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37-693: Servisair was an aircraft ground handling company which was acquired and merged into Swissport and partly the Nordic-based Aviator Airport Alliance in 2014. It had operations in 175 airports worldwide with its head office in the Servisair House in Runcorn , Cheshire . At one time its head office was in Bramhall , Stockport , Greater Manchester (originally in Cheshire ). In January 1999

74-577: A Maintenance and Ground Support Agreement (MAGSA) with each other, which is used by airlines to assess costs for maintenance and support to aircraft. Most ground services are not directly related to the actual flying of the aircraft, and instead involve other service tasks. Cabin services ensure passenger comfort and safety. They include such tasks as cleaning the passenger cabin and replenishment of on-board consumables or washable items such as soap, pillows, tissues, blankets, and magazines. Security checks are also made to make sure no threats have been left on

111-520: A "start cart") is a device used to start an aircraft's engines when it is not equipped with an on-board APU or the APU is not operational. There are three primary types of these devices that exist currently: a stored air cart, a gas turbine based unit, and a diesel engine driven screw compressor unit. All three devices create a source of low pressure, high volume air to start the aircraft engines . Typically one or two hoses are connected to these units, with

148-602: A door on the 2nd level of the terminal. These odd-looking buses are usually referred to as "people movers" or " mobile lounges ". Airport buses are usually normal city buses or specialized terminal buses. Specialized airport buses have very low floor and wide doors on both sides of the bus for most efficient passenger movement and flexibility in depot parking. The biggest producers of airport buses are in China (Weihai, Shenyang, Beijing, Jinhua), Portugal and Slovenia. Container loaders, also known as cargo loaders or "K loaders", are used for

185-405: A hangar. Different size tugs are required for different size aircraft. Some tugs use a tow-bar as a connection between the tug and the aircraft, while other tugs lift the nose gear off the ground to make it easier to tow or push. Recently there has been a push for towbarless tractors as larger airplanes are designed. The procedure of de/anti-icing , protection from fluids freezing up on aircraft,

222-491: A mobile unit. Buses at airports are used to move people from the terminal to either an aircraft or another terminal. The specific term for airport buses that drive on the apron only is apron bus. Apron buses may have a low profile like the Guangtai or Neoplan aircraft buses because people disembark directly to the apron. Some airports use buses that are raised to the level of a passenger terminal and can only be accessed from

259-401: A pair on the same wheel and they must be placed in physical contact with the wheel. Therefore, "chocks" are typically found in pairs connected by a segment of rope or cable. The word "chock" is also used as a verb, defined as the act of placing chocks in front and back of the wheel. They are used to support a parked aircraft to prevent their tail from drooping or even falling to the ground. When

296-417: A rear body, lifting system, platform and an electro-hydraulic control mechanism. The rear body can be lifted up, down and the platform can be moved to place in front of the aircraft. Catering services include the unloading of unused food and drink from the aircraft, and the loading of fresh food and drinks for passengers and crew. The meals are typically delivered on standardized carts which are wheeled into

333-510: A red carpet for VIP passengers. Larger aircraft may use one or more jet bridges connected to the terminal building for passenger boarding, but ground-based stairs are used when this is unavailable or impractical. Pushback tugs are mostly used to push an aircraft away from the gate when it is ready to leave. These tugs are very powerful and because of the large engines, are sometimes referred to as an engine with wheels. Pushback tugs can also be used to pull aircraft in various situations, such as to

370-590: A self-contained fuel truck, or a hydrant truck/cart (this variant sometimes called servicer ). Fuel trucks are self-contained, typically containing up to 15,000 US gallons (12,000 imp gal; 57,000 L) of fuel and have their own pumps, filters, hoses, and other equipment. A hydrant cart or truck hooks into a central pipeline network and provides fuel to the aircraft. There is a significant advantage with hydrant systems when compared to fuel trucks, as fuel trucks must be periodically replenished. The tugs and tractors at an airport have several purposes and represent

407-430: A third party to not damage competition in those airports. An agreement was made between Swissport and Aviator Airport Alliance to fulfil this requirement. Servisair divides operations into nine service lines (although not all services are available at every location): Aircraft ground handling Many airlines subcontract ground handling to airports, handling agents or even to another airline. According to

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444-447: Is carried from a generator to a connection on the aircraft via 3 phase 4-wire insulated cable capable of handling 261 amps (90 kVA). These connectors are standard for all aircraft, as defined in ISO 6858 . A so-called "solid state unit" converts power from AC to DC along with current separation for aircraft power requirements. Solid state units can be supplied stationary, bridge-mounted or as

