[fusion_widget_area name=”avada-custom-sidebar-crumbs” title_size=”” title_color=”” background_color=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” /]

Ground Handling Agent – Emergency Planning/Response Template

Catastrophic (Mass Fatality) Aircraft Accident / Aviation Disaster etc.

The ‘Challenge’

Ground Handling  Agents / Operators (GHA) are somewhat unique from the aviation crisis / emergency  response planning viewpoint, as they (GHAs) typically have three sets of associated requirements to meet i.e.

  • those of the parent airport
  • those of client aircraft operators (passenger airlines in the main) ………………… and
  • their own (GHA) requirements

These requirements are often incompatible to a greater or lesser degree (and thus difficult for the GHA to achieve) – typically due to the historical lack of the required standardisation / co-ordination between airports, aircraft operators and GHAs in this vital area

In fact, (and until relatively recently), there has not been any international compulsion on aircraft operators and GHAs to prepare and practise such emergency response plans at all – yet alone jointly / together. (Although many airlines did so of course – but typically in an unregulated, un-coordinated and non-standardised manner. The same cannot be said for the vast majority of GHAs)

ICAOs (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Safety Management System (SMS) and other related requirements + IATA‘s (International Air Transport Association) IOSA / ISAGO / ISSA audits are now gradually improving this situation for airlines – as is (for GHAs) appropriate elements of IATA’s Airport Handling Manual (AHM) + its inclusive Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) section and associated ‘Ground Operations Manual’ (IGOM)

In marked contrast, commercially licenced airports are typically required (and have been for many years) to prepare and practice (exercise) airport emergency plans – AEP. However, and despite the best efforts of ICAO, ACI (Airports Council International) and others – there is no viable degree of effective, worldwide AEP standardisation yet evident. This situation is unlikely to change (as at 2019) anytime soon

This latter lack of effective AEP standardisation is a major source of frustration for aircraft operators (typically passenger airlines) needing e.g. to customise their own ERPs to the AEPs of each regular destination airport (station / out-station) to which they operate  i.e. hundreds of different, destination airports (and thus different AEPs) in the case of some of the larger airlines. (In this context only, the largest [in 2018] was Turkish Airlines – with around 250 different destinations in around 150 different countries)

Some (but by no means all) aircraft operators already understand that their ERPs must be modified / customised to the AEPs of each and every regular destination airport. To do this for a large airline network (such as Turkish Airlines) involves an immense amount of work, training, exercising and maintenance etc. Accordingly, some (probably many) aircraft operators ignore or pay ‘lip-service’ to this vital requirement

In such matters the GHA is often in the unenviable ‘between a rock and a hard place’ situation of trying to manage the (often widely differing) ERP requirements of client aircraft operators with those of the appropriate (GHA’s) parent airport AEP

The problem is compounded if the GHA also (rarely as at 2019) has its own emergency response plan for its parent airport (a very small number do – but the vast majority don’t). And yes – in such circumstances it is always the requirements of the parent AEP which must typically override

But what if the parent AEP is not ‘fit for purpose’ in the first place? (and there are many, many which are so unfit or even non-existent – despite the associated, mandatory airport licencing requirements already referred to further above)

ICAOs (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Safety Management System (SMS) and other related requirements + IATA‘s (International Air Transport Association) IOSA / ISAGO / ISSA audits are now gradually improving this situation for airlines – as is (for GHAs) appropriate elements of IATA’s Airport Handling Manual (AHM) + its inclusive Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) section and associated ‘Ground Operations Manual’ (IGOM)

ICAOs (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Safety Management System (SMS) and other related requirements + IATA‘s (International Air Transport Association) IOSA / ISAGO / ISSA audits are now gradually improving this situation for airlines – as is (for GHAs) appropriate elements of IATA’s Airport Handling Manual (AHM) + its inclusive Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) section and associated ‘Ground Operations Manual’ (IGOM)

In fact, (and until relatively recently), there has not been any international compulsion on aircraft operators and GHAs to prepare and practise such emergency response plans at all – yet alone jointly / together. (Although many airlines did so of course – but typically in an unregulated, un-coordinated and non-standardised manner. The same cannot be said for the vast majority of GHAs)

ICAOs (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Safety Management System (SMS) and other related requirements + IATA‘s (International Air Transport Association) IOSA / ISAGO / ISSA audits are now gradually improving this situation for airlines – as is (for GHAs) appropriate elements of IATA’s Airport Handling Manual (AHM) + its inclusive Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) section and associated ‘Ground Operations Manual’ (IGOM)

