Manager of top airport puts her success down to teamwork!
Jenny Becker, George Airport Manager, has been working 12-hour days for the past eight months, fine-tuning the airport to cope with the influx of aircraft and passengers about to descend during November.
Even during normal periods, Jenny Becker runs the airport with mechanical precision and an iron glove. For Presidents Cup week, with 192 extra flights and 40 000 passengers due to flow through the airport buildings, her management skills have been tested to the full.

"Presidents Cup week has presented us with problems we haven't encountered before and we've had to innovate and in many cases devise solutions as we go along."
Challenges have included the establishment of international arrival and departure points, customs clearance, VIP security planning, immigration, co-ordination of incoming and outgoing aircraft at the rate of one every 60 minutes, figuring out apron and hangar space allocations, baggage handling and transportation, among others.
One of Jenny's biggest challenges in keeping her hand on all these interlinking problems and solutions has been time management. "I've had to learn to say 'no'. When you're seeing people day and night, making critical decisions round the clock, you can't afford to waste time. Every meeting has to be goal-oriented, and must reach one."

Jenny's no-nonsense, hands-on management style ("I'm a very straightforward person, sometimes almost to the point of non-diplomacy ") has evolved over 20 years in the aviation industry - she started work at the Cape Town Airport - and has enabled her to put her considerable knowledge into practice.

Her ingredient for success? Teamwork.
"I am a firm believer in teamspirit. I believe the team forms a complete wheel with each spoke of the wheel representing a section. Functioning in unity, the wheel will turn and gather momentum in the right direction. If a spoke breaks or underperforms, the malfunction will be felt throughout the team."

After the Cup, what challenges are left for George Airport?
"My personal opinion is that the biggest challenge is 'growth'. The ever-changing aviation industry and business world does not allow you to stagnate. Training and development of staff skills remain a priority. This enables staff to grow to their full potential. The growth of the airport is linked to tourism in the region, and promotion and marketing is crucial. George marketing initiatives must be supported by the locals to ensure the future of George community as a viable one."
Peter Schafer

Airport is top performer

Built in 1977 as an exact replica of the Keetmanshoop Airport in Namibia, George airport is a busy, efficient enterprise that has won the "Airport of the Year" trophy five times since the contest was launched.
In the latest national airports survey George Airport has retained its position as top performer. The previous survey found that passengers prized courtesy and helpfulness above all other priorities. This year, passengers put signage and finding their way through the airport as top priority.
Says Jenny Becker: "The relaxed, friendly ambience at the airport, coupled with the courteous and efficient services provided by ACSA and the staff of airport stakeholders, is the main ingredient in our winning recipe."
More than 250 000 passengers pass through George Airport each year and a healthy cargo traffic includes flowers, fish, oysters, herbs and ferns. ACSA attributes the success of the operation to a commitment to service excellence, upgraded facilities and a commercially-driven mindset.