The Players in Airport Ground Handling:a New Typology Reflecting the International Expansion

Abstract

The paper deals with the global nature of some players in airport ground handling industry. We provide a comprehensive overview of factors that cause fragmentation in the ground handling industry to explain the context in which global players develop their business internationally. Using the modified versions of UNCTAD Geographical Spread Indices we investigate several ground handlers and design a new typology of ground handlers according to their international expansion: key global ground handlers, key interregional international ground, key international intraregional ground handlers and locally important handlers. Adding the dimension of product portfolio we create a twodimensional grid enabling to analyse evolution of ground handling industry to reflect international expansion of key players in different ground handling services. Arguing via the organic growth and consolidation examples, we assume the shift of the industry towards multiproduct ground handling companies with extensive international presence in all world regions.

Ground Handling Business at Non-European Biggest World Airports as a Problem of Market Structures

“…How many independent providers has full portfolio of services in its supply at the airport? (This is important when considering global expansion of ground handling companies (Tomová, Kirschnerová 2015). Due to the fact a shift to multiproduct companies operating ground handling globally can be assumed).…”

“…one airport level, there are different market structures for different categories of ground handling services. It gives the enormous complexity to this issue as every category of ground handling services represents a specific market with a specific market structure (Tomová, Kirschnerová 2015). Moreover, there can be a different access (i.e.…”