GROUND HANDLING, according to ICAO, “comprises services necessary for an aircraft’s arrival at, and departure from, an airport, other than air traffic services. It refers to the wide range of services provided to facilitate an aircraft flight or aircraft ground positioning, repositioning, preparation for, and upon conclusion of a flight.” These will include a range of Customer Service Functions, Ramp Service Functions and Maintenance Services.
Customer Service Functions
👉 Ticketing
👉 Check-in
👉 Over-size Baggage
👉 Baggage Sorting
👉 Lobby Management
👉 Irregular Operations
👉 Special Needs Handling
👉 Gate Assignment
👉 Lounge Management
👉 Aircraft Boarding
👉 Aircraft Disembarkation
👉 Baggage Service
Ramp Services Functions
🟢 Marshalling
🟢 Chocking and Connection / Disconnection of Ground Service equipment
🟢 Baggage and Freight Handling
🟢 Aircraft Towing
🟢 Refueling
🟢 Toilet and Water Servicing
🟢 Aircraft Cleaning
🟢 Catering
🟢 Provision of Documents
🟢 High Pressure Air Starting
🟢 Pushback
🟢 De-icing
Maintenance Services
🔹Routine inspections by Engineers
🔹Rectifying of minor maintenance issues and making appropriate entries in the aircraft technical log
🔹Flight crews will perform a preflight inspection of the aircraft in preparation for flight
RISKS OF GROUND HANDLING
Inherent risks in the ground handling process, especially for ramp services are numerous. Tasks may be carried out in a high noise, high traffic area, both in daylight and in darkness, in all weather conditions and in all extremes of temperature. Various types of large machinery working in close proximity, the handling of flammable liquids and dangerous cargo, and working at heights during the loading, catering and refueling of large aircraft all pose their own perils.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of some of the inherent risks that could be encountered whilst providing ground handling services to an aircraft:
❗Personal Injury
❗Aircraft Damage
❗Refuelling and Defuelling Risks
❗Vehicle Collision
❗Fire
REFERENCES
ICAO Annex 6
