Lecture Notes: RSA Ground Operations Challenges

Overview

• Speaker: Quintero Hayashi, President of RSA, a division of Rising Sun Airlines
• Focus: Challenges faced by ground crews in servicing planes at airports in Japan

Current Situation

• RSA flights are increasingly frequent, but ground crews struggle with efficiency.
• Ideal turn time: 12 minutes
• Average turn time: 18 minutes

Ken's Undercover Experience

• Ken went undercover as a ground crew member to understand employee perspectives.
• Assigned Task: Cleaning planes at Narita International Airport
• Team Composition: Six-member team
• Performance: Helped turn a Boeing 787 in 18 minutes.

Insights from Crew Members

• Toshi (New Hire):

  • Improvement in speed with experience.
  • Mentioned the need for a larger crew for bigger planes.
  • Job is temporary and not seen as a long-term career.

• Naboo (Experienced Crew Member):

  • Indicates that experienced workers can turn planes faster.
  • Acknowledges that more crew members lead to better turn times.
  • Knowledge of cleaning techniques not present in manuals.

Observations on Team Dynamics

• High attrition rates; many temporary workers do not stay long.
• Competition for best cleaner created mixed feelings among team members.
• Performance improves when teams are coordinated rather than competitive.

Proposed Solutions

1. Hire More Workers:

   • Address high workload demands and lower turn times.
   • Provide better training and higher wages to retain staff.

2. Improve Supervision:

   • Increase number of managers to ensure better oversight and coordination.

3. Technology Solution:

   • Consider investment in wearable tracking devices to monitor performance without budget increase.

Conclusion

• Ken's experience shows that while hiring and supervision are critical, there may be more cost-effective methods to improve efficiency.
• Need to explore creative solutions beyond increasing budgets.