481-472: Is published by the Air Transport Association (the current version is from 1981) and is used by airlines to assess prices for maintenance and support to aircraft at so-called MAGSA Rates, which are updated annually based on changes in the U.S. Producer Price Index. Airlines may choose to contract for ground handling services under the terms of a Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) published in

518-409: Is stored in tanks on the aircraft until these vehicles can empty them and remove the waste. After the tank is emptied, it is refilled with a mixture of water and a disinfecting concentrate, commonly called 'blue juice'. Instead of a self-powered vehicle, some airports have lavatory carts, which are smaller and must be pulled by tug. The catering vehicle resembles a typical box truck but it consists of

555-401: Is there to support the operations of aircraft whilst on the ground. The role of this equipment generally involves ground power operations, aircraft mobility, and cargo/passenger loading operations. Many airlines subcontract ground handling to an airport or a handling agent , or even to another airline. Ground handling addresses the many service requirements of a passenger aircraft between

592-521: The International Air Transport Association ( IATA ) Airport Handling Manual . Airlines may also contract for ground handling services under non-standard terms. Most ground services are not directly related to the actual flying of the aircraft, and instead involve other tasks. The major categories of ground handling services are described below. Services related to aircraft cleanliness and passenger comfort: Catering includes

629-459: The International Air Transport Association (IATA), conservative estimates indicate airlines outsource more than 50 per cent of the ground handling that takes place at the world's airports. Ground handling addresses the many service requirements of an airliner between the time it arrives at a terminal gate and the time it departs on its next flight. Speed, efficiency, and accuracy are important in ground handling services in order to minimize

666-543: The US, these dollies are called Baggage Cart, but in Europe Baggage Cart means passenger baggage trolleys. Chocks are used to prevent an aircraft from moving while parked at the gate or in a hangar. Chocks are placed in the front ('fore') and back ('aft') of the wheels of landing gear . They are made out of hard wood or hard rubber . Corporate safety guidelines in the US almost always specify that chocks must be used in

703-932: The aircraft. Airport GSE comprises a diverse range of vehicles and equipment necessary to service aircraft during passenger and cargo loading and unloading, maintenance, and other ground-based operations. The wide range of activities associated with aircraft ground operations lead to an equally wide-ranging fleet of GSE. For example, activities undertaken during a typical aircraft gate period include: cargo loading and unloading, passenger loading and unloading, potable water storage, lavatory waste tank drainage, aircraft refueling, engine and fuselage examination and maintenance, and food and beverage catering. Airlines employ specially designed GSE to support all these operations. Moreover, electrical power and conditioned air are generally required throughout gate operational periods for both passenger and crew comfort and safety, and many times these services are also provided by GSE. Dollies are used for

740-436: The airport and with Air Traffic Control . [REDACTED] Media related to Aircraft ground handling at Wikimedia Commons Ground support equipment#Catering vehicle Ground support equipment ( GSE ) is the support equipment found at an airport , usually on the apron , the servicing area by the terminal . This equipment is used to service the aircraft between flights. As the name suggests, ground support equipment

777-657: The bulk hold of wide body aircraft . Stowing baggage without containers is known as bulk loading . Passenger boarding stairs, sometimes referred to as boarding ramps , stair car or aircraft steps , provide a mobile means to traverse between the aircraft doors and the ground. Because larger aircraft have door sills 5 to 20 feet (1.5 to 6.1 m) high, stairs facilitate safe boarding and deplaning. Smaller units are generally moved by being towed or pushed, while larger units are self-powered. Most models have adjustable height to accommodate various aircraft. Optional features may include canopies, heating, supplementary lighting, and

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814-496: The catering truck was in use by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. A special higher type of catering truck has been designed to accommodate the Airbus A380 . Belt loaders are vehicles with conveyor belts for unloading and loading of baggage and cargo onto aircraft. A belt loader is positioned at the door sill of an aircraft hold (baggage compartment) during operation. Belt loaders are used for narrowbody aircraft , and

851-405: The catering vehicle. Meals are prepared mostly on the ground in order to minimize the amount of preparation (apart from chilling or reheating) required during flight. The vehicle then drives to the airport and is parked in front of the plane. The stabilizers are deployed and the van body is lifted. The platform can be fine controlled to move left-right as well as in-out so that it is aligned with

888-549: The company Amey plc submitted an £81.5 million offer to buy Servisair. In early 1999 Penauille Polyservices SA acquired Servisair. Penauille had its head office in Boissy St Léger . In 2001 Lufthansa sold 51% of its ground handling subsidiary, GlobeGround , to Penauille Polyservices. The remaining Lufthansa shares in GlobeGround went to Penauille on 30 June 2002. As Servisair/GlobeGround (GlobeGround GmbH) its head office

