From February, only Air India, its subsidiary AISATS, and Bhadra, a Delhi-based agency appointed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), can carry out ground handling activities of foreign airlines at airports in the country through their bona fide personnel.
A directive issued by the AAI says no airline will be allowed to avail the services of manpower-supplying agencies for ground handling activities after January 31, the deadline laid by the Union government.
The orders have been issued under provisions of the Airports Authority of India Ground Handling Services (Regulations) 2007 and as part of strengthening security in sensitive areas of the airport, mainly the apron side and terminal. The AAI had made it clear that passes would not be renewed for ‘non-entitled' agencies providing ground handling services to foreign airlines, official sources said. This means that untrained, casual workforce will no longer be employed for ground handling in airports. Passengers are already getting a feel of international standards of ground handling with the arrival of Bhadra International India Ltd and Air India SATS Airports Services Private Ltd. (AISATS), a joint venture between Air India and Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS).
The Managing Director of Bhadra, Prem Bajaj, who was here on Sunday to hold discussions with the operating foreign airlines, said the firm was taking care of the ground handling in Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Chennai, Coimbatore, Mangalore, Trichy, and Kolkata airports. The target was to handle 96 flights of foreign airlines a day from these seven airports. It could take care of 1,000 tonnes of cargo from Chennai, the hub of operations.
In Thiruvananthapuram international airport, the new ground handler is operating for 14 flights a week and in Kozhikode, 21. “There is a substantial market in Kerala and we are here to provide quality service with a humane touch. We have held talks with many foreign airlines and three major airlines will be on board with us from February,” he said.
Battery-operated passenger step ladder imported from France had already reached Thiruvananthapuram airport. Mr. Bajaj said the firm had spent $100 million to procure the latest ground handling equipment and had set up a facility in Coimbatore to train the personnel. The ground handling of three aircraft and a freighter can be done at the same time.
