Flight operations sit at the heart of airline and airport operations. Flight operations officers prepare aircraft for departure, monitor flights in the air, work with pilots and dispatchers, and ensure that every operation complies with aviation regulations. Alongside passenger services, ramp handling, and cargo handling, flight operations form a vital part of ground handling.
Across the SATS Group network, including WFS, a SATS company, ground handling teams support airline customers in 225 locations across Asia, the Americas, and other regions. These services include passenger handling, aircraft turnaround coordination, ramp operations, cargo handling, cabin cleaning, inflight catering, and flight operations.
Lim Xin Yi, Flight Operations Officer, SATS Singapore Hub
Changi Airport (SIN) is home to SATS’ headquarters, where our teams support about 80% of airline operations. Next to the ramp offices is the Flight Operations Department, where dispatch agents and flight operations officers work side by side.
Among them is Xin Yi, who works behind the scenes to ensure every flight runs smoothly, connecting the department’s work to the wider operation.
Though their work often goes unnoticed, flight operations officers like Xin Yi play a pivotal role in ensuring safe, timely aircraft turnarounds and departures. To do this, they manage fuel calculations, adjust flight paths, and ensure compliance with aviation regulations.
When Xin Yi joined SATS in 2022, she had no aviation experience. She used to work in the education sector as an administrative employee, but her dream of working at the airport led her to apply for a Trainee Flight Operations Officer position.
The transition was not without its hurdles. "I had zero experience, and the learning curve was steep,” she recalls. Still, her passion kept her motivated. “I was willing to learn, no matter how tough it got.”
In the first three months, she was a dispatch agent whose main responsibilities were to present flight briefing packages to the crew, coordinate with flight dispatchers on any enquiries or additional requirements from the airline, and relay accurate and finalised fuel figures.
This role gave Xin Yi a critical foundation for her future as a flight operations officer. “It’s where I started to understand the job fully,” she shares. From there, she attended a two-month course to earn her certification and build on that experience.
The Flight Operations Department at SATS has three core responsibilities: flight dispatch, flight watch, and crew scheduling. Each one helps ensure a smooth flight.
Flight dispatch is the process of planning and preparing a flight before departure. It involves creating operational flight plans, reviewing weather conditions, checking airspace restrictions, coordinating fuel requirements, and ensuring all regulatory and safety requirements are met.
This is the stepping stone to being a flight operations officer. “All flight operations officers start as dispatch agents,” says Xin Yi. The role involves preparing flight packages containing critical documents such as the Operational Flight Plan (OFP), Flight Dispatch Release, ATS (Air Traffic Services) Filing, Meteorological Information Folder (MET) and Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). These packages are delivered to pilots, who rely on them to understand flight conditions, weather, overflight permits, alternate airports, potential hazards on the ground and in the air, and air traffic updates.
This role also involves liaising with the Load Control Department at SATS about fuel or weight restrictions and coordinating with Singapore Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) and the airline’s dispatcher for flight rerouting or irregularities.
“It may seem simple, but these documents are essential for pilots to make informed decisions before takeoff,” Xin Yi explains.
Flight watch is the process of monitoring an aircraft in flight. Flight watch teams track flight progress, communicate operational updates, and coordinate with airlines, airports, and ground operations to manage disruptions, delays, or special requirements.
Once the aircraft takes off, the flight watch team takes over. From there, they monitor the aircraft’s journey from departure to landing and update relevant stakeholders.
Their job is to monitor the aircraft’s journey from departure to landing and update relevant stakeholders.
“We send movement (MVT) messages once the plane arrives and takes off, notifying upline stations of delays or changes,” Xin Yi says. This communication keeps airline staff and ground handlers informed.
The team also handles requests from flight crew, such as arranging additional ground support or responding to special needs. “For instance, if a crew member requests a wheelchair for a passenger, we coordinate with the necessary departments to ensure it’s ready upon landing,” she adds.
The crew scheduling team coordinates accommodation and transportation for the flight crew, ensuring everyone stays on schedule and is available when needed.
Flight operations teams work with pilots, airline dispatchers, load controllers, air traffic services personnel and ground handling teams. By connecting airline and airport operations, they ensure flights comply with safety requirements, meet regulatory standards and depart on schedule.
Across the SATS Group network, flight operations teams support airline customers alongside passenger services, aircraft turnaround coordination, cargo handling, cabin cleaning, in-flight catering, and other ground handling services. Together, these functions support airline operations before, during and after a flight.
Xin Yi begins every shift by taking over from the previous team. She looks over the day’s flight schedule, checks for any updates, and gets ready for any last-minute changes that could affect a flight.
The work moves quickly, and time is always important. Each flight package, which contains the documents pilots need, must reach the crew at least 70 minutes before takeoff.
There is a lot of pressure to make sure everything is correct. If the documents are late, flights might be delayed.
The value of a flight operations officer’s job is most obvious when something unexpected happens. Xin Yi remembers a time when a flight had to change course because of a medical emergency. In situations like this, the team needs to stay calm, adjust quickly, and work closely with others to keep the flight safe and on schedule.
During these moments, she really sees how many people and tasks come together for each flight. One of her favorite parts of the job is briefing pilots on the flight deck and keeping in touch with them while they are flying.
"These interactions remind me that the work we do on the ground directly supports every flight," she says.
After a year in this job, Xin Yi feels more confident managing the tasks of flight dispatch. She keeps learning every day and thinks that being adaptable, independent, and able to multitask are key for anyone interested in flight operations.
Her advice is to stay curious, keep learning, and always be ready to adapt. In flight operations, every choice is important, and each day is a chance to make a difference.
Q: What does a Flight Operations Officer do?
Flight Operations Officers support flight planning, dispatch, flight monitoring, and operational coordination to help ensure safe and efficient airline operations.
Q: What is flight dispatch?
Flight dispatch involves preparing operational flight plans, monitoring weather conditions, coordinating fuel requirements, and helping pilots make informed decisions before departure.
Q: What is flight watch?
Flight watch is the process of monitoring aircraft while they are in flight to provide operational updates and coordinate responses to disruptions or irregularities.
Q: Are flight operations part of ground handling?
Yes. Alongside passenger services, cargo handling and ramp operations, flight operations is an important ground handling function that supports airline operations before, during and after a flight.
Q: What is the difference between a Dispatch Agent and a Flight Operations Officer?
Dispatch Agents prepare and deliver flight briefing materials to pilots and coordinate operational information before departure. Flight Operations Officers may perform dispatch functions while also supporting flight watch, crew scheduling and wider flight operations activities.
