Australia and New Zealand Navigate Transformation of Ground Handling Operations

Aircraft ground handling operations in Australia and New Zealand are navigating a period of transformation. With the rebound in travel demand, ground handling providers have faced the twin challenges of rebuilding workforce capacity and modernizing operations in an increasingly complex environment.

This article explores the current landscape of the ground handling industry across the region, highlighting both the challenges and the forward-looking initiatives shaping its future.

State of the industry

The ground handling industry in Australia and New Zealand has made significant strides in recovery year-on-year since 2023, demonstrating strong resilience and adaptability, according to Darren Masters, executive vice president for Oceania and South East Asia at Menzies.

“While the industry has faced significant challenges during the Covid period, operations have largely recovered and are focusing on rebuilding capacity and workforce stability. While some challenges remain, such as high turnover, the industry continues to move in a positive direction. Ongoing efforts to demonstrate broad career opportunities and strengthen employee engagement are helping to lay the foundation for a stronger and more sustainable future," he says.

Labor availability has presented significant challenges to operations in recent years, particularly in the immediate post-Covid period, observes Masters.

“With the rapid and unrestricted resumption of flying, there was an urgent need for staff and the industry initially struggled to grow at the required pace. Unlike many airlines, ground handling providers have had fewer resources during the pandemic and have had greater difficulty retaining staff," he says.

“In the early stages of the recovery, intense competition for workers and the predominance of part-time roles made recruitment particularly difficult. However, there has been steady improvement. The industry has taken significant steps to improve recruitment and retention and continues to adapt workforce management strategies. These efforts are yielding positive results, although high labour costs remain a factor."

Labor supply remains challenging but has indeed shown signs of improvement, according to Kishore Ganesh, chief executive officer (CEO) of Swissport Australia. “We are impacted by a tight labor market, where we compete with sectors such as retail, hospitality, manufacturing and transportation. Our core frontline recruitment relies heavily on young, entry-level candidates, but the current cost of living makes this target market difficult to attract. Retention is equally important and requires careful management to mitigate turnover.

"Swissport is developing more flexible hiring models to encourage retention. Our fixed team model is proving very successful, where small ‘families’ of employees work together on regular shifts," he says. “This helps build trust, mentorship and collaboration focussed on safety. We are still in the post-pandemic recovery phase, with some candidates wary of returning to work, but peak travel periods are seeing record numbers. Advance workforce planning is critical, along with creating a strong employee value proposition (EVP) and labor market presence to compete effectively."

Burt Sigsworth, managing director of dnata Australia affirms that in the wake of the pandemic, a significant number of ‘career’ aviation and ground handling workers chose to leave the industry, either to retire or to take on new jobs, with no intention of returning.

“The trend of recruiting new workers has now transformed ground handling into a career rather than the airport career it once was. Attracting new workers and making it a continuing career presents significant challenges," he says. “As an industry, it can be a challenging environment. It is highly regulated, shift work is commonplace, and one works in all types of weather conditions. Finding available labour is less difficult than finding and retaining the right employees."

Sustainability initiatives

There are several promising innovations and sustainability initiatives underway in the aircraft ground handling industry in Australia and New Zealand. At Menzies, one of the most significant developments is the transition to an all-electric ground support equipment (GSE) fleet, affirms Masters.

“As the performance and reliability of electric technology continues to improve, we are increasingly integrating electric vehicles into our operations. We have set a global target of electrifying 25% of our ground handling fleet by 2025 and are proud to have already achieved 24%, demonstrating significant progress towards that target," he says.

“In parallel, we are implementing initiatives to reduce our environmental impact more broadly, including comprehensive paper reduction programmes aimed at reducing our carbon footprint. These efforts reflect a strong and ongoing commitment to more sustainable and responsible operations in the region and globally."

Airports across the region are participating in ground support infrastructure development to varying degrees, particularly in supporting electrification, explains Masters. “Some, such as Hong Kong, have made significant progress in enabling electric GSE through robust infrastructure improvements.

"In Australia and New Zealand, there are pockets of progress, but more unevenly. Despite growing awareness of the need for sustainable operations, challenges remain," he says. “For example, ensuring adequate energy supply and building the charging infrastructure needed to support a rapid transition to electric fleets.

"However, awareness and interest are growing, and we are optimistic that collaboration between air transport service providers, airlines and airports will accelerate in the coming years. In this context, continued collaboration and planning will be essential to fully unlock the potential of electric ground support operations across the region."

Australia is a leader in the Swissport global network in the adoption of electric ground handling equipment, observes Ganesh. “We have a 10-year electrification plan and are on track to reach our target of 55% electric GSE by 2032. In November 2024, Swissport was ranked in the top 1% of companies assessed by EcoVadis and awarded the Platinum medal. This is a major achievement and supports our ambitious sustainability goals," he says.

“Safety remains our top priority and automation is playing an increasingly important role in increasing safety in ground handling. Aircraft proximity sensing systems have evolved over the past decade, from simple contact arresters to proximity-based speed limiters and autonomous docking capabilities. Since 2018, Swissport has required all new GSEs designed for aircraft docking to be equipped with proximity sensing.

