Airline MBA

I think it is important to mention that just because you have an MBA doesn't mean you are guaranteed a job in an airline, let alone a senior position or a place on the 'fast-track'. An MBA can teach you a lot and it can be a great way to build a network, but many of the people already within airlines will have more experience of the industry and better skills, even though they don't have the letters after their name.

In fact, in certain cases, an MBA could be a hindrance if you have the wrong attitude and don't listen to the people with 20+ years in the airline business. However, in other cases, you won't get anywhere without an MBA, regardless of your other qualities/experience.

So the upshot is, an aviation MBA is nice to have, but it is no guarantee and its value very heavily depends on where you intend to work. A bit of research about the airlines you like could go a long way to suggesting if the investment in the MBA is going to be worth it.

Let's face it, an MBA is a significant commitment. They are notoriously expensive and take a lot of time - you need to be committed to seeing it through and dedicated enough to make all the classes, complete the projects and essays on time and to the best of your ability.

Also, there is a lot of debate about whether an MBA will actually help you. There are plenty people who will tell you that it isn't a good investment, just as there are plenty of people who will say it is essential. Generally, those who have MBAs defend them the strongest. Partly this is because they have spent the time and money and want to be in possession of a valuable qualification which will differentiate them from the competition. You can't blame them, but an MBA doesn't automatically make them superior.

In fact, in a specific industry such as the airline industry, you could argue that actual work experience in the industry is much more valuable than the stuff you would learn from a text book at grad school.

Unfortunately, there is no right or wrong answer here. The key thing is to think things through seriously and make sure that your decision to pursue an airline MBA is the right one for you, whatever the final outcome turns out to be.

Some points to consider would be:

1. Return on investment - does the increase in salary you will get (not just hope to get) exceed the investment you will make (tuition + salary forgone + living expenses)

2. What is the university you choose like at getting people into top management jobs at airlines? Can they put you in touch with people. Check out websites such as LinkedIn to see where graduates of the program have ended up and try to connect with them to get their experiences.

3. Remember that not all MBAs are equal. Although major US carriers have very entrenched MBA schemes, they are not easy to get onto and they tend to be populated by graduates of the same schools as existing managers went to. This is part of the network you buy into when you get an MBA but it can be frustrating if you go to a school which has no alumni at your target airline - they will likely ignore you for one of the people from their own alma mater. Unfair, yes, but it happens a lot.

4. Not clear an airline MBA is more valuable to an airline than a general MBA. You may be better off considering a general program if your target airline doesn't want an airline MBA - they may just want to train generalists in their own mould.

5. Not sure how valuable an airline MBA is for non-US airlines. Sense is they would rather send existing employees to do an MBA to learn new skills rather than hire graduates directly.

Overall, a lot of things to think about and you have to be sure the decision you make is right for you and your family and is based on facts and not just what the brochure says, or what you want to believe.