Ground Handling – A Boost to Security and Bureaucracy: Less Than 1 Year Away!

From 27 March 2028, new regulatory requirements will apply to ground handling in the EU: third-party handlers, self-handlers and airports must comply with enhanced requirements designed to improve aviation safety. 

All ground handling organisations must, among other things:

• register with the competent supervisory authority in good time;
• review whether their documentation and record-keeping practices meet the new requirements;
• have a ground handling manual that addresses the current requirements in terms of both content and form;
• ensure that their own processes are carried out in accordance with the ground handling manual;
• review their management systems, including: safety management and operational procedures, compliance monitoring, training and ongoing instruction of ground handling personnel and maintenance programme for ground handling equipment;
• review and, where necessary, adapt the reporting system for safety-related occurrences;
• adapt the training and assessment programme for personnel;
• review responsibilities and associated qualifications;
• ensure comprehensive change management including risk assessment;
• integrate subcontractors into the safety management system in accordance with regulations and be able to demonstrate this.

If handlers operate at multiple airports, including cross-border activities, issues at one airport may prompt supervisory authorities to take at other airports as well.

What is changing in the licensing process?

The new regulations do not govern the selection of handlers. However, the new requirements will play a significant role in the future awarding of handling licences. The selecting body will review the extent to which applicants meet or are able to meet the new requirements during the application process. For all parties involved, this will also mean a noticeable increase in effort when preparing and reviewing documentation. In addition, the commencement of ground handling operations must be coordinated with the required notifications to the aviation authority.

Next Steps

The new rules are extensive and, in part, complex. All ground handling service providers should therefore ensure, in a structured manner, that they have the required notifications and systems in place in good time and are able to demonstrate their compliance in the prescribed manner.

Particular challenges exist at airports where the re-tendering of handling licences is imminent: the selecting bodies – and potentially also competitors – will be scrutinising closely whether the new regulations are being observed. We are happy to provide support, drawing on many years of legal experience. 

Sources:

• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/21
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/22
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/23 
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/24