Ground handling of private jet flights
What is ground handling?
Handling companies organise a full range of services for airlines whilst acting as a single operator of all enterprises operating at the airport. Being an agent of the enterprises of the airport complex, a handling company concludes a single contract for the organisation of airport and ground services with the air carriers and represents the interests of the airlines in the relations with the airport enterprises. Handling companies have a supervisory service, which coordinates all technological processes. In business aviation, there are handling agents — companies accompanying and regulating the entire procedure for servicing aircraft and passengers whilst taking into account the peculiarities of business-class aircraft and the VIP flights that they carry out.
How is the handling of business jets different from the servicing of regular aviation aircraft?
Procedures for servicing regular flights and VIP charters are carried out according to the common rules of civil aviation and include: for aircraft — ground handling at airports (refuelling, filling with water, loading with on-board food, parking in a hangar, cleaning the cabin, etc.); for passengers — passport and customs control, registration and much more.
The main differences in servicing business aviation flights are:
Irregularity of private jet flights and, as a result, operational changes in the arrival/departure time, route changes, etc.;
Necessity of making operational changes in the aircraft's servicing schedule;
English-speaking aircraft crews and, as a consequence, difficulties in dealing with airport personnel who do not speak foreign languages;
Possibility that members of the crews carrying out business flights have no Russian visas;
Increased requirements for the safety of aircraft and passengers;
Special requirements for on-board food both for passengers and crew members.
Agents offering handling services to private aviation carry out control and coordination of all stages of servicing the aircraft and passengers. The agent's representative (supervisor) fully accompanies the flight, starting from the receipt of permits from the Russian Federation and foreign countries for the passage and landing of the aircraft along the route and ending with prompt resolving of any arising issues related to changes in the route and obtaining the necessary permits.
Apart from the standard airport procedures, handling agents offer additional services:
Coordination of catering activities or self-delivery of food on board;
Visa support for crew members (visa formalities at the consular post at the airport)
Booking hotels for crew members;
Provision of transport for the crew and, if necessary, for passengers of business flights.
Representatives of handling services speak foreign languages, which is especially important when servicing foreign aircraft.