Passenger Terminal Today
Elizabeth Baker
At its 33rd Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) in Prague, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) focused on industry standards, digitalization and addressing the skilled labour shortage.
With ground handling providers facing severe skills shortages and challenges in retaining and recruiting staff, the organization declared its intention to build resilience and ensure long-term sustainability for ground handling activities in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. To retain skilled staff, IATA proposed that governments should include ground handlers in wage subsidy programs. Similarly, to speed up training processes, the organization highlighted the use of competency-based training, the increase of assessments and online training formats as well as the adjustment of training requirements. In addition, IATA suggested the need for a training passport that would mutually recognize skills across ground handlers, airlines and airports to increase the efficiency of staff usage.
