dnata is expanding its passenger transport fleet at Rome Fiumicino Airport with four fully electric Cobus VEGA buses, scheduled to enter service by mid-November.

The ground handler will be the first to deploy the VEGA model, which was developed specifically for electric apron operations. The buses offer greater passenger capacity than standard airport buses, improved climate control and redesigned doors intended to speed boarding and disembarkation.

The additional vehicles will bring dnata's passenger bus fleet at Fiumicino to 40, including 23 electric units. The buses will transport passengers between terminals and aircraft parked at remote stands.

The deployment is part of a broader fleet modernization program that has seen dnata invest more than €30 million in ground support equipment across its Italian operations over the past three years.

Since 2024, the company has introduced more than 550 GSE units at Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate, including baggage tractors, passenger boarding stairs, conveyor belts, aircraft loaders and pushback tractors.

dnata now operates more than 1,000 motorized GSE units across Italy, with more than 60% of the fleet electric.

Where electrification is not yet operationally feasible, the company has been transitioning diesel-powered equipment to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to reduce emissions.

Across its three Italian airports, dnata serves more than 60 airline customers, handling approximately 150,000 flights, 46 million passengers and 18 million bags annually.