Meet Antoine, alumni of the Airport Management Advanced Master

Before joining ENAC

Could you briefly introduce your background before you joined the advanced master in airport management (what was your education background, where did you work and what position did you occupy at the time)?

I have always wanted to work in aviation. Growing up in Reunion Island, aviation plays a central role in daily life as the airport is the main gateway to the island. I was always fascinated to watch aircraft take off from Roland Garros Airport in Sainte Marie and fly all the way to mainland France. And even more than being a gateway, I have always seen the airport as a place full of emotions, from people saying goodbye to loved ones or the joy of welcoming back family and friends. After working as a Customer Service Representative for a money transfer company for 5 years, I decided to go back to university and pursue the aviation dream.
The year before I joined ENAC, I completed a Master’s degree in International Air Transport Management and Tourism at Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse, and had the opportunity to complete my internship at Biarritz Airport as a Duty Station Manager. This experience allowed me to discover many aspects of airport operations, from passenger processing such as check in, boarding, and security, to disruption management including delays and weather related events. I was also involved in resource management, coordinating team members, check in counters, gates and aircraft stands. A rich experience in a 1M passenger airport, where I was able to touch every aspect of the operations.

What motivated you to choose this program back then and how did it align with your professional ambitions at that time?

One of the Duty Station Managers at Biarritz Airport was an alumnus of the Airport Management Advanced Master and strongly recommended the program to me. After exploring the curriculum I knew the Advanced Master in Airport Management was the right next step for me. Because I was exposed to a wide range of operational responsibilities and as a Duty Station Manager you are really the orchestrator of operations. This internship gave me a taste of what it means to run airport operations on a daily basis, and I wanted to develop my experience into real expertise.

During the program and its benefits afterwards

What key technical and transversal skills did you acquire through the program?

The program helped me strengthen management and strategic thinking skills, while working on multiple business cases in a team setting. Many modules required collaborative work to analyse the situations and propose solutions. This was greatly appreciated as it developed strong teamwork capabilities and encouraged us to share different points of view to deliver the best outcomes. The program also deep dive into technical knowledge around airports (I.e., airside limitation , terminal capacity, meteorology…) and provide a great understanding of how airports integrate within their broader environment, particularly when considering the many stakeholders involved in airport ecosystems.
The quality of the modules and the professionals delivering the lectures was exceptional. They combined strong theoretical foundations with real industry experience, which made the learning experience both practical and highly relevant. It also allowed us to build connections with stakeholders across the industry.

Do you think this degree gave you a competitive advantage and served as a career booster? If yes, please explain how.

Definitely. The depth and quality of the knowledge acquired during the program provides strong foundations for building a career in the aviation industry. ENAC is also a well known and highly respected institution within the aviation sector, which naturally opens doors in the industry.
In my case, I had the opportunity to complete two internships. The first one was as Station Manager for Lufthansa at Toulouse Airport, where I discovered the airline side of airport operations within a 12 million passenger airport environment. My second internship was as an Analyst Consultant at ICF in London, where I then had the chance to work for six years on global transformation projects for airlines, MRO organisations and airports. This experience has broadened my understanding of how airports operate within the wider aviation ecosystem.

Your analysis some years after

In one sentence, how would you summarise the added value of this program?

Refinement in quality.

Would you recommend this program and why?

Yes, I would recommend this program as it provides a comprehensive understanding of the airport and the aviation industry as a whole, while equipping students with the management techniques and analytical tools needed to succeed in the sector. It also brings together passionate individuals from around the world, which bring different perspective to the working groups, and that is what makes the learning experience even better.

What message would you send to future aviation professionals considering to join this program?

If you are willing to join the aviation industry and pursue a career within airport environments, I have absolutely no regrets about completing this Advanced Master. It has been one of the most valuable learning experiences of my life. For me, it was also a conscious decision to return to university with a clear objective, and I approached it with passion and dedication to learn and develop professionally.