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Ground Operations Agent

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Location Heathrow Airport, London

Our Ground Operations Agents play a vital role keeping the British Airways fleet moving, getting customers where they want to go, safely and on time.

With around 70 long-haul and 250 short-haul flights arriving and departing every day from London Heathrow, you’ll be working in a fast-paced, exciting, and safety-critical environment, delivering the crucial baggage handling operation around which every journey revolves.

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Reference 11364 Closing date 14/12/2025 Brand British Airways Career area Ground Operations & Cargo Contract type Fixed Term Full Time Location Heathrow Airport, London Download job description


Job Description

A career without limits

As the nation’s flag carrier, we take great pride in connecting Britain with the world and the world with Britain.

It’s something we’ve been doing for over 100 years, ever since we launched the world’s first international scheduled air service between London and Paris.

This originality has been in our blood since day one. It’s the spirit we share with the people that fly with us, our partners, and our colleagues.

So, whether you are a reassuring voice on the end of a phone, a smile at the door, under a wing keeping the turbines spinning or landing us gently in far-flung places, a job at British Airways is yours to make.

We know great things can happen when you’re inspired to think big and bring your ambition to work every day, which is why, at British Airways the sky is never the limit.

The role: Ground Operations Agent

Do you enjoy working in a lively and dynamic environment where every day is different? We are excited to be recruiting for individuals to join our Ground Operations team at Heathrow Airport. The role will be based at either Terminal 3 or Terminal 5, depending on our operational needs and as a ground operations agent, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring a flawless journey for our customers.

Your shifts will vary between early and late start times. Currently, shifts are either 8.5 or 11.5 hours long, with the earliest starting at 04:15 and the latest finishing at 00:30 (full details will be shared upon offer). Due to the nature of this role, you must be available to work across these shift patterns, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including Bank Holidays and religious festivals. This position involves working outdoors in all weather conditions - from heat to freezing cold, rain or shine -so you’ll need to be prepared for diverse environmental challenges throughout the year.

The role is an 8 month Fixed Term Contract with a start date on March

Salary - basic salary £26,100 per annum plus shift pay 

Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert early due to the number of applications received. 

What you’ll do:

As one of our ramp colleagues, your responsibilities will include the on-the-day delivery of our aircraft, including baggage handling at Heathrow Airport. You'll also:

  • Prepare aircraft for arrival and departure.
  • Load and unload customer baggage, cargo, and approved items onto the aircraft including lifting items up to 32kg.
  • Deliver customer baggage to designated collection/drop-off points.
  • Undertake airside logistics activities for safe and timely aircraft arrivals and departures.
  • Carry out safety checks whilst also raising and reporting any issues.
  • Work in line with our Standard Operating Procedures, with a particular focus on Safety and Flight Punctuality.
  • Identify continuous improvement opportunities and maintain a safe, secure, and effective customer baggage operation at LHR.

What you’ll bring to British Airways:

  • Must have held a Full UK Manual Driving Licence for a minimum of 12 months, with no more than 3 penalty points when you join British Airways
  • Unrestricted right to live and work in the UK.
  • Ability to acquire and retain an airside ID.

What we are looking for:

  • Physical fitness to handle manual tasks, including lifting items up to 32kg . This role can involve lifting multiple bags above shoulder height throughout the day
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Fluency in spoken and written English
  • Resilience to handle outdoor shift work in varying weather conditions.

What we offer:

We believe that all the people who work with us should feel valued for the part they play. It’s one of the reasons our rewards go far beyond a competitive salary.

From the day you join us, you’ll get access to brilliant staff travel benefits including unlimited basic and premium standby tickets on British Airways flights. You’ll also receive up to 30 discounted ‘Hotline’ airfares per year for yourself, friends, and family.

At British Airways you’ll have the chance to take on new challenges and move forward in a way that feels right for you. We encourage all those who work for us to consider opportunities right across our business to help you develop and progress.

We never stand still, and we don’t expect our people to either.

Inclusion & Diversity

At British Airways we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive place to work. Diverse representation among our people is really important to us and we recognise that all our colleagues are uniquely different and bring their own originality, creativity and identity to work.

Inclusion and diversity is a key driver of innovation and we’re committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they can be themselves. We’re looking for people from all backgrounds and cultures to join us and be a part of our journey to become a Better BA as we continue to connect Britain with the world and the world with Britain.

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Success Profile

It takes something special to work for our airline. Here are some of the qualities we look for in our Ground Operations Agent.

  • Collaborative
  • Communicator
  • Resilient
  • Productive
  • Multi-tasker
  • Efficient
Why british airways

Why British Airways?

You’ll be working in a time-pressured environment when you join the Ground Operations team at British Airways, and it can be a challenging job making sure thousands of customer journeys run smoothly every day, without delay.

However, we make sure that each and every one of our colleagues feel truly valued for the vital role they play in making it all happen. That’s why we give colleagues the freedom to take proper ownership of their role and take the time to celebrate each other’s successes - particularly when things are a bit harder than normal.

At British Airways, we don’t just care about our customers, we care about each other too.

Career Path

  • Ground Operations Agent - Baggage and Logistics
  • Ground Operations Agent – Loading
  • Ground Operations Lead
  • Aircraft Dispatch Manager
Salman A.

I take huge pride in my role working for the Ground Operations team - it’s always a joy to meet our customers at the departure gate and know that you’re preparing the way for their holidays or business trips. I make sure they’re safely boarded, their bags are delivered to their flight on time, and safety checks are carried out. There are also some great staff travel perks when you work here. I love getting myself on a cheap flight to Europe! Welcome on board all who join our team at British Airways.

Salman A.

Ground Operations Agent

Rewards & Benefits

Staff travel

Staff travel

You’ll get access to discounted ‘Hotline’ tickets for yourself, friends, and family, along with unlimited standby and premium standby fares for you and your nominees.

Pension

Pension

We offer a market-leading defined contribution (DC) pension. Enrolled at 2% employee contributions, with an option to increase, and up to 7% employer contributions depending on your role.

Flexible benefits

Flexible benefits

An additional range of benefits available is to you including, but not limited to, car benefit scheme, cycle to work, life insurance cover and private medical insurance, depending on the role you are applying for.

Gymflex

Gymflex

We’ll pay the cost of an annual membership upfront, which will then be deducted from your pay over 12 months. Colleagues on a permanent contract will be eligible for this benefit after three months.

Tech Scheme

Tech Scheme

Get up to £1,500 towards tech purchases from Currys, with the cost spread over 12 months through your salary.

Heathrow Express and car parking

Heathrow Express and car parking

Free parking is provided across various British Airways locations, including Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City Airport. Get a 75% discount when travelling on the Heathrow Express with Express Saver Tickets.

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