An operations control centre (OCC) is the department of an airline responsible for operational control of the day's flights, with authority to originate, delay, divert, and cancel them. It typically brings flight dispatch, flight planning, crew scheduling, maintenance, meteorology, air traffic services, and customer service specialists together. It is also called an airline operational control center (AOCC) or systems operations control (SOC).
What an OCC is responsible for
No regulation defines an operations control centre. The rules define operational control and leave its organization to the operator. The clearest description comes from the reference manual for IATA's operational safety audit: "An office or department within the organizational structure of an operator that is assigned responsibility for operational control of ongoing operations with authority to originate, delay, divert and cancel flights."
The name varies. FAA guidance notes that the airline operational control center (AOCC) "may include the Systems Operations Control (SOC), Airline Operational Control (AOC), Operations Control Center (OCC), Flight Control, or Dispatch Center."
What operational control means
| Source | Definition |
|---|---|
| ICAO, Annex 6 | "The exercise of authority over the initiation, continuation, diversion or termination of a flight in the interest of the safety of the aircraft and the regularity and efficiency of the flight." |
| FAA, 14 CFR 1.1 | "Operational control, with respect to a flight, means the exercise of authority over initiating, conducting or terminating a flight." |
| EASA, Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 | "The responsibility for the initiation, continuation, termination or diversion of a flight in the interest of safety." |
The definitions share one idea: the operator, not only the crew in the aircraft, holds authority over whether a flight starts, continues, diverts, or ends. EASA rule ORO.GEN.110(c) turns that into a duty: "The operator shall establish and maintain a system for exercising operational control over any flight operated under the terms of its certificate, SPO authorisation or declaration."
Who works in an OCC
IATA lists the functions typically located in an OCC. The descriptions below are plain-language summaries of each one.
| Function | What it does in the control centre |
|---|---|
| Management representative | Holds the authority for the day and decides between competing recovery options. |
| Flight dispatch | Releases and follows flights and supports the pilot in command with planning and in-flight information. |
| Flight planning | Prepares routes, fuel, and operational flight plans. |
| Crew scheduling | Tracks crew duty and reassigns crew within flight time limits when the plan changes. |
| Maintenance | Advises on aircraft serviceability, deferred defects, and aircraft swaps. |
| Meteorology | Briefs the centre on weather that affects routes and airports. |
| Air traffic services | Coordinates slots, flow restrictions, and reroutes. |
| Customer service | Manages the effect of a decision on passengers and connections. |
Dispatchers and shared responsibility
In the United States, 14 CFR 121.533 makes the pilot in command and the aircraft dispatcher "jointly responsible for the preflight planning, delay, and dispatch release of a flight" in domestic operations, and § 121.535 says the same for flag operations. In supplemental operations, § 121.537 makes the pilot in command and the director of operations jointly responsible. An aircraft dispatcher certificate requires the holder to be at least 23 years of age, an approved dispatcher course provides a minimum of 200 hours of instruction, and a dispatcher may not be scheduled for more than 10 consecutive hours of duty.
ICAO defines a flight operations officer or flight dispatcher as a person designated by the operator to engage in the control and supervision of flight operations, "whether licensed or not". EASA guidance states that its operational control rule "does not imply a requirement for licensed flight operations officers/flight dispatchers."
The information an OCC runs on
- The flight programme and movement times. The scheduled flights and the recorded out, off, on, and in times that show where each flight stands.
- Messages from the aircraft. ACARS, which the FAA describes as "a digital data link system for transmission of short messages between aircraft and ground stations via airband radio or satellite."
- Aircraft status. Serviceability and items deferred under the minimum equipment list.
- Crew legality. Who is available, and how much duty time each crew member has left.
- Performance. On-time performance, commonly the share of flights departing or arriving within 15 minutes of schedule, and the causes of delay.
Irregular operations
Irregular operations, often written IROPS, have no regulatory definition. IATA guidance describes an irregular operation as one that "may be, but is not limited to, a flight delay, cancellation, diversion due to weather, mechanical problem". The OCC's work in a disruption is to recover three things together: aircraft, crew, and passengers.
Where software fits
An OCC depends on its flight planning and dispatch systems, and on tools that make the state of the day visible. In FlightAtom's portfolio, PINAX provides the daily operations wallboard and on-time performance analysis, FLIGHT AI provides flight records, fuel analytics, and document review, and CREW AI supports crew disruption recovery. These products analyse and present operational records; flight planning and dispatch release stay in the operator's approved systems. The airline operations software overview lists what to check when comparing tools.
Official references and scope
These sources define operational control and describe the control centre function. No regulation prescribes how an operator must organize its OCC.
- 14 CFR 121.533: FAA rule on responsibility for operational control in domestic operations.
- 14 CFR 1.1: FAA general definitions, including operational control.
- EASA Easy Access Rules for Air Operations: Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, including ORO.GEN.110 and its guidance material.
- FAA Advisory Circular 120-101: FAA guidance that describes the airline operational control center.
- IATA Operational Safety Audit: the audit programme whose reference manual describes the operations control centre.
Operations control centre FAQs
What does OCC stand for in aviation?
OCC stands for operations control centre: the airline department responsible for operational control of ongoing flights. The same function is also called an airline operational control center (AOCC), systems operations control (SOC), or dispatch center.
What is the difference between an OCC and an AOCC?
They describe the same function. FAA guidance uses airline operational control center (AOCC) as an umbrella term that may include the systems operations control, operations control center, flight control, or dispatch center.
What does operational control mean?
ICAO defines operational control as the exercise of authority over the initiation, continuation, diversion or termination of a flight in the interest of the safety of the aircraft and the regularity and efficiency of the flight.
Who has operational control of a flight?
The operator. Under FAA rules for domestic and flag operations, the pilot in command and the aircraft dispatcher are jointly responsible for preflight planning, delay, and dispatch release. EASA requires the operator to establish and maintain a system for exercising operational control over any flight operated under its certificate.
Do airlines need licensed flight dispatchers?
It depends on the regulator. The FAA requires certificated aircraft dispatchers for Part 121 domestic and flag operations. EASA guidance states that its operational control rule does not imply a requirement for licensed flight operations officers or dispatchers.
What software does an operations control centre use?
An OCC uses flight planning and dispatch systems, movement and messaging feeds, crew and maintenance systems, and tools that show the day's flights and performance. PINAX provides a daily operations wallboard and on-time performance analysis, and FLIGHT AI provides flight records and fuel analytics.
See the operating day in one view
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