Flight Dispatcher

As a Flight Dispatcher you authorise, regulate, and control commercial airline flights in accordance with Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) regulations and your airline's own operational requirements. You work closely with flight crews to plan fuel loads, cargo and passenger weights, and optimum flight routes, taking current and forecast weather conditions fully into account. Your day involves preparing and issuing flight dispatch releases, logging delays, cancellations and schedule changes, and disseminating accurate flight information to all relevant parties including air traffic control and ground operations. You typically work shift patterns in an airline operations centre, collaborating with meteorologists, load controllers, maintenance teams and crew scheduling staff to keep flights safe and on time.

A Leaving Certificate with strong results in Mathematics, Geography and Physics at Higher level provides a solid foundation for this technical role. Most flight dispatchers in Ireland enter through an NFQ Level 6 QQI award or a specialised aviation operations course, and then complete the IAA Aircraft Dispatcher Licence training and examination, which is mandatory for the role at Irish carriers. Some candidates take a PLC course in aviation studies or transport operations at a College of Further Education as a stepping stone into airline operations. A Level 7 or Level 8 degree in Aviation Management or Transport and Logistics is increasingly valued by larger airlines such as Aer Lingus or Ryanair when competing for positions. Holding a valid IAA Dispatcher Licence is the key professional credential; licences must be maintained through recurrent training and competency checks.