When we meet Tom in the Operations Control Center (OCC), SWISS’ operational hub, he is already monitoring two Boeing 777s on their journeys to Asia. One aircraft is about two hours from landing in Hong Kong, while the other is approaching Singapore. On one of his screens, a potential thunderstorm cell is forming along a flight path.

“The crew can see the weather ahead and on their own systems,” Tom explains, pointing to a weather map. “But from the ground, we have the bigger picture. We can monitor developments along the entire route, compare weather models and identify changes at an early stage.”

His workplace is not in the cockpit. Yet Tom is part of numerous flights around the globe every day.

Today, he is assigned to Mission Support, the Flight Dispatch unit that accompanies flight crews from around two hours before departure until after landing. Across four monitors, Tom tracks weather developments, monitors flight routes and keeps a close eye on any changes along the way.

Keeping the big picture in sight

“A flight is always a team effort,” says Tom. “While the cockpit crew is responsible for making decisions, we make sure they have access to the latest information at all times.”

Weather plays a central role. Thunderstorms, winds and cloud formations can affect a route just as much as airspace restrictions, geopolitical developments or short-notice route closures. In Mission Support, all relevant information comes together. It is continuously assessed and, whenever necessary, communicated directly to the flight crew.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the bigger picture,” Tom says. “Not just a single flight, but everything happening behind it.”

When the plan has to be rewritten

No two days are alike in the operations center at Zurich Airport. “The next crisis is often just one phone call away,” Tom says.

On quieter days, the team supports flights in the background. But if weather conditions change at an alternate airport, a route is closed or an aircraft needs to be diverted, the pace in the OCC can change instantly.

Various specialist teams work hand in hand to provide crews with up-to-date information and keep operations running smoothly. Mission Support is staffed around the clock. Twenty-four hours a day, the teams monitor flights across all continents and maintain the vital flow of information between the ground and the cockpit.

A passion for aviation

Tom’s understanding of a pilot’s perspective is no coincidence. He holds a private pilot licence and regularly takes to the skies in his spare time.

His passion for aviation began during his childhood in Canada, where he grew up with a father who was a pilot. Surrounded by aviation from an early age, he later financed his own pilot training and continued to deepen his knowledge of the industry.

During his training, Tom realised that it was not only flying itself that fascinated him, but also the complex network of planning and operations behind every flight. “I always knew I wanted to work in aviation,” he says. “At some point, I realised that this combination of theory, planning and operational work was exactly what excited me.”

Today, he shares that knowledge with others. Alongside his role at SWISS, Tom works as an instructor at the Lufthansa Aviation Training Center in Zurich, teaching aspiring pilots about flight planning and monitoring and guiding them through their first steps in aviation.

Invisible, yet essential

As Tom’s shift draws to a close, the two flights to Singapore and Hong Kong have landed safely. The thunderstorm cell that had captured his attention earlier in the morning ultimately posed no threat. But that is exactly the role of Mission Support: identifying developments early, assessing potential risks and providing crews with the best possible information.

After work, Tom swaps the screens of the Operations Center for his camera. A passionate aviation photographer, he can often be found on the observation deck or at one of Zurich Airport’s spotting locations, watching aircraft take off and land.

Sometimes, they are the very same flights he helped support just hours earlier. “It’s probably a bit nerdy,” he says with a laugh. “But it’s special when you’ve been involved in a flight and then see that aircraft on the apron later.”

It is this passion and perspective that Tom brings to Flight Dispatch every day. What remains invisible to passengers is essential to every flight: the extra eyes and ears on the ground, ensuring that everything comes together behind the scenes.