Job Description

About Airline Network Planning

The task of Network Planning is to design, develop, implement, monitor and continuously improve the network of flights deployed by the airline as a cohesive and interconnected system. Network Planning’s objectives are, therefore, always maximizing profitability using both revenue enhancement and cost minimization levers in the route planning and schedule design process. This group drives the short, medium and strategic long term capacity plan for the Company – the key starting point around which all company plans are based - at corporate and department level. Due to its role, the team bears significant responsibility for the Company’s future. The group includes specialists at schedule design and management as well as analytical expertise with a high level of exposure and understanding for airline economics and its key drivers. Network is an intellectually stimulating place to work with a 360 degree view of the airline business and significant influence on the Company’s economic performance. It is for this reason that this area has been material part of the career journey of a large proportion of Airline Leaders over the decades.

Network @ IndiGo

IndiGo has developed rapidly over the last 15 years to become the market leader in Domestic travel in India with a fleet of over 250 aircraft and a footprint that spans the length and breadth of the domestic market. In addition, prior to the advent of Covid related restrictions, IndiGo was rapidly expanding its international footprint, and had already established a strong position in primary regional markets in SAARC, South East Asia and the Gulf. Going forward, IndiGo will continue its rapid growth, with the fleet size expected to exceed 500 aircraft in the next 5 years. This expansion will be built on the twin pillars of maintaining a leadership position in Domestic by building greater breadth and depth in the network; and driving a high pace of international growth through expansion to new markets beyond the traditional marketplaces served by Indian carriers. 

 The role: The selected candidate will join a group of high quality experts in the field of schedule design, implementation and management in an area that is mission critical for the success of the airline as a whole. The role will include responsibility & involvement in the following areas:

Reporting to: Associate Director – Network Planning

• Schedule Design & Optimization:

o   Participate in pre-season Schedule design to develop an operationally optimized, high utilization network that maximizes commercial feasibility for slot/schedule coordination for upcoming seasons.

o   Monitor schedule performance and industry trends in conjunction with strategic groups and find solutions for market adjustments/additions or schedule changes to improve the existing network. In parallel, analyze and implement continuous improvement to achieve incremental crew productivity, improve maintenance feasibility and network connectivity.

o   Use Sabre’s Air Vision planning and scheduling software to ensure that the planned network does not exceed the total available aircraft. Regularly adjust the network schedules, equipment, aircraft flying patterns etc., to meet commercial and operational requirements such as profitability, pattern of service, strategic considerations, aircraft utilization, slot adherence, aircraft parking bay compliance, local airport manpower and optimal sub fleet utilization , accommodation of airport closures and maximizing crew efficiency.

• Schedule Implementations & Publishing:

o   Collaborate with several internal teams such as crew planning, engineering, revenue management, ort operations, flight operations, marketing etc., to discuss roadblocks and come up with solutions to operationalize the planned schedule.

o   Publish & distribute the planned schedule with RMS (revenue management system), and key external & Internal stake holders within agreed timelines.

• Codeshare Management: Regularly interact with potential codeshare partners during the testing phase, explain IndiGo’s scheduling practices and constraints and deliver solutions to operationalize the partnership; maintain existing codeshares using Sabre Air Vision and ensure all flights are mapped and published.
• Systems & Tools: Understand how planning, scheduling systems and other analytical tool works and develop as a super-user who will serve as technical point of contact for all issues related to Sabre Air Vision and other tools. Map the team’s usage of the tool to suggest steps to increase adoption and automate repetitive tasks. Interact regularly with internal IT and Sabre to design internal services to aid process improvement, overcome system limitations or downline integration.
• Process improvements: Constantly monitor existing processes for self and team members. Suggest changes or improvements to further streamline workflow or the interaction with down-line departments.

Qualities the role will require:

•  Comfort with an amorphous and fast-paced environment, requiring creativity and autonomous initiative
• Good oral communication and strong inter-personal skills will be critical to develop relationships across the company – an essential component of the successful schedule coordination & implementation
• Candidate will require to be extremely detail & process oriented and be able to multi-task effectively.
•  Candidate will be participating from time to time in confidential evaluations and projects, and will be expected to handle such projects with high level of integrity and discretion.
• A high level of digital literacy and affinity to learn in this area is a preferred quality.

Qualifications & Experience

•  Post Graduate Degree in Management, Aviation or related
• 3-6 years of experience in Airline Network Planning/Scheduling/Crew Planning or any analytical/operational planning field in an airline
• Candidates with any of the following will be preferred
•  Prior experience with Airline Schedule Management tools, especially Sabre AirVision
•  Understanding & Exposure of airline scheduling, crew planning and engineering requirements, airline operations and aviation regulations
• Understanding of IATA Chapters 4 & 7. Strong knowledge of presentation & transfer of schedule data sets
• Capabilities in Advanced Excel with ability to work with VB , Access.

What could the future hold:

• This role will expose the candidate to a wide-range of dimensions in the airline business.
• As an outcome, the candidate will develop as an all-round resource with a multitude of future possibilities, with connectivity across the organization.
• Over time, once the candidate has mastered her/his core function and developed a good network in the organization, they will be rotated to/through functional managerial roles within Network Planning Verticals

Skills Required

• IATA
• Microsoft Excel
• Network Planning