Ground handling’s importance for aviation safety recognised with new rules: how EASA will support implementation

The safety of each flight starts on the ground, when the aircraft is serviced and fuelled, the cargo is loaded, and passengers are boarded. Over 300,000 people make sure that this is done safely on EU airports every day. The importance of ground handling services in ensuring safe flights has been recognised as the European Commission has published the first-ever ground handling safety regulations, bringing this area of aviation operations into the regulatory framework of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). EASA’s task now is to support the industry and competent authorities in implementing the needed changes by 2028.

The new rules come in two parts: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 containing requirements for organisations and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/23 with requirements for competent authority oversight of ground handling services and of organisations providing those services. The existing regulations on Air Operations, Aerodromes, and Cybersecurity have also been amended as part of this regulatory package, thus enabling a smooth integration of the new ground handling requirements as a natural interface between aircraft operations and aerodrome operations. Once the regulations enter into force 20 days from now, stakeholders will have three years to become compliant with the new rules.

“For this major area of aviation, EASA will now build further on the mature standards currently used in the industry. With the new authority oversight, ground handlers become formally responsible for the safe provision of services, thus relieving air operators of this obligation when operating from an EU aerodrome in the scope of EASA Regulations”, said Jesper Rasmussen, EASA Flight Standards Director.

“The countdown has now officially started: EASA’s task now is to work closely with the national competent authorities and industry to take the necessary measures for a smooth implementation of these regulations,” he added.

The new ground handling rules were developed by EASA working with an expert group composed of authorities, ground handling service providers (GHSPs), aircraft operators, aerodrome operators, and a workers’ trade federation. The aim was to ensure that the regulations are proportionate, address the identified needs of the industry, and maintain business continuity for organisations through a smooth transfer from the current regime to the new regulatory approach.

Coordination of the implementation will happen in similar groups. To give some insight into the work needed, one area of focus will be to work with GHSPs, aerodromes, and aircraft operators so that all parties understand the new interfaces between their organisations and that there is a clear delineation of responsibilities.

Similarly, bureaucratic hurdles must be kept as low as possible. GHSPs are in future required to submit to their National Aviation Authority (NAA) declarations that they meet the requirements of the regulation. EASA will work to streamline this process so that it does not become a burden.

EASA will support the industry in applying the new regulation without excessive paperwork, taking a performance-based approach. This is aligned with the increasing automation in this part of the industry and the introduction of new technologies on the ramp.

Building Cooperative Oversight

Historically, the oversight of GHSPs was the responsibility of the organisations they provided services to, which led to duplicate audits of the same GHSP and consequent inefficiencies on both sides — for auditors and GHSPs, whose staff faced the workload burden of multiple audits.

These new regulations seek to reduce the high number of industry audits performed annually, estimated to be as many as 600 for a single GHSP serving 100 stations.

To address this, EASA and the competent authorities will be working together to establish an effective cooperative oversight. This entails building inspector competency and experience, as well as developing harmonised training for inspectors. A further requirement is to build safety data models and datasets to help exercise risk-based oversight in this domain.

Background

The scope of the new regulations covers all the activities that take place on the ground to prepare an aircraft and its passengers for departure and arrival:

• aircraft loading and unloading with cargo, mail, and baggage;
• passenger embarkation and disembarkation;
• coordination of the aircraft turnaround;
• de-icing and anti-icing;
• refuelling;
• aircraft cleaning;
• securing the aircraft on the ground during turnaround, pushback, and towing; and
• other services including potable water servicing and toilet servicing.

The regulations introduce mandatory management systems and training standards, and require continued competence of the ground handling personnel. They also ensure that ground handling is covered by Regulation (EU) 2022/1645 on cybersecurity.

What does not change is the provision of services as per the aircraft operator’s procedures. The operator also remains responsible for the safety of the aircraft and flight.