Aircraft ground handling
<templatestyles src="Module:Message box/ambox.css"></templatestyles>
 |
<templatestyles src="Module:Message box/ambox.css"></templatestyles>
 |
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
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.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed]
Aircraft Appearance and Provisioning
<templatestyles src="Module:Message box/ambox.css"></templatestyles>
 |
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
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
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
<templatestyles src="Module:Message box/ambox.css"></templatestyles>
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2025) |
.jpg)
.jpg)
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
<templatestyles src="Module:Message box/ambox.css"></templatestyles>
|
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.
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.[citation needed]
List of notable handling agents
Asia
Bangladesh
India
- Template:Country data IND Air India Airport Services Limited – all Indian airports – presently providing services at 74 airports in India
- Template:Country data IND Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited – Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Mangalore, Cochin
- Template:Country data IND LAS Ground Force Handling – Goa, Udaipur, Bagdogra
- Template:Country data IND Bhadra International India Pvt Ltd – Chennai
- Template:Country data IND Bird Worldwide Flight Services Pvt Ltd – Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi
- Template:Country data IND Livewel Aviation – Mumbai, Delhi
- Template:Country data IND Globe Ground India – Ahmadabad, Bangalore
- Template:Country data IND Indo Thai Airport Management Services Pvt Ltd – Amritsar, Lucknow, Mohali
- Template:Country data IND Agile Airport Services Pvt Ltd – presently providing services at 8 airports in India
Hong Kong
- Template:Country data HKG Cathay Pacific
- Template:Country data HKG Hong Kong Airport Services (parent company: Cathay Pacific)
- Template:Country data HKG Jardine Aviation Services (parent company: Jardine Matheson)
- Template:Country data HKG SATS HK (parent company: Hong Kong Airlines)
- Template:Country data HKG United Airlines
Japan
- Template:Country data JPN All Nippon Airways
- Template:Country data JPN JAL Ground Service
- Template:Country data JPN Japan Airport Ground Handling
- Template:Country data JPN Japan Airport Service Co., Ltd.
- Template:Country data JPN International Air Cargo Terminal Co., Ltd.
Korea
- Template:Country data KOR Korea Airport Service
- Template:Country data KOR Asiana Airport Service
- Template:Country data KOR DongBo Airport Service
Laos
Nepal
- Template:Country data NPL Nepal Airlines – Kathmandu
Pakistan
- Template:Country data PAK Pakistan International Airlines
- Template:Country data PAK Shaheen Airport Services (Pvt) Ltd
- Template:Country data PAK Gerry’s dnata (Pvt) Ltd
- Template:Country data PAK Royal Airport Services (Pvt) Ltd
Singapore
- Template:Country data SIN SATS Ltd
- Template:Country data SIN dnata Singapore
- Template:Country data SIN Universal Aviation[6]
Philippines
Airmach Aviation- 1 Aviation
- dnata Philippines
- MacroAsia Airport Services Corporation
- MDFS PHILIPPINES
- Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions
Taiwan
- Template:Country data TWN China Airlines Co., Ltd.
- Template:Country data TWN Taoyuan International Airport Services Co., Ltd.
- Template:Country data TWN Taiwan Airport Service Co., Ltd.
- Template:Country data TWN Evergreen Airlines Service
- Template:Country data TWN Taiwan Sky Ground Service Co., Ltd.
Thailand
- Template:Country data THA Wingspan Services Co., Ltd.
- Template:Country data THA BAGS Ground Services Co., Ltd.
- Template:Country data THA Andaman Aviation Services
- Template:Country data THA AOTGA AOT Ground Aviation Services Co., Ltd.
The Caribbean
Bahamas
Barbados
Jamaica
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Europe
Belgium
Cyprus
- Template:Country data CYP LGS Handling
- CTT Aviation Ltd.
- Template:Country data CYP SWISSPORT
Denmark
Finland
France
- Template:Country data FRA Groupe Europe Handling
- Template:Country data FRA 3S Alyzia
- Template:Country data FRA Aviapartner
- Template:Country data FRA Ladybird Ground Services
- Template:Country data FRA Samsic Assistance[7]
- Template:Country data FRA 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
Norway
Poland
- Template:Country data POL Baltic Ground Services
- Template:Country data POL LS Airport Services
- Template:Country data POL Welcome Airport Services
Portugal
Russia
- Template:Country data RUS Sheremetyevo Handling
- Template:Country data RUS Domodedovo Airport Handling
and others. Usually each airport in Russia has it own ground handling company
Sweden
- Template:Country data SWE SAS Ground Handling
- Template:Country data SWE AVIATOR Ground Handling
- Template:Country data SWE Menzies Aviation
Switzerland
Turkey
- Template:Country data TUR Turkish Ground Services
- Template:Country data TUR HAVAS Ground Handling Co.
- Template:Country data TUR Celebi Ground Handling Inc.
- Template:Country data TUR FUGO Ground Handling Inc.
