Relay Day at the airport

Now in it’s third edition, “Relay Day” is on the verge of becoming tradition at Bucharest Airports National Company. Thus, if the event started modestly in 2012 with the attendance of only one enthusiastic child, the desire of the little people to take up the slack increased this year having a record participation of 18 children. They arrived at Bucharest "Henri Coanda" International Airport in the hope that they will be the next airport specialists. This year we were glad to have among us the children in the seventh grade of the Secondary School "Spiru Haret" from Ţăndărei, Ialomita and the children from "Saint Marcellin Champagnat" Bucharest Placement Centre to be a part of the team that operates on the airport platforms.

18 children had fulfilled their dream of becoming, for a day, air traffic controllers, taking over the relay from an adult professional, Tavi Berleanu, Chief of Ground Traffic Control. As in previous years, Mr. Berleanu fulfilled his mentor responsibility with great professionalism, managing to show children the most spectacular moments that can be captured at an airport, takeoffs and landings, push-back or towing in operations, air bridge connections or the activities of his colleagues from the Ground Traffic Control Tower. Enthusiasm has mastered every moment of the visit of the platforms, most of the children being surprised by the entire airport's activity.

Throughout the day, children experienced professional adult life and understood the nature of the challenges that the traffic controllers have to deal with daily. They asked questions and found answers, came up with ideas, they’ve observed and acted – all of this happened within one memorable, dynamic, among airplanes and mentors relay day. This was a success that we expect at least to equal if not surpass it in the coming years.