On August 25, airline companies jointly established the Airport Ground Handling Association and held a press conference. The members are ANA, JAL, and 50 other companies (31,886 members), including those in charge of ground handling at both companies.
Ground handling is a general term for support services for aircraft operations, which include passenger services for boarding passengers, ramp services for baggage and cargo check-in and cabin cleaning, and operations for operational support.
As is already known, a large number of workers left their jobs when passenger flights were suspended due to the Corona disaster for a long period of time, and the current situation is that the restoration of international flights, especially at regional airports, is not progressing due to the shortage of personnel. Akiko Oyamada, president of ANA Airport Service and the first chairperson of the association, explained that the ground handling companies, which had been engaged in competition, decided to join hands to address the common issue of “human resource shortage” and established the association to develop the industry and increase its recognition.
The establishment of the association is also intended to collect basic data on airport operations and to work toward eliminating the extreme gender imbalance (approximately 80% women in passenger services and 80% men in ground operations), as well as to develop industry rules regarding qualifications and vehicle specifications, improve productivity, and collaborate with vocational schools and other educational institutions. The project is also looking at ways to improve productivity through the development of industry rules regarding qualifications and vehicle specifications, and collaboration with vocational schools and other educational institutions.
For example, ANA and JAL have different ground handling regulations, and only certified personnel are allowed to work on the ground. At large airports, this is not a problem because the ground handlers of each airline company handle the work, but at small airports where human resources are in short supply, these restrictions are a major hurdle. The MISHOP hopes to make a request to the airlines to improve this aspect of their operations.
© Source travel watch