The IATA Ground Handling Partner Membership Terms and Conditions (the “Terms”) apply to the GHP specified in the GHP Order Form as well as current GHPs. The GHP agrees to be bound by these Terms to the exclusion of all other terms, including any prior contractual agreement entered into by the GHP and IATA. For the purposes of auto-renewals relating to a prior contractual agreement, these Terms supersede and prevail over any conflicting terms in such agreements.

IATA may modify these Terms at any time by updating this page (www.iata.org/spp-terms) or by otherwise notifying you by email. The modified terms will become effective upon posting or, if we notify you by email, as stated in the email message. By continuing with your Membership after the effective date of any modifications to these Terms, you agree to be bound by the modified terms. It is your responsibility to check the SPP site regularly for modifications to these Terms. The current version number of the Terms is listed at the beginning of these Terms.

Eligibility

Membership of the GHP is open to:

  • Non-IATA airlines
  • Ground handling companies and Airports or other government Authorities who physically perform ground handling services directly as outlined in Annex Ato the IATA Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA)

One GHP membership applies per GHP member as a single legal entity (the “Member”).

The Member shall provide IATA with a list of all subsidiaries, branches, or entities under its effective control, andnotify IATA of any modification.

Membership Fees

  • Membership is applicable for the calendar year 1st January until 31st December.
  • All members shall pay an annual membership fee (USD 3500 in 2023) plus any applicable taxes and/or sub-charges related to the selected payment methods.
    - Any payments under this Agreement must be made without any set-off or counter claim and free of deduction or withholding (except as required by law) of any taxes, governmental charges or other fees. Ifany deduction or withholding is required by law, the Client must pay the required amount to the relevant governmental authority, provide IATA with an official receipt or certified copy or other documentation acceptable to IATA evidencing the payment, and pay to IATA, in addition to the payment to which IATA isotherwise entitled under this Agreement, such additional amount as is necessary to ensure that the net amount actually received by IATA free and clear of all taxes equals the full amount IATA would have received had no such deduction or withholding been required.”
  • Fees will be applied in full, without pro-ration for the calendar year, 1st January – 31st
  • Fees are payable within thirty (30) days of invoice date
    - via credit card payment
    - via bank transfer to the bank as stated on the invoice
    - via IATA Clearing House
  • Benefits that were unused in the current year will not be carried over to the following
  • Membership shall only be in effect once the membership fee has been paid in
  • Membership fees are not refundable once the membership application process has been completed, except in cases where IATA does not approve the membership application.

Benefits

Benefits are provided upon completion of registration and payment. Unless otherwise stated, benefits cannot be duplicated across subsidiaries, branches, etc. IATA retains the right to withhold benefits should a company be in breach of such conditions.

  • Company listing in the online GHP Directory
    - Member must provide relevant company information and logo
  • GHP Membership certificate in electronic format
  • Use of the GHP client recognition stamp, in accordance with guidelines for
    - Can be used by branches and subsidiaries under the same entity.
  • Two (2) Membership passes to IATA GROUND HANDLING CONFERENCE (IGHC) held during the calendar year, (certain conditions apply, including "No- Show/Cancellation policy" in Additional Information below).
    - Complimentary passes that are unused cannot be carried over.
  • Possibility to participate, subject to nomination, in various groups in the Ground Operations area contingent on their individual rules (please see list of work groups at the end of this document).
  • GHP preferential rates for:
    - IATA Publications: Fifteen percent (15%) discount for one copy of either the IATA Airport Handling Manual (AHM) or the IATA Ground Operations Manual (IGOM) or an AHM/IGOM combo
    - IATA Training: Member price discounts (up to 10%) for IATA Training courses
    - IATA Advertising: Ten percent (10%) discount on Advertising space (pending availability) in the AHM and IGOM publications, as well as banners in Ground Operations-related pages on IATA.org

Confidentialiy and Intellectual Property

A Member of the GHP may not use any information obtained in the context of their participation in the GHP or any IATA working group to the detriment of IATA, an IATA member airline or any third party. A Member shall not disclose such information to anyone outside their own organization and shall not use the same outside the context and for the purposes of the GHP or the relevant IATA working group, unless otherwise permitted by the owner of the information. A Member shall not address the public nor the media on behalf of IATA or quote IATA’s position, unless so authorized by IATA.

To the extent the Member participates in any IATA working group, either as a member of the working group or as an observer, the Member shall abide by the confidentiality and intellectual property policies set out in the IATA IP Principles (pdf).

In any event, a Member shall not have any title, interest or right in or to any documents, material, procedures, processes, methods, apparatus, derivatives and residuals produced, written, developed or created specifically for or during the course of an IATA working group meeting by virtue of such Member’s participation in IATA working group meetings.

Termination

The Membership shall renew automatically for successive calendar year terms unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by one party to the other no less than sixty (60) days prior to the end of the calendar year then in progress. Benefits shall apply to the successive terms upon payment of the annual fees. IATA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to refuse renewal for any GHP.

Any Member may terminate its Membership in the GHP upon sixty (60) days written notice. Fees which have been paid will not be refunded.

IATA may terminate the Membership of any Member for any reason at any time upon sixty (60) days written notice. The Member shall be entitled to receive a pro-rata refund of its annual fee upon the date of termination of its participation in the GHP.

Additional Information

IATA Ground Handling Conference No-Show/Cancellation Policy:

  • Delegate substitution to avoid cancellation / no-show fees is
  • Cancellation and No-show may incur the following charges:
    - Less than thirty (30) days before the first day of the conference, or no-show: six hundred (600 USD)
  • Cancellations are to be addressed to iataighc@gl-events.com with copy to ghp@iata.org

Groups in Ground Operations Area*:

  • Ground Operations Standards Task Force (GOS)
  • Ground Operations Automation and Digitization Group (GAD)
  • IATA Cargo Handling Council (ICHC) based on nomination

* Please note IATA reserves the right to make changes regarding Working and Technical Groups. In such cases these ToR will be updated accordingly.