DGCA introduces rules for ground handling service providers

Representation Pic

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has introduced comprehensive rules for ground handling service providers (GHSP). The new regulations, which must be implemented within six months, address the increasing complexity of ground operations amid the rapid growth in aircraft movements and the rise of third-party ground handling services.

A senior DGCA official highlighted the need for these measures, noting that the sector had previously lacked specific regulations. The official told mid-day, "This was an area hitherto uncovered under any existing regulations." The regulator has issued a set of rules that aim to provide for safe ground handling at airports given the "phenomenal growth (in) aircraft movements, a corresponding increase in complexity of ground operations and proliferation of third-party ground handling services," said another senior DGCA official.

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Among the key provisions, the rules mandate the installation of speed guns on the airside of airports and require speed governors in certain vehicles. The airside of the airport is where the aircraft take-off and land and load and unload as well. These measures aim to reduce the risk of accidents involving vehicles in these high-traffic areas. "Ground handling agencies are a critical element of the airport aviation ecosystem. The safety, efficiency and reliability of flight operations, in turn, are dependent on the safe and efficacious functioning of ground handling agencies," the official added.

The DGCA published the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on July 8, 2024, following extensive consultations with stakeholders. The CAR outlines a framework to standardise operations across GHSP and enhance oversight. The official said, "The implementation of this CAR will standardise requirements across ground handling agencies and strengthen the oversight mechanism."

Additionally, the CAR specifies training and competency standards for ground personnel, who play a crucial role in ensuring safe and efficient ground operations. "The robust safety mechanism to be implemented prospectively by the GHSP would help in the prevention and mitigation of ground incidents at the airport, thereby enhancing the quality of services rendered in safety-sensitive functions," another senior DGCA official emphasised. "Ground handling agencies now face a six-month deadline to comply with these new regulations, which promise to enhance safety and service quality in India's burgeoning aviation sector," the official told mid-day.