august2022 - 50

CELEBRATING
Anniversary
What We've Learned from the Past
As Ground Support Worldwide continues to celebrate its 30th year, we would like to reflect on
lessons from history to get a sense for what's next for aviation.
BY JOSH SMITH
T
hrough the first half of the year, we've used our
publication's 30th anniversary as an opportunity to
look back fondly at the people, ingenuity and events
that have shaped the ground support industry into the one
we know today.
During the second half of the year, we'll continue to digest
ground handling history and then take lessons learned
from past events to get an outlook at what the future
could look like.
Of course, the aviation industry is facing a significant issue
at the moment. Will passenger air traffic recover from the
COVID-19 pandemic? And how quickly can we expect things
to return to pre-pandemic levels?
The answers seem to be a resounding " yes " and " very fast. "
Recent figures from the International Air Transport Association
(IATA) indicated that international air traffic during May
2022 was up 325.8 percent from May 2021 as more borders,
particularly in Asia, continue to open.
The May 2022 international travel figures, measured in
revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) represent 65.1 percent of
traffic levels in May 2019.
Those international figures factored into total global air
traffic in May 2022 rising 83.1 percent compared to the same
month last year. IATA's data suggests global traffic is now at
68.7 percent of pre-crisis levels
The airline industry's recovery may not be a shock, as it has
previously weathered catastrophes like the September 11th
terrorist attacks, previous health emergencies like SARS and
Avian flu outbreaks and financial recessions.
I spoke with Warwick Brady, CEO and president at Swissport,
during the IATA Ground Handling Conference this
spring. Through all of these crises, he noted a parallel
between all these events - the industry bounces back.
" All of those times, the learnings there is that this industry
is very resilient, and people are never going to give up
travel, " Brady said.
However, despite the ability to overcome previous trials,
the current challenge is unprecedented. The industry went
from nearly zero flights in 2020 to soaring demand just two
years later.
" We've never seen such a high growth, " Brady noted.
As was the case following previous crises, creative solutions
from airlines, airports and ground handlers are required to
help commercial aviation continue its recovery.
" There's been an enormous acceleration of digital adoption, "
Brady pointed out. " The businesses that have adapted quickest
have done better. "
Embracing new technology and implementing updated
processes won't slow down as the industry gets back on its
feet. Digitization and automation are becoming increasingly
prevalent in all facets of life, and it is proving its value within
ground support activities, too.
How has your business evolved during the pandemic? What
steps have you taken and what changes have you made to
become stronger following the events of the last two years?
Ground Support Worldwide would like to share these success
stories and offer real-world examples on how we can bolster
the industry moving forward.
I welcome your thoughts on the topic. Please email me at
jsmith@AviationPros.com.
Warwick Brady
50 || Ground Support Worldwide || August 2022
YEARS

august2022

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