925-418: The door correctly. The body is made of insulated panels and is capable of maintaining temperatures of 0 °C (32 °F) by means of refrigeration unit. In-flight food is prepared in a flight kitchen facility, a completely HACCP certified facility where food is reheated in sterile and controlled environments. The prepared food is then placed in trollies and wheeled into the cabin . A predecessor to

962-546: The essential part of ground support services. They are used to move all equipment that can not move itself. This includes bag carts, mobile air conditioning units, air starters, and lavatory carts. A ground power unit (GPU) is a vehicle capable of supplying power to aircraft parked on the ground. Ground power units may also be built into the jetway , making it even easier to supply electrical power to aircraft. Many aircraft require 28  V of direct current and 115 V 400 Hz of alternating current . The electric energy

999-425: The largest aircraft engines requiring three. Non-potable water trucks are special vehicles that provide water to an aircraft. The water is filtered and protected from the elements while being stored on the vehicle. A pump in the vehicle assists in moving the water from the truck to the aircraft. The water is designated as non-potable. Lavatory service vehicles empty and refill lavatories onboard aircraft. Waste

1036-449: The loading and unloading of containers and pallets into and out of aircraft. The loader has two platforms which raise and descend independently. The containers or pallets on the loader are moved with the help of built-in rollers or wheels. There are different container and pallet loaders. For military transport planes special container and pallet loaders are used. Some military applications use airborne loaders, which are transportable within

1073-441: The passengers in the front get off an aircraft, the aircraft becomes tail heavy and the tail will droop. Using the jack is optional but not all aircraft need it. When needed, they are tugged to the tail and set up by manpower. Once set up, no supervision to the jack is needed until the aircraft is ready to leave. Aircraft service stairs help the maintenance technician to reach the bottom of aircraft. Aircraft refuelers can be either

1110-400: The past and divested themselves of the companies, or have outsourced their catering to third-party companies. Airline catering sources include the following companies: This includes services on the ramp or apron, such as: This includes services inside the airport terminal such as: This service dispatches the aircraft, maintains communication with the rest of the airline operation at

1147-449: The time it arrives at a terminal gate and the time it departs for its next flight. Speed, efficiency, and accuracy are important in ground handling services in order to minimize the turnaround time (the time during which the aircraft remains parked at the gate). Small airlines sometimes subcontract maintenance to a larger carrier, as it may be a better alternative to setting up an independent maintenance base. Some airlines may enter into

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1184-505: The transport plane itself. Container and pallet loaders are mainly produced in France, Germany, Latvia, Spain, Canada, Brazil, Japan, China, and the United States. Transporters are cargo platforms constructed so that, beside loading and unloading containers, they can also transport the cargo. These transporters are not typically used in the United States. An air start unit (ASU, also known as

1221-440: The transportation of loose baggages , oversized bags, mail bags, loose cargo carton boxes, etc. between the aircraft and the terminal or sorting facility. Dollies for loose baggage are fitted with a brake system which blocks the wheels from moving when the connecting rod is not attached to a tug. Most dollies for loose baggage are completely enclosed except for the sides which use plastic curtains to protect items from weather. In

1258-562: The turnaround time (the time during which the aircraft must remain parked at the gate). Faster turnarounds for lower ground times are correlated to better profits. Airlines with less-frequent service or fewer resources at a particular location sometimes subcontract ground handling or on-call aircraft maintenance to another airline, as it is a short-term cheaper alternative to setting up its own ground handling or maintenance capabilities. Airlines may participate in an industry-standard Mutual Assistance Ground Service Agreement (MAGSA). The MAGSA

1295-535: The unloading of unused food and drink from the aircraft, and the loading of fresh food and drink for passengers and crew. In flight airline meals are delivered at the seats in airline service trolleys . Empty or trash-filled trolley from the previous flight are replaced with fresh ones. Meals are prepared mostly on the ground in order to minimize the amount of preparation (apart from chilling or reheating) required in flight. While some airlines provide their own catering, others have either owned catering companies in

1332-510: Was announced that the Derichebourg has reached an agreement to sell Servisair to Swissport. Servisair's operations were merged into Swissport by December 2013. As a result, Swissport became the largest ground handler in the world with almost 300 locations around the globe. To approve the merger EU mandated that operations in Birmingham, Helsinki, London Gatwick, and Newcastle were to be sold off to

1369-578: Was in Raunheim , Germany . On 19 January 2006 Servisair/GlobeGround became Penauille Servisair. At a later point, as Penauille Servisair, the company had its head office in Atlantic House, Atlas Business Park, Manchester . In July 2007 Penauille Polyservices and CFF Recycling merged to form Derichebourg . In May 2010 Servisair completed its merger with Aviance UK. In May 2012 Transat sold Handlex , its handling brand, to Servisair. In July 2013 it

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