What We’ve Learned from the Past

Aug. 11, 2022
As Ground Support Worldwide continues to celebrate its 30th year, we would like to reflect on lessons from history to get a sense for what’s next for aviation.

Through the first half of the year, we’ve used our publication’s 30th anniversary as an opportunity to look back fondly at the people, ingenuity and events that have shaped the ground support industry into the one we know today.

During the second half of the year, we’ll continue to digest ground handling history and then take lessons learned from past events to get an outlook at what the future could look like.

Of course, the aviation industry is facing a significant issue at the moment. Will passenger air traffic recover from the COVID-19 pandemic? And how quickly can we expect things to return to pre-pandemic levels?

The answers seem to be a resounding “yes” and “very fast.”

Recent figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicated that international air traffic during May 2022 was up 325.8 percent from May 2021 as more borders, particularly in Asia, continue to open. The May 2022 international travel figures, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) represent 65.1 percent of traffic levels in May 2019.

Those international figures factored into total global air traffic in May 2022 rising 83.1 percent compared to the same month last year. IATA’s data suggests global traffic is now at 68.7 percent of pre-crisis levels

The airline industry’s recovery may not be a shock, as it has previously weathered catastrophes like the September 11th terrorist attacks, previous health emergencies like SARS and Avian flu outbreaks and financial recessions.

I spoke with Warwick Brady, CEO and president at Swissport, during the IATA Ground Handling Conference this spring. Through all of these crises, he noted a parallel between all these events – the industry bounces back.

“All of those times, the learnings there is that this industry is very resilient, and people are never going to give up travel,” Brady said.

However, despite the ability to overcome previous trials, the current challenge is unprecedented. The industry went from nearly zero flights in 2020 to soaring demand just two years later.

“We’ve never seen such a high growth,” Brady noted.

As was the case following previous crises, creative solutions from airlines, airports and ground handlers are required to help commercial aviation continue its recovery.

“There’s been an enormous acceleration of digital adoption,” Brady pointed out. “The businesses that have adapted quickest have done better.”

Embracing new technology and implementing updated processes won’t slow down as the industry gets back on its feet. Digitization and automation are becoming increasingly prevalent in all facets of life, and it is proving its value within ground support activities, too.

How has your business evolved during the pandemic? What steps have you taken and what changes have you made to become stronger following the events of the last two years?

Ground Support Worldwide would like to share these success stories and offer real-world examples on how we can bolster the industry moving forward. I welcome your thoughts on the topic. Please email me at [email protected].