Opportunities to grow from the ground up

For Dispatch Supervisor Adrianne Schneider, the journey to her current role began with a love for aviation and a dream of being part of something bigger. Her fascination with planes started at the age of 11, when she went to a nearby airport with her father, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier engineer. Watching planes take off, she confidently told him, “One day, I want to fly airplanes.”

“I wanted to fly planes but as a hobby, not a job,” shares Adrianne. She ended up researching other aviation opportunities earned her bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Shortly thereafter, she joined Piedmont in 2016 as a customer service agent at Norfolk International Airport (ORF). Working on the ramp and in customer service gave her a front-row seat to the action, but she wanted a deeper connection to flight operations.

Her curiosity peaked when she became a station operation agent and saw the critical role dispatch played in every flight. “I would look at the flight release and wonder how those numbers were calculated,” she recalls. The release is essential—it determines passenger capacity, baggage allowances, fuel requirements, weather considerations, and more. Without it, a flight can’t take off.

In 2022, Adrianne took a leap of faith by applying for Piedmont’s dispatch scholarship program. After a rigorous selection process, she was awarded the scholarship and began training at Sheffield School of Aeronautics in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Following an intensive five-week program, she completed ground school and on-the-job training with Piedmont’s Operations Control Center in Salisbury, Maryland. By April, she was a fully certified flight dispatcher.

“I love the problem-solving that comes with dispatching,” Adrianne shares. “It’s incredibly rewarding to work through challenges like weather or re-routes and collaborate with captains to ensure our passengers arrive safely and comfortably.”

Adrianne’s skills and determination quickly helped her grow. After nearly a year as a dispatcher, she became a dispatch coordinator, where she supported supervisors and other dispatchers in resolving operational challenges. But she didn’t stop there. Determined to take on a leadership role, Adrianne rose to dispatch supervisor, where she now manages a team of six dispatchers per shift.

“It’s challenging, but I’m pulling together everything I’ve learned from the ramp, gate, and station operations,” she explains. “This role lets me see the full scope of the operation—crew scheduling, maintenance challenges, and the complexities of keeping flights running smoothly. It’s about making the entire system flow as seamlessly as possible.”

Adrianne is deeply grateful for the support she’s received throughout her career. “At every step, Piedmont has encouraged and pushed me to grow,” she says.

From her early days watching planes with her father to leading a team of dispatchers, Adrianne’s journey is a testament to perseverance, curiosity, and a passion for aviation.