United Kingdom
- Template:Country data UK Airline Services
- Template:Country data UK American Airlines Handling (subsidiary of American Airlines)[8]
- Template:Country data UK Aviator Nordic
- Template:Country data UK Azzurra / Premiere Handling
- Template:Country data UK Blue Handling (joint venture between Ryanair and OmniServ[9])
- Template:Country data UK British Airways
- Template:Country data UK Cobalt Ground Solutions[10]
- Template:Country data UK DHL
- Template:Country data UK Dnata
- Template:Country data UK Gatwick Ground Services (subsidiary of British Airways)[11]
- Template:Country data UK Jet2 Handling
- Template:Country data UK Menzies Aviation
- Template:Country data UK Signature Flight Support[12]
- Template:Country data UK Star Handling
- Template:Country data UK Swissport GB
- Template:Country data UK World Flight Services (WFS)
- Template:Country data UK Premiere Executive Handling Ltd
- Template:Country data UK ASC Handling Services
Middle East
- Template:Country data EGY ASE – Egypt Member ASE Group
- Template:Country data UAE ASE – UAE Member Of ASE Group
SE – Morocco Member Of ASE Group- Template:Country data EGY New Star Aviation Services
- Template:Country data UAE dnata (Also active in other countries)
- Template:Country data EGY Egypt Air Ground Services
- Template:Country data KSA Saudi Private Aviation-SPA
- Template:Country data KSA Saudia Cargo
- Template:Country data KSA Saudia Ground Services-SGS
- Template:Country data KSA HAVAS Ground Handling Co.
- Template:Country data Oman Oman Air
- Template:Country data PAK Shaheen Airport Services
- Template:Country data PAK Royal Airport Services
- Template:Country data PAK Gerry's dnata
- Template:Country data PAK Airways Flight Support Services
BAS (Bahrain Airport Services)
QAS (Qatar Aviation Services)- Template:Country data ISR El Al
- Template:Country data ISR Laufer GHI
- Template:Country data ISR QAS (Quality Airport Services)
- Template:Country data ISR Aerohandling
North and Central America
Canada
- Template:Country data CAN Swissport
- Template:Country data CAN Airport Terminal Services (ATS)
- Template:Country data CAN Menzies Aviation
- Template:Country data CAN GTA Dnata
- Template:Country data CAN Air North
- Template:Country data CAN Strategic Aviation
- Template:Country data CAN Global Aviation
- Template:Country data CAN Ironman Holdings
- Template:Country data CAN Allied Aviation
- Template:Country data CAN Air Canada
Cuba
Mexico
- Template:Country data MEX Kion de Mexico
- Template:Country data MEX Aeromexico Servicios
United States
- Template:Country data US Alliance Ground International and subsidiaries
- Airport Terminal Services (ATS)
- Total Airport Services (TAS)
- Template:Country data US Dnata
- Template:Country data US G2 Secure Staff
- Template:Country data US GAT Airline Ground Support
- Template:Country data US McGee Air Services
- Template:Country data US Menzies Aviation
- Template:Country data US Swissport
- Template:Country data US Trego/Dugan Aviation
- Template:Country data US Unifi Aviation
- Template:Country data US United Ground Express
- Template:Country data US Worldwide Flight Services (WFS)
- WFS Express
South America
Peru
Uruguay
Candysur S.A.
Oceania
Australia
- Template:Country data AUS Swissport
- Template:Country data AUS Oceania Aviation
- Template:Country data AUS Dnata
- Template:Country data AUS Menzies Ground Handling
See also
References
Further reading
- Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
External links
Media related to Aircraft ground handling at Wikimedia Commons
- Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ FBO, Ground Handling in Singapore (WSSL). Retrieved 17 January 2020 from Universal Aviation
- ↑ Services assistance aéroport: Handling, assistance en escale – Samsic. Retrieved from link
- ↑ London Heathrow, United Kingdom (LHR). Retrieved from aa.com
- ↑ Ryanair Appoints Handler at London Stansted Airport – Ryanair's Corporate Website. (15 October 2018) Retrieved from link
- ↑ Cobalt Ground Solutions. Retrieved from link
- ↑ GATWICK GROUND SERVICES LIMITED – Overview (free company information from Companies House). Retrieved from beta.companieshouse.gov.uk
- ↑ Signature BHX | Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Birmingham Airport. Retrieved from signatureflight.com
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with too many examples from October 2021
- Articles with invalid date parameter in template
- All articles with too many examples
- Wikipedia articles with style issues from October 2021
- Wikipedia introduction cleanup from October 2021
- All pages needing cleanup
- Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from October 2021
- All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify
- All articles with unsourced statements
- Articles with unsourced statements from March 2025
- Articles with unsourced statements from October 2013
- Articles needing additional references from March 2025
- All articles needing additional references
- Articles with hatnote templates targeting a nonexistent page
- Flag icons missing country data templates
- Commons category link is the pagename
- Aircraft ground handling
