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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.
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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.
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.
Services related to aircraft cleanliness and passenger comfort:
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:
This includes services on the ramp or apron, such as:
This includes services inside the airport terminal such as:
Ground-handling companies are experiencing a rapid technological revolution that demands significant investments and adaptive strategies.
The human element remains crucial in ground handling, presenting multiple challenges:
Economic volatility continues to impact ground handling operations:
Sustainability has become a critical focus for ground handling companies:
The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to shape ground handling operations:
This service dispatches the aircraft, maintains communication with the rest of the airline operation at the airport and with Air Traffic Control.
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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
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 
Nepal Airlines – Kathmandu
Airmach Aviation 1 Aviation dnata Philippines MacroAsia Airport Services Corporation MDFS PHILIPPINES Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions
LGS Handling SWISSPORT
AIRPRO Aviator
Groupe Europe Handling 3S Alyzia Aviapartner Ladybird Ground Services Samsic Assistance [7] Servair 
Goldair Skyserv Swissport hellas
Sky Handling Partner
Airport Handling Aviapartner Aviation Services Ags Handling
HAVAS Ground Handling Co.and others. Usually each airport in Russia has it own ground handling company
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
ASE – Egypt Member ASE Group 
ASE – UAE Member Of ASE Group 
SE – Morocco Member Of ASE Group New Star Aviation Services dnata (Also active in other countries) Egypt Air Ground Services 
Saudi Private Aviation-SPA Saudia Cargo Saudia Ground Services-SGS HAVAS Ground Handling Co. 
Oman Air 
Shaheen Airport Services Royal Airport Services Gerry's dnata Airways Flight Support Services 
BAS (Bahrain Airport Services)
QAS (Qatar Aviation Services)
El Al Laufer GHI QAS (Quality Airport Services) Aerohandling
Swissport Airport Terminal Services (ATS) Menzies Aviation GTA Dnata Air North Strategic Aviation Global Aviation Ironman Holdings Allied Aviation Air Canada 
Kion de Mexico Aeromexico Servicios
Alliance Ground International and subsidiaries Dnata G2 Secure Staff GAT Airline Ground Support McGee Air Services Menzies Aviation Swissport Trego/Dugan Aviation Unifi Aviation United Ground Express Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) 
Candysur S.A.
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