Air India eyeing partner for ground handling

New Delhi: Air India is to tie up with international companies to form a joint venture for taking up ground handling activities at airports in India and abroad, the airline Chairman and Managing Director, Mr V. Thulasidas, has said.
“We already have a joint venture with Singapore Air Terminal Services (SATS) for doing ground handling activities at Hyderabad and Bangalore airport.
“The airline will seek expression of interest for similar activities not only at Indian but also international airports.
The EoI should be issued either this week or the following week,” Mr Thulasidas told Business Line. SATS is a subsidiary of Singapore Airline that provides services including catering, passenger baggage, cargo and ramp handlin g, aircraft interior cleaning, aircraft security and aircraft linen laundry.
Currently, Air India earns more than Rs 550 crore annually from ground handling activities and along with Indian, carry out more than 80 per cent of such activities at airports within the country.
12/07/07 Ashwini Phadnis/Hindu Business Line

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Categories: Air India Jul 2007, Airports Jul 2007