On 1 February 2007, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared a proposal to allow only three agencies to take up ground handling services at the six major metro airports.

The airport operator or a joint venture company, subsidiary companies of Air India or Indian airlines or their joint ventures or any other ground handling service provider selected through competitive bidding on a revenue sharing basis will only be allowed to offer ground handling services.

After 1 January 2009, these three agencies will be allowed to carry out ground handling activities at the six major airports. A regulatory framework will be in place before that to ensure that best international practices are followed. These three agencies will ensure that there is enough competition to ensure competitive pricing as well as better services.

The six airports where the new rules will apply are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. At other airports the policy being followed at present will continue. Ground handling work has two basic parts - passenger handling at the landside and ramp handling that includes loading and unloading of aircraft and aircraft handling.

Also See:

AAI gets nod to enter ground handling business (27-Nov-06)