A Passion Shaped by a Care for Others
Aidan George joined OCS in July 2024, as part of the OCS Passenger Services team providing assisted travel support across the terminal and airside at Southampton International Airport. Before Aviation, he worked in a care home for people with learning disabilities, an experience that continues to shape his approach to his role today.
My passion has always been aviation, and I’ve also always loved talking to people. Growing up, it was just me and my mum, and we travelled whenever we could. I used to spend hours plane spotting, learning where flights were coming from and where they were going. Now I get to work in that environment every day.
It really is my two favourite P’s, planes and people!
Aidan George
Passenger Assistant – Southampton International Airport
Today, working in Aviation brings that early fascination into his everyday life.
By 6 am, the first wave of passengers begin to flow through departures at Southampton Airport. Aidan prefers early shifts, when the environment is abuzz with passengers, excited and keen to embark on their travels.
Supporting Every Journey
Aidan and his colleagues provide assisted travel support to passengers who need additional help. Using the airport’s live system, they receive details of arriving and departing passengers who require assistance.
Support ranges from physical help, such as wheelchairs, stair climbers, or ambilifts, to less visible needs. Some passengers require reassurance through security. Others benefit from calm communication, ear defenders, or guidance through busy spaces.
His background in care gave him confidence in supporting people with learning disabilities and complex needs. It also shifted his perspective.
Every day is different. You might be helping someone with reduced mobility, supporting a passenger with complex needs who needs a quieter space, or guiding someone through security who feels overwhelmed. When it gets busy, especially in the summer period, you just focus on what’s in front of you, finish one job properly and then move to the next. We treat everyone with respect and make sure they feel calm and supported.
When someone says thank you, or you can see they’re more relaxed than when you first met them, that’s the best part.
Aidan George
Passenger Assistant – Southampton International Airport
For many passengers, particularly those who are older or travelling with sensory or cognitive challenges, that support reduces anxiety and restores confidence.
Working as One Team
Operations in Aviation can shift quickly. In peak season, multiple flights may land at once, each with several assisted passengers. With a small team covering the terminal and aircraft, coordination is essential.
Aidan’s supervisor manages the live schedule, allocating colleagues to flights and ensuring fair distribution of work. The team communicates constantly, stepping in to support one another when demand increases. There are also moments that require professionalism and patience. Occasionally, passengers may request assistance without a clear need. In those situations, the team upholds a consistent approach.
That approach reflects the culture within OCS Aviation: calm, fair and people centred.
A Future in Aviation
For a time, Aidan considered training as a pilot and had begun saving towards it. As his circumstances changed, including marrying last year and buying his first home, he and his wife have made the immediate choice to prioritise the investment in their future together. The dream to train as a pilot remains, but for now his focus is on building their life together.
“In five or ten years, I’d love to progress further, maybe into a more technical or operational role within an airport.”
Whether that progression happens at Southampton or elsewhere, his direction is clear. Aviation is not simply a job. It is a long-term passion.
Creating Confidence in Busy Spaces
Airports are complex, high-pressure environments. Crowds, security processes, delays and last-minute changes all shape the passenger experience. When flights are delayed or cancelled, Aidan and his colleagues remain alongside passengers, helping them access refreshments, navigate rebooking processes or arrange overnight accommodation.
The role does not end at the aircraft door. It is about making sure that every passenger, regardless of need, feels supported from arrival to departure.
Through colleagues like Aidan, OCS Passenger Services creates the conditions for safe, inclusive and confident travel.
