Airport Ground Handling Market Expected to Reach $76.1 Billion by 2032—Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Airport Ground Handling Market," The airport ground handling market was valued at $31.8 billion in 2022, and is estimated to reach $76.1 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2023 to 2032.

North America includes the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The expansion of the airline industry, and the rise in air traffic is expected to drive the growth of the market in the region. According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), North American airlines reported a 130.2% annual traffic rise in 2022 compared to 2021. As more people travel by air, the demand for efficient and reliable ground-handling services increases. Therefore, the surge in air traffic drives the demand for airport ground handling services. Moreover, an increase in demand for air cargo services owing to the rise in e-commerce and international trade activities contributes to the growth of air traffic

The rise in demand for air travel, the expansion of airline fleets, and the surge in demand for air cargo services are expected to drive the growth of the market. Moreover, the U.S. invests in upgrading its airports and modernizing the infrastructure of airports. For instance, in February 2023, the U.S. awarded $1 billion in federal funds for various upgrades to infrastructure including terminals, security screening and baggage systems, access roads, and air traffic control towers. Such developments lead to increased demand for more advanced and efficient ground-handling services which further drive the growth of the market.

The market for airport ground handling in Canada has grown steadily owing to factors such as increased air traffic, a rise in demand for freight transportation, and the need for efficient and cost-effective ground handling services. Moreover, there is a rise in demand for ground handling facilities to provide cargo handling services to airports in Canada. For instance, in March 2022, Air Canada announced the completion of Air Canada Cargo's new cold chain handling facility at the Cargo Facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The $16 million project was implemented to expand and improve Air Canada Cargo's cold chain processing capacity for cargo suclh as pharmaceuticals, perishables, and other perishables. In addition, ground handling service providers secure licenses to provide ground handling services to large Canadian airports. For instance, in March 2023, Menzies Aviation received a contract to provide full suite of ground services such as ramp, passenger and cabin cleaning services for Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL).  Therefore, such developments are expected to propel the expansion of the market in the country during the forecast period.

Passenger handling refers to the services and processes necessary to ensure the smooth and efficient movement of passengers through airports and other transport hubs. This includes all aspects of the passenger experience, from check-in and security to boarding and baggage claim. It includes airline tickets sales, check-in services, the provision of information at the boarding gate for departing flights, meeting passengers at the gate for arriving flights, checked baggage return, and the handling of various other inquiries.

Airport ground handling service providers aim to offer passenger handling services for a secure, seamless, rapid, and positive travel experience. Moreover, numerous airlines sign contracts with ground handling companies for safe, reliable, cost-efficient, and effective passenger handling. For instance, in January 2022, Menzies secured two new contracts with American Airlines, for the delivery of passenger, ramp, and cabin cleaning services at Chetumal. Therefore, a rise in the number of contracts to provide ground handling services is expected to drive the growth of the market

On the basis of airport, the global airport ground handling market has been segmented into domestic, and international. The domestic segment includes companies that provide ground handling services to domestic airports. Domestic airports are types of airports that handle travel within a single country. These airports are frequently smaller and less crowded than international airports, and are crucial for domestic travel, which includes both business and pleasure travel.

Domestic airports require similar ground handling services to those required by international airports. At domestic airports, essential ground handling services include ramp handling, cargo handling, aircraft handling, fueling, passenger handling, and others. Numerous ground handling provides receive contracts from domestic and international airports to support their ground handling services. For instance, in December 2022, Celibi India announced its appointment as ground handling service provider at Chennai airport. Such developments are expected to drive the growth of the segment in the market during the forecast period

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the disruption of the entire global automotive supply chain, impacting airport ground handling sales. However, post-pandemic, as travel restrictions have eased in some regions, the demand for air travel has started to increase. This has resulted in more flights and passengers served by airports, leading to an increase in the demand for airport ground handling service. Moreover, governments in some regions have provided support to the aviation industry to help it recover from the impacts of the pandemic. This support has helped airport ground handling service providers to remain in business and continue to provide services to their customers.

KEY FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

• By service, the cargo handling segment is anticipated to exhibit significant growth in the near future.
• By airport, the international segment is anticipated to exhibit significant growth in the near future.
• By provider, the independent segment is anticipated to exhibit significant growth in the near future.
• By region, Asia-Pacific is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Key players operating in the global airport ground handling market include Fraport AG, Qatar Airways, SATS Ltd, Aviapartner, Swissport International AG, The Emirates Group, Flughafen München GmbH, Menzies Aviation Limited, Celebi Aviation, and AOT Ground Aviation Services Co., Ltd