Aircraft ground handling

In aviation, aircraft ground handling or ground operations defines the servicing of an aircraft while it is on the ground and (usually) parked at a terminal gate of an airport.

Overview

A ground-handling tug pulls a British Airways Boeing 747-400 at Heathrow Airport, England

Many airlines subcontract ground handling to airports, handling agents or even to another airline. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), conservative estimates indicate airlines outsource more than 50 per cent of the ground handling that takes place at the world's airports.^[1] Ground handling addresses the many service requirements of an airliner between the time it arrives at a terminal gate and the time it departs on its next flight. Speed, efficiency, and accuracy are important in ground handling services in order to minimize the turnaround time (the time during which the aircraft must remain parked at the gate).^[2] Faster turnarounds for lower ground times are correlated to better profits.^[3]

Airlines with less-frequent service or fewer resources at a particular location sometimes subcontract ground handling or on-call aircraft maintenance to another airline, as it is a short-term cheaper alternative to setting up its own ground handling or maintenance capabilities.

Airlines may participate in an industry-standard Mutual Assistance Ground Service Agreement (MAGSA). The MAGSA is published by the Air Transport Association (the current version is from 1981) and is used by airlines to assess prices for maintenance and support to aircraft at so-called MAGSA Rates, which are updated annually based on changes in the U.S. Producer Price Index.^{[citation needed]} Airlines may choose to contract for ground handling services under the terms of a Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) published in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Airport Handling Manual.^[4] Airlines may also contract for ground handling services under non-standard terms.

Most ground services are not directly related to the actual flying of the aircraft, and instead involve other tasks. The major categories of ground handling services are described below.

Aircraft Appearance and Provisioning

Services related to aircraft cleanliness and passenger comfort:

Cabin cleaning – cleaning seats, galleys, and lavatories. Resetting the cabin (folding seatbelts, uniform seat and window shade position) to appear untouched.
Lavatory service – exterior service of lavatory by draining and filling of waste tanks.
Provisioning – replacing literature, blankets, pillows, and consumable supplies.
Security search – searching aircraft for prohibited items as required by airline policy or regulatory requirement.
Water service – exterior service of aircraft water system by filling tank with potable water for use inflight.

Catering

Catering includes the unloading of unused food and drink from the aircraft, and the loading of fresh food and drink for passengers and crew. In flight airline meals are delivered at the seats in airline service trolleys. Empty or trash-filled trolley from the previous flight are replaced with fresh ones. Meals are prepared mostly on the ground in order to minimize the amount of preparation (apart from chilling or reheating) required in flight.

While some airlines provide their own catering, others have either owned catering companies in the past and divested themselves of the companies, or have outsourced their catering to third-party companies. Airline catering sources include the following companies:

Airline Services & Logistics PLC(EPZE)
Atlas Catering (Royal Air Maroc)
Cara Operations
Cathay Pacific Catering Services (Cathay Pacific)
DHL Supply Chain
Gate Gourmet
KLM Catering Services (KLM)
LSG Sky Chefs
Sky Cafe’
Q Catering (Qantas)
SATS Food
Servair
Thai Catering Services (Thai Airways)

Ramp service

This includes services on the ramp or apron, such as:

Guiding the aircraft into and out of the parking position (by way of aircraft marshalling),
Towing with pushback tractors
Pre-Conditioned Air and Heating
Airstart units (for starting engines)
Luggage handling, usually by means of beltloaders and baggage carts
Gate checked luggage, often handled on the tarmac as passengers disembark
Air cargo handling, usually by means of cargo dollies and cargo loaders.
Ground power (so that engines need not be running to provide aircraft power on the ground)
Passenger stairs (used instead of an aerobridge or airstairs, some budget airlines use both to improve turnaround speed)
PIGS (Passenger Integrated Guidance System), a retractable barrier, is used to ensure passengers do not walk underneath the wings^[5]
Wheelchair lifts, if required
Deicing

Passenger service

This includes services inside the airport terminal such as:

Providing check-in counter services for the passengers departing on the customer airlines.
Providing gate arrival and departure services. The agents are required to meet a flight on arrival as well as provide departure services including boarding passengers and closing the flight.
Staffing the transfer counters, customer service counters and airline lounges.

Challenges faced by ground handling

1. Technological Transformation and Digital Integration

Ground-handling companies are experiencing a rapid technological revolution that demands significant investments and adaptive strategies.

2. Workforce Management and Skill Development

The human element remains crucial in ground handling, presenting multiple challenges:

Labor Shortages: Recruiting and retaining skilled personnel in a competitive job market
Training and Upskilling: Developing comprehensive training programs to keep pace with technological advancements
Workforce Diversity and Inclusion: Creating inclusive work environments that attract talent from diverse backgrounds

3. Economic Pressures and Cost Management

Economic volatility continues to impact ground handling operations:

Rising Operational Costs: Managing increased expenses related to fuel, equipment maintenance, and technological upgrades
Competitive Pricing: Balancing competitive service rates with sustainable business models
Resource Optimization: Implementing lean operational strategies to maximize efficiency

4. Environmental Sustainability Challenges

Sustainability has become a critical focus for ground handling companies:

Carbon Emission Reduction: Developing strategies to minimize environmental impact
Green Technology Adoption: Investing in electric ground support equipment and sustainable infrastructure
Regulatory Compliance: Meeting increasingly stringent environmental regulations

5. Post-Pandemic Operational Adaptations

The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to shape ground handling operations:

Health and Safety Protocols: Maintaining robust health safety measures
Flexible Operational Models: Developing agile response mechanisms to potential future disruptions
Enhanced Passenger Experience: Implementing touchless technologies and streamlined processes

Field operation service

This service dispatches the aircraft, maintains communication with the rest of the airline operation at the airport and with Air Traffic Control.

