What are the most cost-effective ground handling services for airlines?

Our sister companies, serving as ground handlers and fuelers in over 30 airports across 16 countries, demonstrate the superiority of third-party services over in-house operations. This extensive network highlights the benefits in terms of cost-efficiency and regulatory compliance across diverse locations. Airlines retain control over service quality, choosing destinations for profitability and then selecting ground handlers. Third-party services offer flexibility and adaptability, with all service aspects negotiable to suit specific airline requirements. This approach is consistently more advantageous, both at domicile airports and other destinations.

I believe outsourcing receives its unfair share of negativity when, in fact, utilizing a 3rd party ground service provider may be the only cost effective way to offer services to many cities. Building close relationships with ground service providers is imperative to ensure both companies have the airlines (and their customers) best interest at heart. Ensuring the staff receives quality training, the management team is fully engaged, and the agents customer service skills are top-notch allows the airline to service an area they otherwise would be locked out. I will state that a contract with a 3rd party, based solely on price, is not typically in their best interest. Quality service is worth its price in return customer business.

What I would suggest and strongly recommen is to establish and own tailor-made ground handling company and services at the airline's base and its hubs. This will not only serve the airline at its finest but will also generate income from serving other airlines and set standards to the reciprocated service from them in our networks outside the base.

Overall, in my professional experience in the industry, in relation to the trends that I have seen and that those around me have set; doing ground handling in house is the best option for airlines exclusively at their domicile, airports, or airports with high service numbers. This is the case because private service providers are obviously businesses with the intention of making a profit, which often leads to extremely inflated prices for even mediocre and mundane tasks, which leads to extremely high bills, per Aircraft for Airlines. On the contrary, when Airlines do it in house, they have the option of operating far more efficiently, in order to maximize total revenue and minimize expenses.

L'auto assistance en escale a bien d'avantages tels que stipulé dans cet article, notamment la reduction des charges d'exploitation.Un point majeur à ne pas négliger, la compagnie aérienne peut se retrouver à être juge et partie, ce qui peut compromettre la sécurité de son exploitation.

Depends which handling agent and for what services. In the UK handling is mandatory for some size helicopters but they just take the fee and provide no additional services. In every walk of life people seek value for money. Mandate it if you need, charge if you must but give the customer at least a sense they are paying for something.

Absolutely. Ground handling alliances and partnership is crucial when you have global network. All major airlines are utilising these partnership and alliances on reciprocal services. This allows the airlines to integrate and benefit from vast ground handling services in their networks and beyond.

As in all industry, over the years, technology has been, will be, and is being developed to aid in the operation and efficiency of tasks. All, of course, being in an effort to maximize revenue by the company. With this in mind, we can apply this framework to Aviation operations and ground handling, where we are seeing current developments in technology that are here to aid Operators and handlers. These technologies are designed to make work, easier, less, time-consuming, and less taxing on both the employee and company. One example of this is the new of aircraft cargo belt loaders for narrow body aircraft that now have the feature for the belt loader to stretch into the belly of the aircraft, which is easier for everyone involved.

As the world evolve so must we. We must adopt in innovative ways and be as dynamic as the the aviation industry demands. Artificial intelligence and modern technologies will enhance services and reduce overall cost of operations.

These biometrics and self check IN technologies for ground handling are good, but it has a greater dependency with the existing law and regulations of the country. Unless these practices are tested and approved by the law or land, its not easy to implement

The digitalisation of ground services are a must for a better costumer experience. Innovations like using biometrics, digital check in and automated luggage management will contribute for a faster, easier and smoother air passengers process to get on board. Also, the digitalisation of the ground operations might have a huge impact on irregular operations situations, contributing for a faster and much more efficient communication with the passengers about their rights and the measures to assure they get to their destination as fast as possible.

This is an area that could really benefit airline operations. With large swaths of the industry being outsourced, integrating their processes into the primary airlines communications could see great paybacks. Digital integration to communicate status of operations, challenges, maintenance issues, logistics of gate parking or the like could smooth out operations allowing for seamless information flow from the ramp, operations, flightdeck to cabin and back again. This is an area where many airlines fail to fully integrate the data that is out there to improve their operations to the peak levels possible.

