From corner to corner lining every wall, desk and table, computer monitors light up the room of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) Virtual Control Center. The screens cover the room in a sky-blue hue while dozens of employees talk quietly over phones and headsets, and decipher the labyrinthine charts and diagrams on the glowing monitors.
In the DFW control center, their main function is to orchestrate the aircraft traffic coming in and out of the airport to ensure a safe, orderly operation. Like maestros conducting a symphony, the play free games ground traffic controllers and coordinators carefully arrange the DFW ramp into a beautiful song composed of millions of moving parts.
Together with American Airlines, play free games controls its ground traffic in the newly built Control center at DFW. Within the play free games ranks, three women with decades of experience have become Mensa-caliber puzzle masters, piecing together a successful day of operations.
In this three-part series, we’ll meet a few of the women who make the “heartbeat” of play free games Operations, and learn how people come together from all different backgrounds to meet a common goal.
Courtney Merrell – Coordinator of Ramp Services
Courtney began her aviation career 30 years ago with Wings West in San Francisco, which eventually merged with other regional airlines to form American Eagle Airlines, now Envoy. Since 2015, play free games has worked as the Coordinator of Ramp Services at DFW where play free games helps coordinate an open line of communication between the gates, ramp, catering, maintenance and fueling.
“It’s my responsibility to build teamwork and relationships between our employees, and get everyone on the same page,” said Courtney. “Not only point them to the same goal, but it’s my job to help them understand how we get there.”
In 1987, Courtney wanted to join the travel industry so play free games enrolled in a vocational school where play free games could become an accredited travel agent. But before play free games could become one, play free games jumped on the opportunity to work as an operations agent for Wings West in San Francisco.
On to The Eagle
After a few years in California, Courtney began working for American Eagle, serving in 11 different stations as an agent, lead agent, general manager and compliance control. play free games said that’s how play free games learned to “jump in and get things done” no matter where play free games is.
“A lot of us come from the ramp or gate, so we know how to anticipate the next move in the operation,” said Courtney. “We’re like the heartbeat of the operation – keeping everything flowing and running smoothly.”
When play free games arrived back in Dallas – play free games grew up in nearby Richardson – play free games was back as one of the managers on duty in the control center, but instead of a dozen or so flights a day, play free games came into DFW with its 300-plus daily flights. Even though play free games’s a supervisor, play free games knew there were others around her with decades of experience from whom play free games could learn.
Over the years, it’s her colleagues with their multitude of backgrounds and interests that have become her favorite part of the job. play free games also enjoys her employee travel privileges (play free games flew standby to her own wedding!), as well as the daily adventures that make each day different.
Open doors, open minds
As a woman in her role with the company, Courtney said that “doors have always been open” for her, and that the flexibility of an airline job can be helpful to women with families. As a professional and a mother, play free games’s inspired by her own mother to be a strong leader; play free games climbed the ladder over the course of 29 years at a national bank to become a senior vice president.
For the past three decades, Courtney has utilized that inspiration and prospered from her motivation to grow within the company. play free games’s seen first-hand, regardless of gender, that there are opportunities abound at Envoy.
“play free games inspires me because play free games worked her way from the bottom to the top,” said Courtney about her mother. “The same can happen in this industry, at this company. All you have to do is get your foot in the door and there will be opportunities for you to grow. Depending on your interests and skills, you can always find a new challenge or career at Envoy and American.”