FROM electronic scarecrows to snake-smugglers, there is a whole world behind the scenes of Glasgow Airport the ordinary traveller does not usually get to see.

This month, the airport is celebrating its 50th anniversary. There is a real sense of pride amongst the staff, who keep holidaymakers and business commuters happy and safe, 24 hours a day.

“The airport is like a mini-city,” nods airside operations manager Louise Hurst. “Our job is to keep everyone in it safe, and to make sure they speak highly of the place when they leave.”

Self confessed ‘plane geek’ Louise and her team look after everything from litter-picking and bird control to overseeing winter operations and ‘parking’ the aircraft – guiding them from the tower - in their respective stands once they have landed.

She smiles: “It’s not a nine-to-five job, but that’s why I like it.”

Out on the runway, airside operations officer Kevin Ferguson is checking for FOD - Foreign Object Debris, which can mean anything from a crisp packet to a luggage strap.

“They seem small, but those are the kinds of things that could burst an aircraft’s tyre,” he explains.

One of the most important airside ops jobs is bird control.

The most effective deterrent is the electronic ‘scarecrow’, which is fitted to all the vehicles.

“It’s a recording of different distress calls made by a variety of birds – if we play these at high frequencies it’s usually enough to scare birds away,” says Louise.

Up in Glasgow Airport’s operations tower, airside ops officer Lynsey Sutherland is ‘parking’ assorted aircraft.

“It’s a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, as not all aircraft fit all stands,” she explains. “We’re co-ordinating maybe 25 to 30 planes an hour at peak times, so you are constantly watching what’s happening and listening to both ground and tower frequencies.”

The 35-year-old from Bishopton got a summer job at the airport 17 years ago, and never left.

“I loved the atmosphere, being surrounded by happy people going on holiday – it was such a nice feeling,” she explains.

Around 5500 people work at Glasgow Airport, but only around 500 are employed directly – the rest, including check in staff, airline crew, baggage handling, border force, cleaning, facilities management, hotels, retail, catering and car hire, are separate businesses.

Kenny Welsh heads up the 250-strong security team, working closely with Police Scotland and UK borders agencies.

Serious incidents at Glasgow Airport are rare, but in June 2007, two terrorists drove a Jeep laden with explosives into the entrance hall in a failed suicide bombing. Five people were hurt and one of the two bombers died later from burns. The other is in jail serving a life sentence.

Kenny was shopping with his children for summer holiday clothes when he got the news.

“You don’t expect something like that to happen but you do prepare for it,” he says.

“My job hasn’t changed that much – the main issues are still the same, with people not up to speed about bag regulations and what they can and cannot take on board an aircraft.

“But in terms of the level of threat having increased? Just take a look at the world.”

There are lighter moments for Kenny and his team.

“We once stopped a gentleman with a snake curled under his armpit,” smiles Kenny.

In the terminal building, Karen Hardie is one of nine airport ambassadors, acting as the “eyes and ears” of the duty manager.

“Every day is a school day in here,” grins the 55-year-old former cabin crew member, who is from Bearsden. “We are like mobile information desks, responding to whatever needs done.

“There is no typical day – I could be hunting for a lost teddy one minute and escorting Jess Glynne through the airport the next.

“You don’t really get starstruck when celebrities come in. Doesn’t matter to me if you’re Gerard Butler or an elderly lady from Paisley who hasn’t flown in 40 years – my job, like everyone else in here, is to make them feel safe and welcome, and help them get where they want to be.”