New IATA manuals on standardisation, data, and training reform, could save Ground Handling Industry USD83 million a year

November 10, 2025 in Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

The aviation industry could save an estimated USD 83.5 million annually simply by training all ground handling staff to a unified global standard. That is the promise of IATA’s new AHM 1110 Ground Operations Training Standard, which ensures that a ramp agent certified in Frankfurt, Nairobi, or Singapore operates under the same competency expectations. With the upcoming IATA Training Passport, mutual recognition of training will eliminate redundant courses and audits, delivering efficiency gains alongside improved safety.

As global air traffic climbs back toward pre-pandemic volumes — expected to surpass five billion passengers annually by 2026 — this cost-saving measure is emblematic of a broader, quieter revolution taking place on the tarmac. Beneath the spectacle of new aircraft and high-tech terminals, IATA is steering a coordinated effort to standardise ground operations, digitalise safety processes, and overhaul how the industry trains its workforce.

At the IATA Ground Operations 2026 Market Trends and Key Updates Webinar held on October 23, 2025, industry leaders outlined a detailed roadmap for a sector that, while often overlooked, remains the backbone of global aviation. Collectively, their message was unambiguous that the next frontier in operational safety and efficiency will be won through data, discipline, and global standards.

The market outlook remains promising but pressurised. Valued at an estimated USD 9 billion by 2029, the ground handling industry continues to grow on the back of digital transformation and sustainability targets, yet it operates on razor-thin margins. That has made standardisation an economic necessity as much as a safety imperative. IATA’s three major operational manuals — the Airport Handling Manual (AHM), Ground Operations Manual (IGOM), and Baggage Reference Manual (BRM) — now form the spine of that global realignment, guiding everything from ramp safety and baggage tracking to potable water servicing.

Technology sits at the centre of this renewal. Hydrogen and electric-powered ground support equipment are no longer prototypes but working assets at airports across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Fuel cell safety and performance are improving, while trials for autonomous tractors and boarding bridges are demonstrating the potential of automation to enhance efficiency without compromising human oversight. Smart sensors and predictive maintenance tools are already reshaping how ramp operations are monitored, reducing downtime and minimizing risk.

Yet, it is the human element — training, competence, and adaptability — that IATA now regards as the decisive factor in sustaining these gains. The launch of AHM 1110, the new Ground Operations Training Standard, represents the most ambitious industry-wide push toward training harmonisation in decades. Claudius Kuhnert, Senior Manager for Ground Operations Concepts and Strategy at Lufthansa Group, described it as a “strategic necessity” for building a safer, leaner, and more interoperable industry.

Kuhnert explained that the transition will not be frictionless. Many operators still depend on company-specific training regimes, and aligning these with a global benchmark demands internal restructuring and transparency through gap analyses. But with regulatory agencies such as EASA now encouraging or mandating harmonisation, the direction of travel is clear. “We are in a transition phase,” he said, “but there is no other way forward. If we want to save money and raise safety, this is the way we must go — together.”

The revised Airport Handling Manual (AHM) also incorporates critical technical updates: new hygiene standards for potable water servicing, flexibility in baggage weight calculations for load control, and formal inclusion of autonomous equipment testing. These are not marginal tweaks but foundational adjustments to align the manual with the realities of an increasingly automated apron.

On the safety front, Gurdeep Singh, IATA’s Senior Manager for Ground Operations Safety and Standards, offered a data-rich view of the risks that still define the ground environment. Despite years of progress, aircraft damage and ramp injuries continue to cost the industry billions annually. Through IATA’s online Ops Portal, operators are now logging thousands of procedural variations — a fivefold increase from earlier years — but Singh interpreted this not as a sign of disorder, rather as proof of a maturing safety culture where deviations are finally visible and measurable. These reports, he said, are directly shaping updates to the IGOM, ensuring that revisions reflect the actual conditions of ground handling worldwide.

The latest IGOM Edition 14, presented by Qatar Airways’ Jasna Shibu and Etihad Airways’ Ian Madigan, captures that evolution in granular detail. Passenger and baggage handling procedures have been reorganised for clarity, introducing safety-critical sections on digital signage and passenger verification during boarding. New baggage protocols align fully with Resolutions 753 and 755, embedding traceability and accountability into every step of the journey. On the ramp, simplified chocking and turnaround procedures underscore a broader principle Madigan called “safety through standardisation” — the idea that uniformity, even in seemingly minor tasks, reduces risk and operational friction.

For airlines like Qatar and Etihad that have fully adopted IGOM, the manual is more than a compliance document; it’s a living framework for continuous improvement. “Consistency,” Shibu noted, “is becoming a form of competitiveness.” Standardisation no longer just prevents accidents, it defines customer experience and operational credibility in an interconnected aviation ecosystem.

The transformation extends to baggage management as well. IATA’s Baggage Reference Manual (BRM) Edition 7, set for release in January 2026, represents the most comprehensive overhaul of baggage handling standards since the pandemic. Beyond procedural refinement, it integrates predictive analytics, automation, and XML-based messaging, replacing outdated systems still prevalent across much of the industry. The aim is to move from reactive baggage recovery to proactive, data-driven disruption management.

Together, these changes reflect a strategic recalibration of ground operations around three enduring pillars: standardisation, digitisation, and sustainability. The coming decade will see airports and handlers function less as isolated operators and more as interoperable nodes in a global system governed by shared metrics, data, and training frameworks.

As IATA pushes toward this vision, the implications are profound. Ground operations — long treated as the logistical back-end of aviation — are emerging as a primary arena for innovation, investment, and risk mitigation. From hydrogen-powered tow trucks to digital passports for ramp staff, the tarmac is fast becoming the proving ground for an aviation industry future, defined not only by technological sophistication but by the disciplined simplicity of doing things the same safe way, everywhere.