2 HANDLING NEWS
De-icing management system for Iberia is based on 3G
Iberia has developed a new aircraft de-icing management system, which it believes has placed the company in the vanguard of the most specialised providers of de-icing services. The new system is based on 3G technology, and comparable systems are used only by Lufthansa in Frankfurt, US Airways in Charlotte and Delta Air Lines in Atlanta. De-icing team operators are now able to enter real-time data about the progress of de-icing tasks on a PDA. This data is subsequently received by supervisors on tablet PCs, enabling them to manage the operations remotely. The data can also be accessed in real time by the Madrid airport control tower, the airport and air navigation authority AENA and Iberia’s control hub from which all the airline’s handling operations are co-ordinated. This allows traffic controllers to interact in real time with Iberia handling supervisors to improve the co-ordination of the entrance and exit of aircraft from de- icing stations, thereby facilitating the use of best airport practices, even under unfavourable weather conditions. The supply of real-time de-icing data to Iberia will enable the company to optimise the de-icing service and its infrastructure, thus contributing to flight punctuality and offering a better service to client airlines and their customers.
Fuel experts combine to form a services provider
A trio of established European aviation businesses have come together to create iFuel, a new aviation fuel and associated services provider.
London-based charter broker Open
Aero, fuel supplier Jet Aero Fuels and Switzerland-based 28 East Group have signed an agreement to form the new company, which will support strategic expansion plans for all three businesses. JAF will provide 28 East Group and Open Aero’s clients with competitively priced fuel, together with ground handling services. It is anticipated that savings of up to 28-30% will be available for clients operating within the auspices of the iFuel arrangement. With an initial focus on the CIS region, where the founders all have a strong presence, iFuel will be offering services at most of the CIS airports including Russia’s Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports.
JAF has been providing fuel and aviation services to commercial and military operators since 2006. General Director of JAF, Rinad El-Rabaa will
SAS decides to sell its handling arm to Swissport
Scandinavian airline SAS has taken another step along the path to long- term survival: in an attempt to further reduce costs, it has agreed to sell its ground handling business to Swissport. SAS is half-owned by the
governments of Sweden, Norway and Denmark and back in November 2012, it instituted salary cuts and working arrangement changes with its staff in order to trim expenditure. The airline has said that it also intends to slim, which includes outsourcing and the sale of its ground handling unit. Under the terms of the deal Swissport would own 51% of the ground handling joint venture but effectively take operational and management control. SAS has said that its ground handling
GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2013
become President of iFuel. Owing to JAF’s extensive network of global fuel suppliers from which it sources and sells fuel in bulk, iFuel is confident that it will be able to compete with established players in the CIS, European and African markets.
The newly-formed partnership with 28 East Group and Open Aero will widen the scope of JAF’s services to incorporate a business aviation offering. For 28 East Group and Open Aero the deal will ensure that new and existing clients, together with aircraft operators, will receive favourably priced fuel and ground handling fees when passing through airports offering iFuel services. “As fuel is the most significant operational cost of any charter we anticipate that having direct access to aviation gas and premium ground handling services, at beneficial rates, will ensure large jet charters will select iFuel in the future. This deal buoys up 28 East Group’s commitment to providing aviation clients with the best service and pricing possible, and more importantly will open further potential markets for all of the iFuel partners in the CIS region and further afield,” said Erica Da Veiga, partner in 28 East Group.
businesses in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, which employs around 5,000 staff, would be transferred to the new company. Moreover, the airline also wants to sell its Norwegian regional airline, Wideroe.
Handler outsourcing: the latest move at Air India?
Keeping up with the pendulum that is Indian aviation policy is something of an art. In a recent announcement, Air India has said that it will separate two of its subsidiaries as part of its turnaround plan. To that end, the national carrier’s ground handling and maintenance, repair and overhaul started operation as separate profit centres in February. Under this initiative, Air India Air
Transport Services assumed responsibility for ground handling at airports and is to expand its operations to other carriers whilst performing the same functions for Air India. Similarly, Air India Engineering Services has undertaken engineering maintenance, repair and overhaul activity for Air India and will be offering the same facility to other carriers. The proposals have been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
Left to right back: Luca Madone, Partner 28 East Group; Rinad El Rabaa, President of iFuel and Jeffrey Emmenis, Partner 28 East Group left to right front: Erica Da Veiga, Partner 28 East Group and Tatiana Tektova, Owner Open Aero.
In line with this, all employees working in the ground handling and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities were transferred to these two independent companies with their service conditions remaining unchanged. Under the new arrangement Air India
is to provide the initial capital injection for both subsidiaries to help them stabilise their operations. It is believed that the move will also reduce the aircraft-to-employee ratio in Air India to a more realistic, global standard.
Scandinavian initiative about to start up in Arlanda
Sweport is a completely new ground services company that is wholly owned by NextJet and Höga Kusten Flyg. It will commence operations this spring at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport and will be offering handling services. Initially the service will involve check-in, ticketing, desk, gate and ramp services for NextJet and Höga Kusten Flyg. The idea came from Next Jet’s five former part-owners, together with Arri Kallonen, one of the founders of Nordic Aero Handling, where he was a part- owner and CEO. Arri Kallonen has a total of more than 20 years’ experience in ground services, which NextJet and the Höga Kusten Flyg have decided to
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