What Is Ground Handling?

What Does Ground Handling Include?

Ground handling is normally divided into services delivered inside the terminal and services delivered on the ramp. The industry describes these as above-wing and below-wing activities respectively, and a single handling agent may provide either or both.

• Passenger handling: check-in, boarding, transfers, special assistance and arrivals support.
• Ramp handling: aircraft marshalling, chocks, ground power, pushback coordination and equipment positioning.
• Baggage handling: loading, offloading, sorting, transfer and tracing of mishandled bags.
• Load control: weight and balance calculation, loading instruction and final load sheet.
• Cargo and mail handling: acceptance, documentation, build-up and delivery to the aircraft.
• Aircraft servicing: cabin cleaning, water and lavatory service, and coordination of fuelling and catering.
• Crew handling: transport, briefing support, hotel accommodation and immigration assistance.
• Representation: liaison with the airport operator, civil aviation authority, customs and immigration.

How Does Ground Handling Work?

Ground handling is sequenced around the aircraft turnaround. Each task has a planned start relative to on-block and off-block times, and delays in one task propagate to the departure slot.

1. 01Pre-arrival planning. The handling agent receives the movement message, expected passenger and cargo figures and any special requests, then allocates staff, equipment and a stand.
2. 02Arrival and on-block. The aircraft is marshalled onto the stand, chocks and cones are placed, ground power is connected and the doors are cleared for disembarkation.
3. 03Unload and passenger flow. Passengers are disembarked and directed to arrivals or transfer, while baggage and cargo are offloaded and delivered to the reclaim belt or cargo terminal.
4. 04Servicing. Cabin cleaning, water and lavatory service, fuelling and catering are carried out in parallel under a coordinated ramp plan.
5. 05Load and dispatch. Outbound baggage and cargo are loaded to the loading instruction, the load sheet is produced and signed, boarding is completed and the doors are closed.
6. 06Off-block. Ground equipment is removed, pushback and start-up are coordinated with air traffic control, and the departure is reported in the movement message.

Who Uses Ground Handling Services?

• Scheduled airlines that do not self-handle at an airport, or handle only part of the operation.
• Charter and leisure operators running seasonal or ad-hoc programmes.
• Cargo airlines and freight operators requiring ramp and documentation support.
• Business jet and private aircraft operators needing a short, discreet turnaround.
• Government, military and state flights operating away from their home base.
• Aircraft operators positioning, ferrying or diverting into an unfamiliar airport.

Why Is Ground Handling Important?

The ground phase is where most controllable delay is created or recovered. Accurate load control is a flight safety requirement, ramp discipline prevents aircraft damage and injuries, and turnaround performance determines whether an operator keeps its slot and its schedule.

Handling also carries much of the passenger experience an airline is judged on: check-in queues, boarding order, assistance for passengers with reduced mobility and baggage delivery all happen on the ground handler's watch.

Ground Handling in Airport Operations

At most airports, handling is performed by a third-party handling agent, by the airline itself, or by the airport operator. Access to the market is regulated, and agents work under an airport licence or concession as well as a contract with each airline.

The commercial framework is usually an IATA Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA), where Annex A lists the available services and Annex B records what has been agreed for a specific station, aircraft type and season.

A common misunderstanding is that ground handling and flight support are the same thing. Ground handling covers the aircraft and its passengers at the airport; flight support covers the flight itself — permits, planning, slots and en-route arrangements.

How It Relates to Link Aero

Link Aero Trading Agency has provided ground handling as its core activity since 1992 and is an IATA ISAGO certified, with a 24/7 operations desk.

The published ground handling scope covers supervision, passenger and crew handling, ramp handling, load control, ticketing, security, baggage handling and tracing, surface transportation, aircraft servicing and cleaning, visa, customs and immigration assistance, and representation with the civil aviation authority and local authorities.

Handling is delivered at stations in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Morocco, supported by an office in Belgium.

Related Link Aero services

• ground handling services
• flight support services
• aviation security services
• cargo services services

Frequently asked questions

Is ground handling the same as ground support?

The terms are used interchangeably for the services delivered to an aircraft on the ground. Ground support equipment (GSE) refers specifically to the vehicles and machinery used, such as loaders, tugs, steps and ground power units.

What is the difference between ground handling and flight support?

Ground handling covers the aircraft, passengers, baggage and cargo at the airport. Flight support covers the flight itself: overflight and landing permits, operational flight planning, slots, weather and NOTAM briefing, and fuel and catering arrangements.

Who is responsible for load control?

Load control is performed by trained and licensed staff, either from the airline or the handling agent under delegated authority. They produce the loading instruction and the final load sheet, which the commander signs before departure.

Do private and business jets need ground handling?

Yes. General aviation flights still require ramp services, crew and passenger assistance, refuelling coordination and clearance with airport and government authorities, usually delivered through a handling agent or FBO.