Employee Spotlight: Adel Abouelsenoun, Airport Duty Manager

If you’ve spent any time around Tampa International Airport’s Operations team, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Adel Abouelsenoun, TPA’s youngest Airport Duty Manager and one of the Airport’s rising leaders.

In his role, Adel serves as one of TPA’s six ADM leaders and, while on duty, is the highest-ranking staff member overseeing airport operations at TPA. He helps manage day-to-day activity across both the airfield and terminals, coordinating with airport stakeholders, federal partners, and internal teams to respond to everything from weather disruptions and irregular operations to construction impacts and emergency response needs.

“It’s a role where no two days are the same,” Adel said. “When things start to go sideways, that’s when our role really kicks into action.”

That ability to think quickly and collaborate under pressure is at the heart of the job. Whether it’s managing a wave of delayed flights, coordinating an unexpected diversion, or navigating construction work that affects roadways, taxiways, or gates, Adel helps keep the Airport moving safely and efficiently.

Just this past weekend, Adel helped coordinate what to do with an Air China Cargo flight that had to divert to TPA due to bad weather over South Florida. Because the aircraft arrived unexpectedly and there were no local contacts for Air China, Adel and the operations team had to quickly coordinate with Customs, ground handlers, and other Airport partners to determine how the aircraft could be accommodated and who would be able to handle it. In the end, the aircraft was successfully supported through coordination with standby ground handling resources. It's just one example of the many challenges that can come up in an average day for the ADM to handle.

A career built on curiosity

Adel’s path to TPA started early. He participated in an Embry-Riddle aviation internship program while attending Clearwater High School in 2016. The program brought students on site to learn directly from Airport professionals, an experience that made a lasting impression.

“It definitely shined a light on Tampa International Airport as a place where I wanted to start my career,” he said.

From there, Adel continued building his aviation background while earning his bachelor’s degree in aviation management from Florida Tech. Along the way, he worked in a variety of roles across the industry, including at the Signature FBO at St. Pete-Clearwater Airport, working for a private aircraft management and charter company, and later in operational roles at both St. Pete-Clearwater Airport and TPA.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Adel even spent time in public service work, including time with 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, where he helped support COVID-era assistance programs and later worked as a data specialist.

He eventually returned to TPA, advancing through various operations roles from starting off as an Airfield Operations Supervisor to Airport Operations Manager, then to Terminal Operations, and now to Airport Duty Manager.

Aviation has always been part of his story

Adel grew up with a love for aviation from a very young age. Born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, he was raised in a highly international environment with friends and neighbors from all over the world. His father is Egyptian and his mother is Filipino so the family often traveled to visit relatives in the Philippines, Egypt, and beyond.

“My first international flight was at 9 months old,” he said. “Living near an air base and traveling so much really sparked my interest.”

After moving to the United States at age 12 and graduating from high school, he spent a few years as a student pilot and originally planned to fly for the U.S. military. But after the release of the Top Gun sequel in 2022, Adel says the surge in applicants created a three-year waiting list to begin flight training. Instead, he chose to launch his career right away by working at airports — a decision he says paid off.

Today, he is focused on continuing to grow his career at TPA, with a strong interest in Advanced Air Mobility, a rapidly developing industry that is expected to bring Florida’s first electric, battery-powered aircraft in the coming year. Adel says he is especially interested in how the new technology will be regulated as state transportation leaders, private companies, the FAA and local airports work together to bring it to reality.

Adel is also active beyond TPA. In 2022, he joined the Tampa Bay Aviation Association as a board member and secretary, where he helps support scholarship opportunities for people pursuing careers in aviation.

“It allows me to provide that opportunity for others to get into this amazing industry,” he said.

Travel, movies, food and fun

Outside of work, Adel is the kind of person who likes to stay busy. He loves travel, especially to international destinations, and hopes to explore more of Asia in the future. Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore are all high on his list.

In March, he purchased a ticket to be one of the first Tampa Bay passengers to fly on Avianca's inaugural flight to Bogotá, Colombia. While in South America, he met new friends and visited some of the nation's most beautiful spots including Laguna Guatavita (pictured left), a forest-fringed crater, northeast of Bogotá in central Colombia. It was a sacred site to the Muisca people, who cast elaborate gold offerings into its depths, inspiring the legend of El Dorado.

Adel is also a huge movie fan and proud AMC A-List member, often catching up to 3 films a week if his schedule allows. He also has a large private collection of films at home.

Most of all, Adel describes himself as a true foodie who will try just about anything. He enjoys dishes from every corner of the globe, but his true favorite is chicken shawarma.

“It's like a little wrap. You have chicken on a rotisserie, almost like Gyro meat, but it's just seasoned different. It comes with garlic sauce instead of tzatziki with some fries. It's like a simple little comfort sandwich.”

A rising leader to watch

At just 26 years old, Adel has already built an impressive resume and brings a fresh perspective to TPA’s Airport Operations team. He is a Part 107 FAA licensed drone pilot and a Certified Member through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). His combination of aviation experience, calm decision-making, and enthusiasm for innovation makes him a standout member of the TPA team. He's also the fastest to call and wake up the TPA Communications team in the middle of the night with his calming voice when something goes wrong.

Thanks, Adel, for all you do to help keep TPA running smoothly every day and every night.