Airport Duty Officer

Job Title:

Airport Duty Officer

Location:

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Company:
Gulf Air

Gulf Air is looking for an experienced Airport Duty Officer to join our Riyadh station team. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing daily airport operations across all customer touchpoints — check-in, departure gates, transit, and arrivals. Your focus will be on ensuring that both Gulf Air staff and our ground handling agent employees deliver service that is safe, secure, and consistently up to our standards.

You will report directly to the Airport Manager and work closely with the Duty Manager to keep flights running smoothly.

You will supervise all customer-facing areas, making sure check-in, boarding, transit, and arrival functions are completed accurately and on time. This includes directing check-in staff on how to handle passengers with irregular situations, invalid documents, or excess baggage charges. You will have the authority to make decisions on whether to charge or waive those fees.

Before each shift, you will assign pre-flight duties to staff. After flights, you will conduct de-briefings to discuss what went well and where discrepancies occurred — turning each shift into a learning opportunity.

When things do not go as planned — denied boarding, misconnections, or overbooked flights — you will be the one guiding staff and dealing directly with affected passengers. You will update SSCI records for downgrades or offloads and coordinate with the Worldwide Operations Control Centre (WWCC) for Virtual Coupon Record (VCRS) updates when rerouting is needed.

A large part of this role is relationship management. You will work closely with customs, immigration, security, police, medical teams, cargo, ground transport, catering, duty-free, courier companies, tour operators, and other airlines. Building and maintaining good working relationships with these stakeholders is essential.

You will ensure that Gulf Air's safety and security standards are followed at all times. This includes monitoring ramp activities, reviewing Ground Safety Reports (GSRs), and discussing them with the Airport Manager for appropriate follow-up action. You will also make sure that company regulations for lost, found, or damaged baggage are followed — especially time limits.

VIPs, unaccompanied minors, and other special passengers will receive extra attention under your watch. You will coordinate with lounge staff to make sure their arrival, departure, and transit experiences are seamless.

You will monitor catering figures and update the catering unit well in advance to prevent waste. You will also keep track of stationery stock levels and supervise distribution. When necessary, you will communicate with the Duty Manager or Airport Manager about upgrading aircraft equipment due to oversales.

An important part of this role is encouraging ground handling agent staff to sell more ancillaries and generate additional revenue. You will also brief the Duty Manager or Airport Manager daily about any shortfalls from the ground handling agent.

National Diploma or equivalent qualification

Minimum of 5 years of relevant airport operations or ground handling experience

This position is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is a hands-on, fast-paced role that requires evening, weekend, and holiday shifts depending on the flight schedule. You will be on your feet, moving between check-in, gates, ramps, and arrivals throughout your shift. Uniform standards are strict — you will be expected to enforce the same for your team.

• Resume/CV
• Passport-size photograph
• Copy of your passport
• Copy of your education certificate(s)

You will be joining an airline with a strong regional reputation and a network that spans the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. This role gives you real responsibility — from managing disruptions to driving revenue — and puts you at the center of airport operations. For someone with five or more years of experience ready to step into a supervisory airport role, this is a solid career move.