The Airport Services Association (ASA) is delighted to announce that it has been formally recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as an international association. This acknowledgment was confirmed during the 232nd session of the ICAO Council on June 10.
ASA has been an influential international trade body for more than 25 years, and this recognition by ICAO reinforces its role in the global aviation landscape, in particular in the field of ground handling services. It also formalizes the access of ASA and its members to the relevant ICAO meetings, providing a platform for ground handlers to contribute to the development of international aviation standards and can be seen as a form of appreciation of the central role ground handlers play in the overall air transport safety.
ASA director general, Fabio Gamba, commented, “This is all very timely as ICAO has released a Manual on Ground Handling (Doc. 10121), which has become an undisputed authority on the topic and is widely used by authorities and ground handling providers. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and give ICAO all the support necessary to help the Ground Handling Task Force achieve its objectives. Not to mention that, as ICAO is about to celebrate its 80th anniversary, we will gladly join in celebrating this important moment.”
This can only be a starting point, however. Ground handling remains mostly unregulated around the world, which leads to inconsistencies that hinder the optimization of ground handling operations and may at times be misleading for the workers on the ramp.
Gamba explained, “We’ve seen progress with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and their Rulemaking Task on Ground Handling, which is set to result in a new regulation for the European Union. However, global harmonization is still needed, and this is where ASA’s role, in partnership with ICAO, becomes crucial.”
Beyond regulatory matters, this recognition also presents a key opportunity to address pressing industry wide challenges, such as the recruitment and retention of young talents in the post-COVID era.
Gamba concluded, “The aviation industry is full of incredible opportunities, and by working together under ICAO’s aegis, we can better showcase these opportunities to the new generation.”