This is what leadership is all about. When it comes to benchmark and achieving targets, raising standards, and enhancing safety while improving working conditions. Training programmes must be offered and conducted on regular basis to establish and enhance proficiency and for personal growth of the organisation alike.

I am a strong believer in the benchmark idea for all tasks and operations. Of course, this includes aircraft ground handling. Benchmarking is especially important inside of ground handling not just for the time it takes to perform each operation, but to the relative quality they are performed at, as long as that quality is quantifiable and able to be compared objectively against industry competitors. Benchmarking, as a practice, encourages healthy, competition, and improvement. However, it can also promote unhealthy practices, which compromise on safety, thus balance must be struck.

When it comes to innovation and modern technology. Sustainability is naturally achieved. Awareness of our environment and how to preserve it is the responsibility of us all. We must all be proactive in protecting our environment.

Si répondre aux attentes clients c’est maintenir ou augmenter le trafic aérien, alors il n’y aura aucun impact environnemental positif. Tout ce qui va dans le sens contraire d’une réduction drastique du trafic aérien ne peut être qualifié autrement que de greenwashing. Le trafic aérien doit se recentrer sur les déplacements essentiels pour le bien commun.

Sustainability must be one of the focus on every business and aviation is no exception, both in on air operations as well as on ground operations. An example is the development and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as well as the incrwase use of the digital instead of physical (tickets, boarding passes, communications).

As the aviation industry invests in large-scale use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), it is critical to continue decarbonizing ground operations to promote sustainable operations. To build a sustainable future for ground operations, there are several steps that can be taken: Reduce carbon emissions: Adopting electric or hybrid ground vehicles, using sustainable fuel and implementing energy-efficient practices. Optimize ground handling processes: This can involve reducing idle time for GSEs and improving ground handling processes. Use data and technology: Utilize predictive analytics to plan more efficient schedules. Collaborate with stakeholders: Identify opportunities for collaboration and joint sustainability initiatives.

Major challenges in ground handling exist in training. In my segment of airline operations we often see only a few personnel from the vendors that are really aware of the operation and understand what needs to be done to succeed. We also see major issues in quality of deicing vendors, their quality control and huge waste of resources increasing cost associated with this challenge. In my early years I worked for a major US airline as a ramp agent. Basic training was 3 weeks long before being released for OJT. Later, I took a position as a ramp manager for a large regional carrier whose training prior to OJT was 3 days. Often in my career as a pilot I find myself instructing ramp personnel on how to operate parts of my aircraft.

One challenge I would like to point out is for new ground handling companies. As with everything in this industry, as any professional would know, it is extremely hard to break into any type of business that deals with commercial aviation. Aside from obvious examples like airlines and private, for profit, airports; one of the best examples is of private ground handling companies. The current largest ground handling companies, along with the in-house operations of many major airlines, have the industry completely locked down. Weather at a big airport, regional hub, or small airport. Seeing only a handful of commercial flights, today, in my opinion, this subset of the industry has an almost perfect supply to demand relationship.

In my experience airline size significantly influences the choice between self-handling, outsourcing, or alliance models for ground handling services. Larger airlines, with extensive operations and frequent flights, may find self-handling more cost-effective due to scale economies and better control over operations. Smaller carriers might lean towards outsourcing, benefiting from reduced capital investment and expertise of specialized service providers. Alliances offer mid-sized airlines the advantage of shared resources and pooled expertise, leading to cost savings and operational efficiencies. Therefore, an airline's scale and scope of operations are pivotal in determining the most cost-effective ground handling strategy.

Une sobriété dans les usages. Il faut se préparer à supprimer les vols intérieurs au sein des pays, à diminuer drastiquement le nombre de vols de loisirs et favoriser les plateformes multimodales (lien train pour les trajets intérieurs). Avec le réchauffement climatique, la nécessaire réduction des ressources pour faire face aux dérégulations systémiques énergétiques et environnementales, il est nécessaire d’anticiper la division par 8 ou 10 des vols européens pour devenir une compagnie aérienne responsable.