In marked contrast, commercially licenced airports are typically required (and have been for many years) to prepare and practice (exercise) airport emergency plans – AEP. However, and despite the best efforts of ICAO, ACI (Airports Council International) and others – there is no viable degree of effective, worldwide AEP standardisation yet evident. This situation is unlikely to change (as at 2019) anytime soon

This latter lack of effective AEP standardisation is a major source of frustration for aircraft operators (typically passenger airlines) needing e.g. to customise their own ERPs to the AEPs of each regular destination airport (station / out-station) to which they operate  i.e. hundreds of different, destination airports (and thus different AEPs) in the case of some of the larger airlines. (In this context only, the largest [in 2018] was Turkish Airlines – with around 250 different destinations in around 150 different countries)

Some (but by no means all) aircraft operators already understand that their ERPs must be modified / customised to the AEPs of each and every regular destination airport. To do this for a large airline network (such as Turkish Airlines) involves an immense amount of work, training, exercising and maintenance etc. Accordingly, some (probably many) aircraft operators ignore or pay ‘lip-service’ to this vital requirement

In such matters the GHA is often in the unenviable ‘between a rock and a hard place’ situation of trying to manage the (often widely differing) ERP requirements of client aircraft operators with those of the appropriate (GHA’s) parent airport AEP

The problem is compounded if the GHA also (rarely as at 2019) has its own emergency response plan for its parent airport (a very small number do – but the vast majority don’t). And yes – in such circumstances it is always the requirements of the parent AEP which must typically override

But what if the parent AEP is not ‘fit for purpose’ in the first place? (and there are many, many which are so unfit or even non-existent – despite the associated, mandatory airport licencing requirements already referred to further above)

internal link to open in _self

Solutions and Services

Ground Handling Agent – Emergency Planning / Response Template

For a GHA to come up with all-round acceptable solutions re the planning and response to a catastrophic aircraft accident type situation, whilst adequately accounting for the requirements of both aircraft operator (airline) clients and parent airports (and possibly itself [i.e.the GHA] also), requires considerable expertise, diplomacy, time and effort

Should you feel that you need assistance in this task – please do contact us – as the AERPS consultant has considerable experience and expertise in this rather ‘complex’ area

Note 1 – for a full explanation of the term ‘catastrophic aircraft accident’ as used in parts of this website – please see the appropriate definition found in the glossary in appendix ‘N’ (page 71) of the document found here

Note 2  – a very comprehensive FREE guideline document for preparing all aspects of a GHA catastrophic aircraft accident ERP can be found here

Note 3 – for a FREE guideline as to how GHAs may prepare for and manage aircraft incidents (in contrast to aircraft accidents) on behalf of client airlines – click here

Note 4 – Please contact us if a WORD version (of any PDF document found on this website) is required. You are reminded of the terms and conditions regarding your use of same

[fusion_widget_area name=”avada-custom-sidebar-crumbs” title_size=”” title_color=”” background_color=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” /]
Set of black icons summarising what an airport ground handler does
GHA – AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT

Comparing aircraft operator (airline), airport and GHA emergency response plans (for the catastrophic [mass fatality] aircraft accident / aviation disaster type situation) – it is the latter’s plan which is the most difficult to write, produce and operate, for a number of valid reasons

See opposite for why this situation exists for GHAs + how the AERPS consultant can provide appropriate solutions to successfully achieve what is required here

Airport Emergency Planning / Response – Free Preparation Template

Airport Emergency Plan – AEP / Vol 1 – GENERAL INFO

Click HERE to view / download this FREE AEP template

Airport Emergency Planning / Response – Free Preparation Template

Airport Emergency Plan – AEP /  Vol 2 – CHECKLISTS

Click HERE to view / download this FREE AEP template

You might also wish to take a look at the separate (but related) ‘information article‘ entitled:

‘Information Article – Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) – Exercise Audit Checklist‘. Click HERE  to view

Airport Emergency Planning / Response – Free Prep Template

Airport BUSINESS CONTINUITY Plan (BCP)

 Click HERE to view / download this FREE BCP guideline

Note that the above is the same document as is linked to on this website’s separate ‘AIRLINE-ERP GUIDELINES‘ webpage – entitled ‘CRPM Part 3 – Aviation Business Continuity Plan – BCP‘. Also note that the latter is ‘aviation generic’ i.e. it must be adapted for specific use by e.g. the aircraft operator, the airport operator, the GHA etc. – as appropriate

Airport Emergency Planning / Response – Free Preparation Template