CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Coffee will be served from 09:00 to fuel you for the day ahead before the conference gets underway.
Ground handling is entering a new era as ICAO develops global Standards and EASA introduces a comprehensive regulatory framework. Against a backdrop of financial pressure, workforce challenges and rising investment demands, top Ground Handling CEOs will discuss what effective regulation should look like and whether ground handling should ultimately have standalone regulatory status.
The panel will also examine the airline–handler commercial relationship and value-based partnerships, alongside digitalisation and the transition to electric and low-emission GSE. The discussion will consider the reforms and investment conditions needed to build a safer, more sustainable and economically resilient ground handling sector.
The upcoming ground handling regulations from the European Commission have created a lot of discussion. In an industry that is previously unregulated, the European Commission implementing new regulations has created fear amongst industry professional. This discussion will highlight how these new regulations will be deployed and whether the industry is involved. The safety of ground handling processes and increasing the efficiency of ground handler training remains a high priority for all stakeholders.
Lunch is included for all attendees and will be served in the exhibition hall.
Operation managers around the world face different challenges that affect the efficiency of airside operations. The industry experts taking part in this session will address the various issues that are affecting their ground handling operations and discuss whether a collaborative world view could provide solutions to these problems. This panel will address whether airports learn from each other to achieve best practise in their airside operations?
Aviation and ground handling remains a carbon intensive industry. Net Zero targets remain essential for the industry but achieving these targets must not affect operational efficiency. This session will discuss the deployment of electric and hydrogen powered technologies, as well as the introduction of sustainable aviation fuels onto the ramp.
Airport operators around the world are facing changing passenger expectations, with pre-flight hospitality becoming an increasingly important part of the customer journey. The industry experts taking part in this session will discuss how London City Airport and Aspire Pre-Flight Hospitality, part of Swissport, are rethinking the lounge experience, translating design innovation into a tangible upgrade in passenger comfort as well as overall brand perception. This panel will address whether the pre-flight lounge can become a genuine driver of customer preference and loyalty, rather than simply a waiting space.
Welcome to London! Lets kick off the conference the right way with a proper London boozer, good drinks, good company and a few familiar faces.
With AGI sponsoring the bar, grab a drink, settle in and get the 27th Annual experience underway!
Celebrating the people who power ground service excellence
Aviation has spent decades refining Standard Operating Procedures, measuring every minute and deploying new technology - yet incidents and procedural deviations persist, frontline turnover remains high and familiar themes keep arising. What if the next operational breakthrough isn’t another procedure, system or technology, but a better understanding of the human beings expected to make it all work?
Chaired by leading aviation analyst John Strickland, Andy and Kirsty Dobson of Clarity& will bring together operational leaders, real-world evidence and the reality of the aircraft turnaround to challenge long-held assumptions about safety, performance and compliance - exploring what happens when operational pressure, commercial imperatives and human performance collide, and what it could mean for the next leap in safety, resilience and operational performance.
Lunch is included for all attendees and will be served in the exhibition hall
The ramp can be a dangerous environment, with the safety of the ground handler remaining a priority. There are already precautions in place to prevent accidents, but what else can be done? What technologies to protect handlers from dangerous equipment? Should training measures be adapted or changed? This session will address what is being done to prioritise handler competency and reduce any potential dangers
High turnover and a decreasing number of individuals in the ground handling workforce is placing additional pressure on the industry. There must be a mindset shift, where ground handling can be seen as a career. What are the career pathways for young people entering the industry? What does the progression look like? What will they be being doing? This panel will address the issues with staffing and retention in the industry but also identify ‘Who are the Next Generation of Ground Handling?’.
Join us at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge on Wednesday 2 December, from 19:00–22:00, for an evening of good company, great food and a little intrigue.
18:15 - Vintage Red Buses depart from outside Olympia, with thanks to Aviapartner
The move to fully autonomous GSE seems inevitable. New and innovative technologies are being deployed on the ramp, increasing the efficiency of airport operations and reducing the pressure on ground handlers on the ramp. Having no ‘human-handlers’ on the ramp is a big shift and there are a lot of changes to be made. This panel will address the fundamental changes in airport operations when moving from Level 3 to Level 4 automation, the infrastructure required for full-automation, and discuss the positive business case for the technology.
Ground Support Equipment remains the backbone of ground handling operations across the globe, without fully functional equipment efficiency decreases, operations break down, and accidents can occur. Predictive, preventative, and real time maintenance are essential for instant accessibility to fully operational GSE. This panel will also address the importance of AI technology in locating GSE and managing GSE fleets.
A new addition to the GHI Conference Agenda! 6 start-up companies will pitch their company to three Ground Handlers in the chance to win a meeting one of the World leaders in the industry. Are you one of the World’s leading innovators in Ground Handling? View full information here.
Lunch is included for all attendees and will be served in the exhibition hall
Kick-off at 15:30 at the Powerleague Shepard's Bush
Click here for more information