IATA sees need for reforms to attract and retain ground handling staffTravel And Tour World

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Published on : Thursday, June 2, 2022

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for holistic reforms to manage the long-term need for a stable talent base for the ground handling sector.

Thousands of ground handling staff left the aviation industry during the pandemic. Now as aviation ramps up, the severe shortage of skilled ground handlers is shedding light on the need for reform to stabilize the talent pool.

In the immediate term, the most pressing issue is the bottleneck for security clearances as the airline industry prepares for the peak northern summer season.

Longer-term, IATA urges the ground handling sector to:

Adopt a stronger talent acquisition strategy

Streamline onboarding processes, and

Develop a more compelling retention proposition

The peak northern summer travel season is fast-approaching, and passengers are already experiencing the effects of bottlenecks in getting security clearances for staff at the airport.

Additional resources are needed to accelerate the processing times for employment security clearances which can be as much as 6 months in some markets.

IATA’s Senior Vice President for the Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen said, that the shortages they are experiencing today are a symptom of the longer-term challenges to achieve a stable talent base in ground handling.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for holistic reforms to manage the long-term need for a stable talent base for the ground handling sector. Thousands of ground handling staff left the aviation industry during the pandemic.

Now as aviation ramps up, the severe shortage of skilled ground handlers is shedding light on the need for reform to stabilize the talent pool.

Tags: International Air Transport Association (IATA)