Managing ground operations efficiently and effectively to ensure the delivery of safe, reliable ground handling services, is extremely important. To do so whilst ensuring full compliance with organization procedures can be challenging. The operator retains ultimate responsibility for activities associated with loading passengers, baggage cargo or catering onboard the aircraft.
Many activities are subcontracted so using Ground Handling agreements and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) is an important way of managing standards.
Managing ground operations efficiently and effectively to ensure the delivery of safe, reliable ground handling services, is extremely important. There are in fact many factors which can have a bearing or impact on the effectiveness and safety of the operation including many which are mentioned here.
The oversight of document control through the process, all elements of the process are potentially affected and each process needs to be managed in an effective way.
Line station training needs to comply to an acceptable standard, has this standard been determined?, facilities also need to meet an acceptable standard and training records need to be available for all aspects and elements of the training provided.
Both Quality Assurance Audits need to be implemented to support the organizational standard and Quality Control management procedures need to be available and understood by all ground personnel.
Most if not all of the following have at some time or other been instrumental in ground incidents, which have resulted in damage, delay, loss of service and general inconvenience of passengers.
Jet bridge, Aircraft Steps, Baggage Conveyor belt, Baggage Carts and the Baggage truck and Dolly’s . Cargo FMC loader, Ground Service Equipment – GSE (Ground Power Unit (GPU), Air Starter Unit,Aircraft Towbar. Re-fuelling vehicle or fuel hydrant truck
Scissor lift Catering truck, Scissor lift Cleaning truck, General Maintenance equipment, vehicles and other access equipment and platforms.
Toilet service truck and Water Service Truck, De icing equipment.
Other areas of concern include Load control communication and paperwork sign off by the load supervisor, remember that supervision is more than just a signature.
Catering trucks can be a regular source of potential harm to the aircraft, how are the catering loading procedures managed trained vetted and audited.
Managing the passengers through the airport both terminal side and Ramp side – vehicles, jet bridge & steps can all be the source of problems, including check in security and Dangerous goods checks. Driver standards and general ramp safety behaviour.
Airline Operator responsibility to Managing Standards also extends to the control management and training of the Ground service equipment operatives including training, maintenance oversight and general operation.
How to communicate the operators standards and to ensure that the operator procedures are adhered to under all operational conditions.
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