The ground support industry's source for news, articles, events, product and services information.
Issue link: https://groundsupportworldwide.epubxp.com/i/814698
APRIL 2017 AviationPros.com 25 INTERNATIONAL and one by 2027," says Shishani. "In sum- mary, compared to other regions; MENA's ground infrastructure is good today, with some exceptions. Many airports need to have proper planning to ensure catering for the impressive annual growth rates the aviation industry enjoys in MENA." The competitive scenario in the aircraft ground handling business in the Mid- dle East region is indeed very peculiar as ground handling is more single-source than competitive in many locations with none or few options to choose from, according to Shishani. "There is a lack of sufficient regulatory framework in many locations and in some cases regulations work against a competitive market (i.e. enforcing one size fits all pric- ing in some occasions), and in some cases regulations focus on addressing safety and security but do not address service quality and cost efficiency," he says. "The Middle East has a mixture of sole provider ground handing and some airports which have a choice. I know some airline procurement types get very hot under the collar when negotiating with a sole pro- vider and I can understand why. However, the model selected is typically a decision made by the governing authorities – not the ground handler – and, in my experience, the commercial aspects of handling negotiations were invariably professional and mutu- ally satisfactory. I do not see a correlation between quality and competition and I have heard a counter argument where 'excessive' handling licenses have led to a deterioration in quality," says Conway. "Huge variation exists across the region, with some locations taking advantage of the new technologies and best practices. For example, IATA Fast Travel initiatives enjoy good focus in the region. MENA comprises today 7.69 percent of the global traffic vol- umes, out of which 3.69 percent enjoy FT services. However, that good percentage is due to a few regional locations/players and it's not spread across most locations/players," says Shishani. "A vital component that ties all of this together is better communication and har- monization between ground service pro- viders, airlines, airports and IATA. We are developing globally applicable standards and procedures for ground operations, identifying areas where a simpler and con- sistent approach will benefit the industry and driving improvements to align ground operations and IATA audit programs," says Suidan. NARROW BODY TO WIDE BODY STAIRS LAVATORY AND WATER SERVICE CARTS & TRUCKS MAINTENANCE LIFTS BELT LOADERS MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF QUALITY GSE PRODUCTS! 300 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE 3 FT. PIERCE, FL 34946 PHONE: (772) 595-6386 / FAX: (772) 595-6389 EMAIL: phoenixgse@earthlink.net WEBSITE: www.phoenixgse.com AviationPros.com/10017661 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mario Pierobon is a safety management consultant and content producer. He currently is working on a research project investigating aircraft ground handling safety. You may reach him at marioprbn@gmail.com. A vital component that ties all of this together is better communication and harmonization between ground service providers , airlines , airports and IATA .