Last-minute runway changes, planned maintenance works, bird control issues – the Airport Authority at Schiphol deals with all kinds of things that happen and need to happen on airside. Ashley Volleman (33) has worked at Schiphol since 2011 in various roles for different companies. Today, she has found her place at the Airport Authority as Operations Officer.
Ashley launched her career in aviation as a cabin crew member and then worked as a ground stewardess at Schiphol. Since 2023, she has been working as an operations officer at the Airport Authority, which is basically the control room for airside. Everything that happens and needs to happen on airside, including works, maintenance, aircraft turnaround, is reported to them. It’s a varied job that requires quick thinking and close collaboration with colleagues. And that’s what Ashley likes so much about it!
Ashley, along with her operation officer colleagues, is responsible for checking that all the planned activities on airside can take place, that the parties involved have the right documents with them and are in the right place at the right time to carry out their tasks. They are also responsible for making runways available, closely collaborating with Air Traffic Control the Netherlands to ensure aircraft can always take off and land. There’s a lot involved in this, and there are sometimes last-minute changes and unforeseen occurrences, which makes thinking on your feet an essential skill in this line of work!
‘No two days are the same, and that’s simultaneously the best and most challenging thing about the job,’ says Ashley enthusiastically. ‘We often get calls from handling agents reporting things like leaks and collisions. Our job is to deal with that asap.’ Ashley assesses the severity of unsafe situations and takes action where needed. ‘Take a bird strike, for example. We help determine if it’s serious or whether the flight can go ahead as planned’. She also informs different parties when there are circumstances they must take into account. Like an incoming storm, for example. She does this by sending out a kind of voice memo to everyone on airside that needs to know.
The most memorable moment of her job so far was when a flight had to divert to Schiphol due to smoke in the cockpit. In such situations, operations officers can hear the communication between the tower and pilots, and this time, for the first time ever, Ashley heard the word ‘Mayday!’. ‘You discuss cases like this during training, but when it happens in real life you really have to switch gears.’ The pilot in question made a successful landing at Schiphol, where the fire brigade and ambulance were ready to help out. Luckily, everything went well, also thanks to the Airport Authority, who was there to make sure everything went smoothly.
While still working in her previous role, Ashley visited the Airport Authority a few times and really liked the atmosphere. She thought to herself: ‘I can really see myself working here’. When she saw the vacancy online, she naturally applied right away. And it was a great move. One of the best things about her job is the colleagues. ‘Everyone is dedicated and ready to help each other out.’ At Schiphol, employees are encouraged to take on a new position after 5 or so years. But Ashley will be staying put for the foreseeable future. ‘At Schiphol you have so many different opportunities open to you, but I could quite happily work in this job for a lot longer!’