Dealing with disruptive situations at an airport : the case of Malta International Airport

Abstract

This long essay is set out to examine how the Malta International Airport deals with different disruptive situations. This research focuses on three major disruptive events which occurred at the Malta International Airport throughout the last five years. By examining these three different situations, the researcher will be able to identify the procedures and tactics used in case of crisis scenarios. To accomplish this, the researcher has examined these three different disruptive situations which have occurred at MIA, along with other disruptions, by conducting a review of existing literature on these scenarios. Moreover, importance was given to finding out the current regulations on aviation and airport security in order to combine these with the procedures which are currently being employed. A set of interviews were conducted with different internal departments of Malta International Airport in order to get a clear perspective of their participation during disruptive events. Moreover, interviews were also conducted with some of the key stakeholders of MIA. This was done in order to obtain the whole picture of what is likely to be done. The interviews have provided a clear insight on the planning which takes place before a disruption, the actions taken during a disruption, and also the aftermath effects of a disruption. With the results obtained, it was found that the Malta International Airport is implementing the right measures and actions as suggested by international authorities and agencies. The results also show that the actions being used are dependent on the nature of the disruptive event. To summarize, it was concluded that the Malta International Airport is currently doing its utmost to ensure that every disruptive situation is handled in a safe, efficient and customer-oriented manner. The outcome of this study is useful in understanding the importance of handling disruptive events in the correct manner in order to keep the company’s reputation and to also minimise the risk of resuming business continuity.