What does a Station Agent do?
A station agent is responsible for managing passenger ticketing, check-in, boarding, ramp operations, and aircraft servicing. They ensure crew members recognize schedule times, perform tasks during their shift, and handle customer complaints. Unique duties include refueling and cleaning ground equipment, hooking up ground power units to aircraft, and manifesting outgoing freight, including dangerous goods. They also conduct security searches, clean aircraft interiors, and operate equipment like tugs and belt loaders.
Station agent responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real station agent resumes:
- Manage ticket inventory and assist with passenger check-in procedures, baggage loading and unloading.
- Check in of domestic and international passenger flights according to FAA guidelines, using SABRE computer program.
- Answer inquiries regarding general travel information, airline polices, and TSA and FAA rules and regulations.
- Secure tag luggage by loading into TSA approve metal cages and seal them before sending the bags to the airport.
- Complete all necessary arrangements for accommodating passengers holding reservations, standby passengers, and their luggage.
- Complete all necessary arrangements for accommodating passengers with reservations and stand-by passengers, including cabin upgrades.
- Work in a secure environment, requiring TSA mandate security clearance and varying levels of training/certifications.
- Ensure customer understand greyhound bus travel policy and procedures.
Station agent skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Station Agents are proficient in Loaders, Reservations, and Cushions. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Integrity, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Station Agents that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Loaders, 16%
Operated tugs, belt loaders, jet bridge and carts.
- Reservations, 15%
Completed all necessary arrangements for accommodating passengers holding reservations, standby passengers, and their luggage.
- Cushions, 11%
Clean and service cabin interiors, including seatback pockets, seat cushions, tray tables, overhead bins.
- Ground Operations, 8%
Enforced safety regulations while overseeing flight ground operations.
- Eagle, 7%
Assist Admiral Club associates with arrivals/departures for American/American Eagle Airlines.
- Belt Loaders, 6%
Operated and fuel motorized equipment including cargo and belt loaders, lift trucks, ramp tractors and aircraft loading systems.
Common skills that a station agent uses to do their job include "loaders," "reservations," and "cushions." You can find details on the most important station agent responsibilities below.
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a station agent to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "information clerks must be able to explain policies and procedures clearly to customers and the public." Additionally, a station agent resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "serve as a communications hub for flight operations. "
Integrity. Another essential skill to perform station agent duties is integrity. Station agents responsibilities require that "information clerks, particularly human resources assistants, have access to confidential information." Station agents also use integrity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "monitored operational integrity and made real-time critical decisions on nearly 12 daily domestic flights. "
Interpersonal skills. This is an important skill for station agents to perform their duties. For an example of how station agent responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "information clerks who work with the public and customers must understand and communicate information effectively to establish positive relationships." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a station agent: "utilized computer and face to face interpersonal skills to assist air travelers with flight scheduling. ".
The three companies that hire the most station agents are:
- Amerijet International5 station agents jobs
- Nordstrom4 station agents jobs
- GAT Airline Ground Support1 station agents jobs
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Compare different station agents
Station agent vs. Travel clerk
Passenger service agents are professionals who work inside airport terminals to provide assistance and related customer services to the airlines they serve. These agents are required to issue airline tickets for clients while checking if their requested dates of flights are available and then prepare their itineraries accordingly. They must assist passengers with airport check-ins and examine their ticket, passport, and other identifying documents. Passenger service agents must also answer inquiries from passengers as well as handle complaints.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a station agent are more likely to require skills like "loaders," "cushions," "ground operations," and "eagle." On the other hand, a job as a travel clerk requires skills like "defense travel system," "travel arrangements," "dod," and "travel orders." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Travel clerks tend to reach similar levels of education than station agents. In fact, travel clerks are 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Station agent vs. Train clerk
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, station agent responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "loaders," "reservations," "cushions," and "ground operations." Meanwhile, a train clerk has duties that require skills in areas such as "learning management system," "safety issues," "access database," and "spreadsheets." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
In general, train clerks achieve similar levels of education than station agents. They're 3.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Station agent vs. Passenger service agent
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, station agents are more likely to have skills like "loaders," "cushions," "ground operations," and "eagle." But a passenger service agent is more likely to have skills like "reservation system," "passenger service," "excellent interpersonal," and "english language."
Passenger service agents earn the best pay in the transportation industry, where they command an average salary of $28,828. Station agents earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $32,869.Most passenger service agents achieve a similar degree level compared to station agents. For example, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Station agent vs. Reservation specialist
Types of station agent
Updated April 25, 2024