"Currently, 36% of our passenger escalators, 32% of our freight loaders and 26% of our conveyor loaders globally are equipped with one or more of these technologies. Although retrofitting older equipment is technically challenging, we are working with leading sensor companies, AI telematics providers and GSE OEMs to expand these systems."

Swissport is continuing to invest in fleet modernisation to keep innovation and safety top of mind, emphasises Ganesh. “Swissport Labs, our in-house innovation hub, is dedicated to developing sustainable solutions and leveraging emerging technologies in airport operations. Some of Australia’s new airports, such as Western Sydney, are pioneering sustainability programs and infrastructure to reduce emissions," he says.

“Western Sydney has fully integrated, state-of-the-art equipment, electric charging stations, automated bagging systems, AI-based planning tools and mobile platforms. Brisbane and Auckland airports are also making significant progress. However, many service providers have invested faster than airports and original equipment manufacturers anticipated, creating bottlenecks. Major upgrades to ramp-side power networks are often needed to support widespread electrification. An airport-owned shared charging network, available on a pay-per-use model, is a practical solution. However, finding a truly universal, affordable, and scalable charging system remains a challenge. From concept to implementation, airport infrastructure projects can take two to five years, delaying service providers looking to install their own systems."

Among other airports, Brisbane Airport stands out with its new shared charging infrastructure for electric GSE, according to Sigsworth. “This solution allows multiple ground handling companies to connect and charge their electric baggage tugs, conveyors and other vehicles via a shared network. Brisbane Airport has also set a goal of having 70% of all airside vehicles electric by 2026," he says.

“Similar sustainability initiatives are rare at other regional ports. Adelaide Airport has introduced electric buses and Perth Airport has led the way in introducing battery-powered electric baggage tugs. We will continue to encourage our airport partners to install the necessary charging infrastructure to enable us to further invest in electric GSE, contributing to the group’s goal of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030."

Training development

The industry workforce landscape has changed significantly post-Covid, creating both challenges and new opportunities, according to Masters. “This transition has increased demand for comprehensive training and development programmes aimed at rebuilding skills and preparing the next generation of leaders. Leadership development has become a key focus area. We have invested heavily in programs designed to identify and develop talent, creating clear pathways for career progression," he says.

“In parallel, mandatory refresher training, both regulatory and client-specific, continues to play a critical role in maintaining safety and operational standards. Overall, this renewed emphasis on structured training and upskilling is helping to shape a more agile, engaged and future-ready workforce at Menzies."

Sigsworth points out that dnata invests significantly in technical and compliance training. “There is also a strong demand for leadership development at all levels, which we see as a positive sign that our employees see a career path within the company. We promote and develop training programmes internally for our front-line leaders and are currently in the early stages of evaluating additional pipelines for development programmes. We also work with agencies that support people in re-entering the workforce after periods of inactivity," he says.

“Another area that is emerging as a training need is de-escalation training. Travel can be a stressful situation for many people, which can lead to escalation of tensions. Our employees interact with passengers daily. Therefore, understanding techniques and methods to calmly and professionally handle angry passengers is important to ensure they do not cause delays to flights and other passengers."

Swissport has an extensive pool of ‘master trainers’ in Australia and New Zealand, creating a solid foundation for workforce development and career progression, according to Ganesh. “As technologies evolve, training current staff is critical. Globally, we are investing in AI-based training and virtual reality platforms to make learning more engaging and accessible. In 2025, Swissport Australia and New Zealand will transition from the Swissport Pacific Ground Operations Manual to the Global Ground Operations Manual (GOM)," he says.

“This will bring us closer to IATA standards and enable ISAGO accreditation, improving safety for staff and customers. The GOM integrates global best practices, improving operational procedures and increasing safety. Once trained to this standard, employees can work anywhere within the Swissport network. This ensures agility and consistency across our global footprint."

Development opportunities go hand in hand with engaging with local communities. Ganesh explains that, as a global company, the workforce of Swissport is highly multicultural, and this is a key enabler in building a sustainable and inclusive industry.

“In Auckland, for example, we work with the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to support Pacific and Māori youth in gaining employment. They assist candidates with interviews, onboarding and key certifications such as driving licenses," he says. “We work with the New Zealand School of Tourism, helping students find job opportunities and complete the work placement hours required for Level 6 qualifications. We also work with the Ara Skills Hub at Auckland Airport to connect local communities with job opportunities, focusing on workforce readiness and training."

Partnerships with indigenous and local communities are an important part of Menzies business, affirms Masters. “We actively draw on the local workforce and are committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. This includes our engagement with the Menzies JMM Community Fund, which allows us to contribute to meaningful local initiatives, as well as our broader sustainability efforts in partnership with community groups," he says.

"Indigenous participation is a key focus in regions such as Outback Western Australia and Darwin, where we have dedicated programs aimed at promoting inclusion, employment and long-term engagement. These partnerships not only strengthen our ties with communities but also enrich our workplace with diverse perspectives and cultural knowledge."

Summing up

While labor shortages and infrastructure constraints in Australia and New Zealand’s ground handling sector remain pressing concerns, the industry is responding with innovation, investment, and collaboration. From fleet electrification and advanced training systems to stronger community ties and inclusive hiring models, ground handlers are supporting the development towards a safer and more sustainable industry in the region.