Airport Handling Manual (AHM)

Order the AHM online

If you are new to the AHM, all versions are updated annually, and are available in print and digital format. Digital format comes with automatic updates during the year and a search function that makes finding current information easier. Plus, it's cheaper. Additionally, the digital format of AHM contains the toolbox and resources with forms, checklists and downloadable templates, as well as the complementary GOXML Toolkit.

Note: Airport Handling Manual (AHM) is a complementary manual to IATA Ground Operations Manual (IGOM). Buy them together and save. The IGOM is procedure driven, focusing on “how to ​​do”. The AHM is policy driven and focuses on “what to do”​​​​​​​.  Industry stakeholders expressed the need for a reliable, stable, and globally accepted publication, updated with considerations for the peak summer operational season to allow sufficient implementation time. As a result, the IGOM Edition 13 (issued January 2024) is effective from April 2024 to December 2025. The IGOM Edition 14 will be released mid-2025 and will be effective from January 2026 to December 2026. Buy them together and save.”

You can benefit from Volume discounts when purchasing the AHM & IGOM Combos: 10% discount for 5-9 units, 20% for 10-24 units, 30% for 25-99 units and 40% for 100 units or more. Contact our sales team for volume orders.

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What's inside the AHM

The AHM includes the only industry-recognized contract template, the Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) and the suggested template for Service Level Agreement (SLA).

• Chapter 1 – Passenger handling
• Chapter 2 – Baggage handling
• Chapter 3 – Cargo/mail handling
• Chapter 4 – Aircraft handling and loading
• Chapter 5 – Load control
• Chapter 6 – Management and safety
• Chapter 7 – Aircraft movement control
• Chapter 8 – Ground handling agreements
• Chapter 9 – Airport handling ground support equipment specifications
• Chapter 10 – Environmental specifications for ground handling operations
• Chapter 11 – Ground operations training program

Stay up-to-date

The significant changes that were made to the 44th edition of the AHM include:

GOSM ED 10 Organization and Management (ORM) section into AHM chapter 6 Management and Safety. 

* The GOSM ED 10 will be discontinued as a standalone manual and the ISAGO checklist from GOSM Ed.10 are now available in the electronic version in the toolbox.

• AHM 601: A new chapter titled: Organization and Management – The aim of this chapter is to establish guidelines on required framework for management and control of any company providing ground handling services at an airport. 

• AHM 610 Safety Management System
  • Revised to maintain structure of ICAO annex 19 SMS framework
  • Inclusion of SMS gosarps ex -GOSM Ed 10
• AHM 615 Monitoring Program – Inclusion of quality assurance and quality control gosarps ex -GOSM Ed 10

• AHM 616 Human Factors Program – Inclusion of Human factors and fatigue management gosarps ex GOSM Ed

• AHM 617 Occupational Health and Safety Management Program – Inclusion of occupational and health and safety gosarps ex GOSM Ed 10

• AHM 620 Guidelines for an Emergency Response System – Inclusion of emergency response planning gosarps ex GOSM Ed 10

• AHM 621 Security Management – Revision to align with chapter 6  and AHM 621 revision focused on security management topics not covered by AHM 601, 615, and 1100

• AHM 801 – Guidance on how to reference the Annex A within Annex B
• AHM 803 – Amendments in the Cargo KPIs
• AHM 908 – new section phase 2 of autonomous vehicle, movement in ERA and congested space
• AHM 913 – More explicit requirements regarding accessibility of data collected by incident recording system
• AHM 1100
  • Section 1 and 8 – Inclusion and introduction of training passport records best practice based on training passport concept.
  • Section 9 – Elaborate further the functions of trainer, on-job trainer, and assessor.; Introduce the function of an auditor.