehicles help reduce pollution.

Whether it’s guiding planes or keeping birds at bay, there’s a job at the airport for every interest. They’re incredible ecosystems full of interesting careers.