IATA's leading priority is to ensure that ground operations are carried out safely. Ground handling errors can have serious and costly consequences, including injuries, operational delays, as well as aircraft and equipment damage. This ground damage study estimates that the annual cost of ground damage could double to nearly $10 billion by 2035 unless preventive action is taken.
The study calls for transition to Enhanced Ground Services Equipment (GSE)
- Most aircraft ground damage that occurs once the aircraft is stationary is caused by motorized GSE striking the fuselage of the aircraft
- The widebody aircraft ground damage rate is ten times higher than narrowbody aircraft, but regional jets, turboprop, and narrow-body aircraft are 30% more prone to severe ground damage
- Belt-loaders, cargo-loaders, passenger stairs and passenger boarding bridges (PBB), cause 40% of total incidents (Source: IATA ground damage incident data base)
- Transitioning 75% of the global fleet of belt-loaders, cargo-loaders, passenger stairs and PBB to Enhanced GSE, would reduce the current expected ground damage cost per turn rate by 42% (IATA estimate).
Download the IATA's ground damage report
This detailed report traces the development of enhanced ground support equipment and its effect on reducing ground damage costs. Please fill in the details below to download the report