Job description - Commercial stopover agent (Registration agent)

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Beyond this function, within thesales team of an airport, this agent may be required to satisfy certain passenger needs. Here is some information about the mission, salary, and qualifications required to be a commercial ground handling agent. Many commercial stopover agents then join the Sales & Business Development jobs.

The role of the station agent

At an airport, the commercial ground handling agent is considered to be a facilitator. From the reception of passengers to the management of formalities related to their boarding by going through theorganizing their luggage, the registration agent plays an essential role in the proper functioning of the system. It allows the fluidity of exchanges as well as movements within the building.

The stopover agent is in charge of welcoming and providing information to passengers at the counter. He also offers the services and benefits of his company and carries out a immediate registration of various passengers' luggage. He has a duty to check the boarding passes of all passengers to ensure that they are in good standing. It also guides travelers and offers them assistance for various specific needs.

The stopover agent is therefore a great help for disabled people, minors or any other passenger in difficulty. The agent must also deal with any irregularities that he will encounter, such as lost or damaged baggage.

The salary of registrars

Commercial ground handling agent salaries are not prefixed and may vary by airline. But an estimate is possible. First time border crossing officers receive a salary of nearly €20K per month, while those with a much more experienced profile can receive up to €25K per month.

This salary is accompanied by compensatory allowances for the various staggered hours. This remuneration is now valued because of the hierarchical evolution in this sector.

The heads of stopovers receive for their shares a gross amount per month above that of the intelligence agents. They can therefore be paid at more than €30K per month. For employees at the end of their career, the salary can reach €60K.

The Flight manager represents his airline. He is responsible for coordinating stopover activities, both at the commercial and technical levels. He is responsible for registering and managing formalities both for departure and for disembarking.

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The golden rules of a commercial stopover

Apart from the missions that the registration agent must carry out, he is obliged to follow a few golden rules. The latter are of paramount importance, as they will make him an effective, competent and, above all, indispensable agent.

To exercise this profession, the agent must have certain regulatory knowledge related to the check-in of travelers and luggage before boarding. He must know the objects that present an imminent danger in the French aviation sector. Airport security rules must also be mastered. Since he represents the company, he must be able to give a good presentation in order to reassure and put passengers in confidence.

The crossing officer must have a good knowledge of the aeronautical environment. To be effective in carrying out the various tasks, the agent must have a sense of organization and must be as dynamic as possible. He must show good management and team management skills.

He must be able to manage his stress and above all succeed in controlling any situation. In his daily work, he must have good interpersonal skills. To carry out this activity well, the commercial agent must identify qualities and values that are essential for good passenger management.

The commercial stopover agent must demonstrate responsiveness and initiative in the event of an incident or any type of problem. He must be able to keep his cool in the face of any situation and especially when he must inform aggrieved passengers. Proficiency in English is a mandatory point for any ground handling agent.

Mastering another foreign language is a much appreciated asset. To be a stopover agent, You must be at least 18 years old and have French nationality. It is still possible to be an agent if you hold the nationality of a country that is part of the European Union.

Your criminal record must be clean, otherwise you will not be eligible for this position. The ground handling agent is subject to a mode of operation pre-established by the airport.

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What are the working conditions?

Commercial stopover agents generally work under the supervision of the transit manager. They may also be required to work in a team. The working conditions of check-in agents vary from one airport to another.

The schedules are therefore delayed and depend on the mode of operation of the airport. Some stopover agents are required to work weekends. while others must be at their posts on public holidays. To carry out their mission successfully, they must work closely with the traffic agent.

What are the pros and cons of this profession?

The field agent sector is booming with a strong increase in recruitments. Registration agents may be accepted with a bachelor's degree level.

The main advantage of this profession is that it has very good prospects for development. On the other hand, the large working hours are a real disadvantage requiring a lot of flexibility. Employees find themselves working nights, weekends, and even holidays.

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Trainings to become a stopover agent

The profession of registration agent requires a bachelor's degree. Some recruiters require the Bac + 2 level. Be that as it may, this profession is not the subject of a specific curriculum or training. It is still more accessible to those who have a Tourism curriculum, in language or in business.

It can therefore be:

• A BTS in tourism;
• A DUT in commercial technology;
• An additional mention obtained one year after the bac.

It is possible to find higher schools that offer training leading especially to the airport handling agent certificate. You can push further and try to get diplomas Or certificates more suited to this position.

In this case, it is:

• Higher Aviation Technician Diploma;
• Master in air transport management;
• Diploma or certificate issued by business schools.

For those who only have a bac diploma, they can become reception agents in transport. With a bac + 2 level agents get training in marketing techniques, which may allow them to evolve more easily in their careers. Obtaining a professional license in international logistics and transport will allow them to have a position higher than that of stopover.

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Career development for a commercial stopover

It is easy for intelligence agents to acquire more responsibility and experience through additional training. It can very quickly become a supervisor or a station manager depending on your performance or their level of expertise.

As soon as he goes from being a commercial agent to a station manager, he has the opportunity to move to the central administrative services of the company where he works. Apart from the administrative function, he can migrate to other positions according to his internal mobility or according to the opportunities that the company offers him.

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