Expert: David A. NewMyer - 5/23/2005

Question
how does a ground handling agent and a chcarter airline relate to each other


Answer
Hi, Ciara:

I am not sure I have enough information to answer your question, but, I will try:

1.  A ground handling agent is either a person who, or a company that, provides various ground-related services to an aviation company that is providing passenger or cargo services.  That is, the ground handling agent might provide fueling, loading/off-loading services (such as cargo, baggage and/or passenger processing and all of its related equipment such as air stairs for passengers, cargo handling equipment for cargo companies, etc).  The ground handling company might also provide customer service agent services for check in of passengers for a flight, and arrange ground travel services for all of the passengers on a flight after they arrive at a destination.

2.  A charter company is an aviation company that provides flight services for either passengers or for cargo on a NON-scheduled basis.

How these two relate to one another is that a charter company will not necessarily have the ability to provide ground handling services at all of the airports to which it flies.  Therefore, a charter company will contact a ground handling agent or company that provides agents, at an airport that it does not service regularly to arrange these services.  The charter company would be billed for such services.

I hope that this helps!

Sincerely,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D, Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu/