Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports have roped in Indo Thai Airport Services to provide ground handling services to airlines on a temporary basis until the finalisation of a new service provider.
The airports informed the airlines about the interim measures that are being put in place after revocation of ground handling firm Celebi’s security clearance.
Incidentally Indo Thai, which offers ground handling services at nine airports, has already been selected as one of the ground handler at upcoming Navi Mumbai airport.
Within next three days Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) will invite bids to select new ground handling partner for long term and the partner will be onboarded in three months, MIAL said in a statement.
“The current arrangement is due to emergency circumstances. We have committed to Airport Authority of India and the civil aviation ministry to run bid process for new ground handling agency,” an airport source said.
“MIAL assures you that it will take the full responsibility to ensure smooth operations and continuity of services. Indo Thai Airport Services will work under the direct supervision of MIAL to provide highest level of service with same service level agreements and all condition existing with Celebi NAS,” MIAL’s CEO Vishnu Jha said in a letter to airlines.
Celebi NAS has over 3,000 employees in Mumbai. It is learnt, they would be given employment letters by the new ground handler for three months..
While Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports have roped in a handler for the interim period, other airports are working with existing service providers to ensure continuity of operations.
Celebi has a presence at nine airports and it’s contracts now have been terminated after revocation of security clearance. An executive with a ground handling company said that airlines and companies are signing letters of intent to enable uninterrupted provision of services.
“We are coordinating the transition in collaboration with all existing aviation stakeholders and government authorities,” Bangalore International Airport Ltd said.
