easyJet Awards Berlin Ground Service Business to Swissport Until 2026
Swissport has won a major contract from easyJet at Berlin Airport. From 1 October 2021, the world's leader of airport ground services and air cargo handling will provide full ground handling services for easyJet passengers at check-in and gate, and will also be responsible for aircraft handling on the apron, including baggage loading and pushback services. The new contract is valid until 2026 and covers 30 of the airline's daily flights from its Berlin hub, connecting the German capital with around 70 major destinations in Europe.
"We are honored and grateful that easyJet has entrusted us with the handling of their hub in Berlin. The new contract is a sign of the trust we have been able to build together through our various collaborations across our network in Europe," says Willy Ruf, senior vice president Central and Eastern Europe at Swissport International. "Our teams on the ground in Berlin are excited to serve easyJet and its passengers and look forward to starting operations this fall."
Since starting operations at the new BER Airport in late October 2020, Swissport Berlin has steadily added international airline customers. With around 200 employees, Swissport currently serves 17 airlines at Berlin Airport.
Contracts renewals in Basel and Geneva
In addition to the contract win in Berlin, Swissport has also renewed its contract for airport ground handling with easyJet for the carrier’s two Swiss bases in Basel and Geneva by five years, retroactive to 1 September 2020. easyJet had around a dozen aircraft based at each airport and represented around 50 percent of Swissport's volume in Basel and Geneva pre-COVID. By intending to maintain its fleet size in Switzerland, travel volume permitting, easyJet underlines its confidence in the Swiss market as well as in the neighboring regions.
In 2019, before the Covid-19 related market downturn, Swissport served almost 5.5 million passengers on behalf of easyJet at Basel‘s EuroAirport. In Geneva around 8 million easyJet passengers were served by Swissport’s passenger service agents in 2019.
