Swissport Completes Switzerland’s First Fully Electric Aircraft Turnaround at Geneva Airport

Swissport has completed what it describes as Switzerland’s first fully electric aircraft turnaround at Geneva Airport, using only battery-powered ground support equipment from arrival through departure of a Brussels Airlines flight. The milestone highlights how electrification is beginning to reshape daily ramp operations while supporting the company’s long-term decarbonization targets.

The end-to-end handling process covered passenger disembarking and boarding, baggage and cargo movements, aircraft servicing, and pushback, all performed with electric equipment. Swissport deployed a range of zero-emission assets, including baggage tractors, a pushback tractor, passenger boarding stairs, and conveyor belt loaders, demonstrating that routine turnarounds can be managed without diesel-powered machinery while maintaining schedule reliability and safety compliance.

More than 60 percent of Swissport’s GSE fleet at Geneva is already electric. The location operates fully electric baggage tractors and has converted over half of its belt loaders, ground power units, passenger stairs, and light vehicles. Since 2024, the company has invested more than 3 million Swiss francs in electric equipment at the airport.

Bruno Stefani, CEO of Switzerland, Italy and France, said the project reflects Swissport’s broader strategy to decarbonize ground handling through close cooperation with airlines and airport partners. He noted that over half of the company’s Swiss fleet is now electrified and that each conversion step helps lower emissions while supporting efficient operations.

Globally, 26 percent of Swissport’s 14,600 motorized units are electric, with a target of 55 percent by 2032. The company’s emissions goals are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, and Swissport has earned the EcoVadis Platinum medal for two consecutive years, placing it among the top 1 percent of assessed companies for sustainability performance.