Jerry Spampanato is deputy general manager of John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. More than 30,000 people are employed at the airport, which handles around 35 million passengers a year
How did you get into the industry? Aviation and I go back a long way. We used to have a television programme in the US called Victory at Sea about navy fighters, which got me interested. I started at Idlewild Airport (as it was) in 1959, working in customer services for Pan American Airways. I worked in several different jobs for Pan Am - operations, cargo, facilities - and was director of operations for it at JFK. Most of my 45-year career has been spent at this airport. I didn't have an aviation background, but I had a college education, spoke a foreign language (Italian) and had a drive to be a part of the airport.
What does your job involve? I get involved in every facet of airport operations - security, customer service, airline liaison. After 45 years, that helps keep the job interesting. Generally I have to act as a peacemaker between the different parties based here and tell them when they have to compromise.
A lot has changed since 9/11. We were seriously affected here. A lot of our colleagues didn't make it. The Port Authority [which operates JFK and had offices in the World Trade Center] lost 84 people in the attacks. We're more alert today and conscious of security considerations, since the UN is based here and we handle many dignitaries.
What have you learnt over the years? This may sound obvious, but I think you have to respect all the people you work with, regardless of their job title. You have to make the door open to people to come to you if they have a problem.
What has been your biggest achievement? The thing I take a lot of pride in is that I was in charge of the rebuilding of an entire concourse for Pan Am in Miami. I designed that entire facility and it is still there being used by other airlines. I was able to use my experience working in many different departments and knowing what all their needs were.
What advice would you give to people starting their careers? Education is important. You also have to love a challenge, like people and be able to deal with some stressful situations. You need the desire and love of aviation. It's still an exciting industry. I've seen the transition from pistons to the jet age, so I can imagine what the next 45 years will bring.
Source: Flight International
