Air Asia ground handling unit GTR opens news digital facility (376 words) + PIC
AirAsia’s ground handling joint venture Ground Team Red (GTR) has opened a new facility at Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s KLIA2 terminal.
The control centre will track the handling of AirAsia aircraft using digital information on passenger boarding, baggage handling and ramp loading activities, with a target to turnaround aircraft within 25 minutes.
In digitalising the operations, guest services personnel will use a smartphone to execute the gate boarding process, allowing staff to board passengers conveniently while tracking the gate boarding process in real-time efficiently and accurately.
The same smartphones will be deployed at the baggage carousel for baggage reconciliation and also the e-readback ramp loading system to provide an organised view of all baggage and cargo loads for the flight.
Air Asia says this will improve safety by ensuring 100 per cent accurate aircraft weight and balance readings for flight planning purposes and eliminate paper-based Loading Instructions, which are difficult to manage at night and in bad weather conditions.
GTR staff will also now use their handheld devices to automatically clock in when they report for work and receive their flight assignments automatically. This saves time for staff to meet their flights without the need to report to the office.
Another key feature of the control centre is a virtual reality training chamber with six modules – cargo ramp, technical ramp (lavatory), technical ramp (water service), technical ramp (air-conditioning), technical ramp (ground power unit) and aircraft marshalling – that will allow ground personnel to simulate and safely conduct real world scenarios and training exercises without the need for aircraft availability.
Kevin Chin, chief executive officer, GTR says: “This digital control centre is a first for Malaysia, and will revolutionise how ground operations services are delivered.
“The centre will allow us to serve our clients better while providing an improved travel experience for passengers and improving hub passenger connectivity through klia2, and it is our goal to establish more such centres across the region in the near future.”
Established on 1 November 2017, GTR is a joint venture between AirAsia and Singapore’s SATS. It is present in 18 airports in Malaysia and Singapore and handles an average of 475 flights daily.
The low-cost carrier says it intends to establish more of such centres across Malaysia in the years’ ahead.
Canada Jetlines awards handling contract to Global Aviation Services (212 words) + PIC of Canada Jetlines
Soon to fly Canadian ultra low-cost carrier Canada Jetlines has signed an agreement with Global Aviation Services for ground handling services across North America.
The airline will launch services later this year and plans to operate flights across Canada and provide non-stop service from Canada to the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean using a fleet of Airbus A320 fleet.
Global Aviation Services is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, and offers a full suite of services including ground handling, aircraft detailing, flight supervision and management, mobility assistance, ticketing, and cabin cleaning.
With continued growth planned for 2019, there are currently 45 airlines and 12 airports in Canada and the US combined that are partnered with the handling provider for their passenger, baggage, and load-control services.
The carrier said Global Aviation is well-known for its “delivery of quality check-in and boarding services, centralized baggage tracing and, creating the jet bridge connection to the aircraft” and said the services that are “all important to Jetlines’ operational plans and will help ensure strong on-time performance”.
Carm Borg, president and chief executive officer, Global Aviation Services says: “Global Aviation Services will provide Canada Jetlines with ground handling services at locations across North America.
“It’s truly exciting to have two Canadian companies partnering together to serve the people of Canada.”
Indian handling win for Celebi
Celebi has won a contract to take care of ground handling at Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport after winning a competitive bidding process.
The Turkish handling firm is looking to invest about $5-6 million over the next 10 years at the airport. It also recently won a tender for ground handling at Kannur International Airport in Kerala.
Celebi said it is a committed partner with the airport to offer modern and technological services to over 20 million passengers. Services provided will include aircraft cleaning and servicing, loading and unloading of food and beverages, besides cargo and luggage handling.
Murali Ramachandran chief executive officer, Celebi India says: “Being well set for a major growth path in the aviation space, India is a key market for us.
“With our focused and strategic expansion plans, we stand committed to play a meaningful role in the growth story of the aviation sector in this country.”
Celebi also carries out handling at other airports in India in Mumbai, Kochi and Ahmedabad airports.
In India, airports with 10 million passenger or more per annum are required to have three ground handling companies offering services.
SAHCO to be ground handlers at new Bayelsa International Airport (210 words) + picture GSE SAHCO
Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bayelsa Government to be the official ground handling provider at the newly-built Bayelsa International Airport.
The airport is located in Amassoma, Nigeria and it was inaugurated on 14 February when the first commercial flight was operated by Air Peace.
SAHCO says it was chosen as the sole aviation ground handling company to cater for passenger handling services, ramp handling, cargo and warehousing in the new airport because of its safe, speedy and efficient services.
The Nigerian handling company has also recently expanded its operations at Ibadan Airport, and says it will continue to invest in man-power trainings and modern ground handling equipment.
Meanwhile, SAHCO has recently upgraded its operations with the acquisition of state-of-the-art ground services equipment (GSE) worth one billion Nigerian Naira (US$2.7 million).
Some of the equipment commissioned by SAHCO included three ground power units (GPU), load bank, tow bars, tyre removal machines and 10 new engines for ground operations.
In all, three brand new GPU were procured, five tow bars, load bank and others. The tow bars can handle Airbus A320, Boeing 737, A330, A340-200/300, A350, B767, B777, B787 and IL96. Others were DC10/MD 11, L10 11, A340-500/600 and B747.
Flying start for Oman Ground Handling in 2019 (125 words) + picture of Swiss International Airlines
Oman Ground Handling kicked-off 2019 by announcing that it had signed agreements to provide ground handling services to three international airlines.
The agreements have reportedly been penned with Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Cargo and GoAir and represents a great win for the Gulf handler.
Swiss International Airlines operates seven flights a week from Zurich to Muscat and Turkish Cargo recently started operating air cargo flights twice a week from Istanbul to Muscat.
GoAir is a low-cost carrier based in Mumbai, India. Its operations begun in Muscat on 1 February. It will operate seven flights a week from Kannur International Airport in Kerala to Muscat International Airport.
Oman Ground Handling now provides ground services at airports in Oman for 35 airlines operating more than 120,000 flights.
