CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
The clock is ticking for GSPs. Sweeping regulatory changes mean handlers will be formally responsible for the safety and the competence of their staff by 2028. With compliance inspections looming through the European Aviation Safety Agency then how can an industry operating in an inherently hazardous environment with high turnover adapt? GHI unites key operators to discuss the fallout for our industry around the world.
GHI invites HR/talent development chiefs at leading GSPs to detail how they are combatting skills shortages by changing their recruitment tactics to target new demographic groups. In a world where the same old rampies can be recycled across multiple GSPs for a Euro or two more an hour then how might appealing to students, working parents or the over 60s help us tap into a new talent pool?
From biometrics to QR codes, a raft of touchless or low touch tech provides a tantalising route for ground handlers to speed passenger throughput and optimise their own staffing. So, what’s stopping operators stepping into the future? GHI invites a panel of experts to outline the opportunities and challenges for contactless from check-in and bag drop to boarding. The session will ask where humans fit in this more automated environment and the potential for upskilling ground handling staff.
Ground operations are shaped by many variables: flight schedules, staff availability, equipment readiness, and unexpected changes. INPUT SOFT RMS supports airports and ground handlers in managing these challenges with one connected system for planning, rostering, and real-time task control. The software can process more than 50K flights and 250K tasks in a single run, giving supervisors a reliable overview and the flexibility to react quickly. The result is improved staff utilization, measurable cost savings, and greater stability in daily operations. This short demonstration will show how complex processes can be managed with clarity and precision.
The apron is often a backwater of 5G and Wi-Fi connectivity at the airport with ramp teams relying on workarounds and outmoded technology to keep up to speed with the latest flight information. This panel will explore the benefits of integrating real time data on the ramp and the impact on turnaround speed, safety and employee productivity. How do we share data accurately, securely and in a way that engages employees and enables high performance?
Join GHI for a special ceremony to champion ground handling excellence and the all-important people who make it happen. GHI will be shining a light on those who have blazed a trail in delivering innovation, safety advances, service quality and passenger satisfaction.
Want to take part? Contact max@groundhandling.com or samantha@groundhandling.com
GHI brings you an exclusive preview of some of the most exciting developments in driverless GSE from pilots taking place at airports around the world. How is this smart kit shaping up when it comes to safety, performance and operator feedback in the field? What are the next steps to mass adoption across the industry?
Where heavy equipment operated by low paid, high turnover teams meets fragile, composite based aircraft then there’s always a risk of ground damage. GHI will explore a mock incident where an unreported aircraft strike by GSE on the ground was found to trigger a fatal series of events. What would happen next and how can the industry use this fictional exercise to ensure our environment is much safer in reality?
We will demonstrate the use of Loadsters, our rechargeable battery powered, lightweight, modular conveyor solution specifically designed for in-hold handling of bags and cargo in narrow body aircraft.
Gerald (Gerry) Cutler, Founder and CEO of Loadsters
With so much industry focus on EV charging, automation and GSE pooling – are we at risk of missing a clear and obvious performance improvement in the form of cultivating a more varied, engaged and expert workforce? GHI invites the team behind industry awareness group, Women of GSE, to detail the case for greater diversity on the ramp and how broadening our industry’s appeal could bring KPI benefits to all.
Knowing where your GSE is, what it’s doing and who’s behind the wheel is as important as the tech spec of your pushback or sustainability credentials of your electric passenger steps. So, why aren’t more operators on top of their fleet movements and how they fit into a more efficient and optimised GSE strategy? GHI invites fleet directors at leading handlers, airports and the technology providers to shine a light on the importance of fleet management on the tarmac.
As airports electrify their GSE, limited charging infrastructure poses major operational challenges. This session explores how advanced battery solutions can reduce grid dependency, cut costs, and support flexible, scalable electrification. Learn from case studies and technical insights from GSE manufacturers tailored to real airport environments.
This session will explore Helsinki Airport’s innovative and environmentally friendly approach to winter operations. As a standalone presentation, it will highlight how Aviator Airport Alliance, in close co-operation with Finavia, in Helsinki is setting a new standard in sustainable de-icing practices, including the deployment of electric de-icing vehicles, advanced fluid collection systems with potential for recycling, and the strategic use of remote de-icing areas.
Ground handlers want to introduce more eGSE, but plans are being put on hold due to a lack of charging points at many airports. This case study from Schiphol Airport shows how collaboration and clever, power boosting tech have combined to ensure sustainability remains practical and profitable for all stakeholders. The session will explore the EcoGate solution, which offers a high performance, low capex addition to airports that will enable an increase in charging points and gate power without expensive and disruptive upgrades to electrical infrastructure.
How do you optimise your fleet assets to ensure they’re delivering maximum output at the minimum cost? Can sustainable choices be practical and profitable amid a lag in charging points? GHI goes in search of GSE nirvana by asking a panel of the world’s leading manufacturers to give us their inside knowledge on designing a world-class GSE strategy that meets the challenges of the apron in 2025. The session will be recorded as a live podcast and cover everything that’s essential to a best-in-class GSE strategy for airports, handlers and airlines.
Passengers with reduced mobility are one of the fastest growing passenger groups within aviation and more than one in five travellers set to be classed as a PRM by 2050. This PRM passenger segment will double in value to over $1 billion by 2033. This session looks at how GSE strategies and more coordinate stakeholder collaboration are crucial to turning a perceived problem in aviation to an outstanding business development opportunity.
The old adage about nothing much ever changes is no more. GHI asks suppliers to showcase some of the most exciting developments from the exoskeleton, a powered, super-human style suit that can be worn by ramp operatives to enhance their lifting capacity to virtual reality-style training.
GHI invites airport operators to detail how they are building deeper relationships with their ground handling partners in a bid to enhance on-time departures, passenger experiences and digital adoption across the airport. How are partnerships flourishing and what can others learn from these winning collaborations?
This session will go behind the scenes to detail cross-party safety improvement initiatives within our supply chain. We’ll explore how airlines, airports, suppliers and handlers are openly sharing their deepest safety fears and near miss incidents in pursuit of higher safety culture. What are some of the success stories from making safety everyone’s business?
This session will reveal how a leading carrier has developed advanced ground handling partnerships to power its growth and thought total cost in its procurement approach. The session will look at the hallmarks of a high-performance partnerships between airline and GSP and discuss the right KPIs, GSE and employee engagement strategies to ensure stations are primed to service ever increasing demand safely and efficiently.