Swissport wins Frankfurt Airport ground handling license
23 / 08 / 2024
Photo: Swissport
Swissport has secured a seven-year license to provide ground handling services at Frankfurt Airport from February 1 2025 until January 2032.
The cargo handler has been operational at Frankfurt Airport since 1995. Swissport currently provides airport ground handling, air cargo handling and fuelling services at 15 airports in Germany, but Frankfurt will become Swissport’s largest site in Germany and one of its most important operations in Europe.
“The license win is an important milestone for Swissport, and we look forward to serving airlines at Frankfurt Airport. Swissport is a leader in managing large complex airport operations, and Frankfurt further adds scale to our business,” said Warwick Brady, president and chief executive of Swissport.
“We will continue to provide a competitive advantage for our airline customers by consistently delivering operational excellence to drive performance and service excellence to positively influence passengers’ experience. And we are keen to enable a smooth transition, ensuring job stability for the employees of the current ground handler and continued high quality service.”
In November 2020, the company opened a new air cargo warehouse including a modern pharma centre at Cargo City Süd within the Frankfurt Airport complex. Swissport Cargo in Frankfurt handled 135,000 tons of freight and employed 180 staff in 2023.
Additionally, Swissport’s subsidiary N*ICE has been offering de-icing services in Frankfurt since 1999 and subsidiary AFS fuelling services in Frankfurt since 1988. N*ICE employed 47 and AFS employed 78 staff at Frankfurt Airport in 2023.
To reduce CO2 emissions and support its ESG targets, Swissport will also be investing in new electric equipment at its Frankfurt site. The company has committed to operating 55% of its fleet electrically by 2032 and to reducing carbon dioxide emissions to zero by 2050.
Swissport plans to deploy electric ground support equipment in Frankfurt, complementing the plans of airport operator Fraport to abolish all carbon emissions at fully consolidated airports they operate globally by 2045.
Also this month, China Airlines struck a new multi-year cargo handling contract with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) subsidiary Frankfurt Cargo Services (FCS) that will extend the partnership of the companies at Frankfurt Airport to more than 25 years.
China Airlines and Frankfurt Cargo Services extend partnership