List of notable handling agents

Asia

Turkey

Jetmate Aviation

Bangladesh

Biman Bangladesh Airlines

India

Air India Airport Services Limited – all Indian airports – presently providing services at 74 airports in India
Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited – Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Mangalore, Cochin
LAS Ground Force Handling – Goa, Udaipur, Bagdogra
Bhadra International India Pvt Ltd – Chennai
Bird Worldwide Flight Services Pvt Ltd – Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi
Livewel Aviation – Mumbai, Delhi
Globe Ground India – Ahmadabad, Bangalore
Indo Thai Airport Management Services Pvt Ltd – Amritsar, Lucknow, Mohali
Agile Airport Services Pvt Ltd – presently providing services at 8 airports in India

Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong Airport Services (parent company: Cathay Pacific)
Jardine Aviation Services (parent company: Jardine Matheson)
SATS HK (parent company: Hong Kong Airlines)
United Airlines

Andaman Aviation Services

Nepal

Nepal Airlines – Kathmandu

Airmach Aviation
1 Aviation
dnata Philippines
MacroAsia Airport Services Corporation
MDFS PHILIPPINES
Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions

Taiwan

Thailand

The Caribbean

Bahamas

Earco Elite FBO

Barbados

Caribbean Aircraft Handling Co., Ltd.

Jamaica

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Caribbean Aviation Management, Inc.

Europe

Belgium

Aviapartner

Cyprus

LGS Handling
CTT Aviation Ltd.
SWISSPORT

Denmark

SAS Ground Handling

Finland

AIRPRO
Aviator

France

Groupe Europe Handling
3S Alyzia
Aviapartner
Ladybird Ground Services
Samsic Assistance^[7]
Servair

Greece

Goldair
Skyserv
Swissport hellas

Ireland

Sky Handling Partner

Italy

Airport Handling
Aviapartner
Aviation Services
Ags Handling

Latvia

HAVAS Ground Handling Co.

Lithuania

Netherlands

KLM groundhandling

Airline Services
American Airlines Handling (subsidiary of American Airlines)^[8]
Aviator Nordic
Azzurra / Premiere Handling
Blue Handling (joint venture between Ryanair and OmniServ^[9])
British Airways
Cobalt Ground Solutions^[10]
DHL
Dnata
Gatwick Ground Services (subsidiary of British Airways)^[11]
Jet2 Handling
Menzies Aviation
Signature Flight Support^[12]
Star Handling
Swissport GB
World Flight Services (WFS)
Premiere Executive Handling Ltd
ASC Handling Services

Middle East

North and Central America

Canada

Cuba

ECASA

Mexico

Kion de Mexico
Aeromexico Servicios

United States

Alliance Ground International and subsidiaries

Airport Terminal Services (ATS)
Total Airport Services (TAS)

WFS Express

South America

Peru

Uruguay

Candysur S.A.

Oceania

Australia

References

^ International Air Transport Association, Ground Handling, International Air Transport Association, archived from the original on 5 October 2013
^ Gomez, F; Scholz, D (2009), Improvements to ground handling operations and their benefits to direct operating costs (PDF), Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, archived from the original (PDF) on 28 October 2013
^ "The correlation between airline ground time and profits". AirInsight. May 8, 2017.
^ International Air Transport Association, Airport Handling Manual (AHM), International Air Transport Association, archived from the original on 18 October 2013
^ Wignall, Alec (27 November 2022). "How it works: the aircraft turnaround – AeroTime". Aerotime. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
^ "FBO, Ground Handling in Singapore (WSSL)". Universal Aviation. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
^ "Services assistance aéroport: Handling, assistance en escale – Samsic".
^ "London Heathrow, United Kingdom (LHR)". aa.com.
^ "Ryanair Appoints Handler at London Stansted Airport – Ryanair's Corporate Website". 15 October 2018.
^ "Cobalt Ground Solutions".
^ "GATWICK GROUND SERVICES LIMITED – Overview (free company information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk.
^ "Signature BHX | Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Birmingham Airport". signatureflight.com.

External links

Media related to Aircraft ground handling at Wikimedia Commons

International Air Transport Association, IATA Ground Handling Council, International Air Transport Association, archived from the original on 2013-09-27, retrieved 2013-09-25
Ground Handling International, archived from the original on 2013-10-29

[1] International Air Transport Association, Ground Handling, International Air Transport Association, archived from the original on 5 October 2013

[2] Gomez, F; Scholz, D (2009), Improvements to ground handling operations and their benefits to direct operating costs (PDF), Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, archived from the original (PDF) on 28 October 2013

[3] "The correlation between airline ground time and profits". AirInsight. May 8, 2017.

[4] International Air Transport Association, Airport Handling Manual (AHM), International Air Transport Association, archived from the original on 18 October 2013

[Aerotime-5] Wignall, Alec (27 November 2022). "How it works: the aircraft turnaround – AeroTime". Aerotime. Retrieved 28 December 2023.

[6] "FBO, Ground Handling in Singapore (WSSL)". Universal Aviation. Retrieved 17 January 2020.

[7] "Services assistance aéroport: Handling, assistance en escale – Samsic".

[8] "London Heathrow, United Kingdom (LHR)". aa.com.

[9] "Ryanair Appoints Handler at London Stansted Airport – Ryanair's Corporate Website". 15 October 2018.

[10] "Cobalt Ground Solutions".

[11] "GATWICK GROUND SERVICES LIMITED – Overview (free company information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk.

[12] "Signature BHX | Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Birmingham Airport". signatureflight.com.

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