Introduction. The most dangerous emergency situation at the airport is an aviation accident with human victims – a plane crash. It can occur on the territory of the airport, in its vicinity, as a result of takeoff or landing of an aircraft. About 80 % of accidents occur at the stages of takeoff, altitude, and approach. A complex situation can develop as a result of mixed types of emergency situations, such as: a collision of several aircrafts while moving along the runway, a collision in the air; a collision of an aircraft with an object of the airport infrastructure or fuel-filling complex. Due to large amount of aviation fuel in the wings of aircraft during destruction and shock loads, a fire, for example, begins outside the aircraft, but spreads inside after 1-2 minutes. Survival of people after 5 minutes of being in these conditions is unlikely. The impact factors associated with the destruction of the object of the collision are added to the damage to the aircraft. The airport emergency rescue forces are not enough to save people in these conditions. Therefore, on the basis of the study of the characteristics and consequences of aviation events and the tasks of emergency and rescue units, scenarios of the development of the situation in emergency situations and other factors influencing the organization of rescue operations have been established. The purpose of the study is to improve the efficiency of planning, organizing and conducting emergency rescue operations at the airport by identifying and eliminating negative factors that affect their organization, as well as shortcomings in the management system of forces and means when responding to emergency events on the territory of the airport. Research methods. General scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge were used To obtain the results – analysis, synthesis, generalization, which were based on the general principles of systems theory, operations research, information theory. The results of the study. Scenarios for the development of the situation in emergency situations at the airport, features of the organization of emergency and fire protection of the airport, shortcomings in the system of management of forces and means in response to emergency events are established; the initial data that are the basis for improving measures to protect people and objects of the airport complex are substantiated. Conclusion. Taking into account the provisions considered will allow managers to effectively solve problems of saving peoples’ lives and protecting objects on the territory of the airport. The obtained conclusions are the basis for the development of a methodology for justifying the forces and means to perform emergency rescue operations in an emergency situation at the airport. Key words: airport, emergency, aviation event, consequences, tasks of rescue units, organization, management.