Station Management and

Ground Handling Supervision

5-day classroom course (40 hours)
This course can be customized for your company and delivered at the location of your choice.
IATA’s comprehensive Station Management and Ground Handling Supervision training course is designed to
equip station staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully manage all aspects of Ground
Operations. It is ideal for Station Managers working in Ground Service Providers (GSPs), self-handling airlines,
supervision companies, and station supervisors overseeing handling activities. Through this course, you will
gain essential tools to effectively manage and coordinate ground handling operations, ensuring safe, efficient,
and cost-effective operations. The course will cover proven methods to improve and maintain station
performance in key areas such as On-Time Performance (OTP), baggage mishandling, customer service, cost
control and people management. You will also analyze airport processes including check-in, gate, ramp
handling and cargo activities, enabling them to contribute to discussions and analyses on the challenges faced
by ground handling services today. This course is ideal for newly appointed Station Managers looking to
formalize their operational experience and enhance their skills in all areas of station management. It provides
practical insights, strategies and best practices to enhance station performance, meet industry standards and
deliver exceptional ground handling services.

Objectives Key topics

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
Manage and oversee the ground handling services
according to the IATA Airport Handling Manual (AHM)
and best industry practices
Recognize and relate the bottlenecks in ground
handling operations and how performance and
quality of services can be improved in each area
Work within the frame of the AHM and IATA Standard
Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA)
Build sustainable relationships between an airline and
the Ground Handling Service Provider (GHSP) and
with the internal and external stakeholders with whom
a Station Manager interacts
Provide guidance to local (own or contracted)
personnel, ensuring standards such as quality and
safety are always adhered to
Target audience
▪ Cooperation with authorities at the airport
▪ Role, duties and responsibilities of a Station
Manager
▪ Passenger handling activities
▪ Ramp handling activities
▪ Cargo handling activities
▪ Standard Ground Handling Agreements (SGHAs)
▪ Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
▪ Resources and Ground Service Equipment (GSE)
management
▪ Aviation security awareness
▪ Safety Management System (SMS) awareness
▪ Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)
awareness
▪ Emergency response planning
▪ Customer Service and Irregularities Handling
▪ ULD handling
Recommended level
▪ Intermediate and Advanced

▪ Airline Station Managers, Supervisors and Team Prerequisites

Leaders
▪ Ground Handling Managers, Supervisors and
Team Leaders
▪ Airport Authorities with oversight duties
▪ Future Airline or Ground Handling employees
who are prepared to take active part in station
leadership
Participants should have prior knowledge of Airport
business and operations.
The recommended level of language proficiency
is ICAO Operational Level 4 for courses in English or
the equivalent level for other languages.

v3.00
Certificate awarded Associated diplomas
You may also apply this course toward an IATA
An IATA Certificate is awarded upon successful
Diploma in Ground Operations.
completion of the course and an assessment.

Table of contents
Station Manager’s role and responsibilities in
managing and overseeing the ground handling
activities
▪ External and Internal stakeholders’ key
activities
▪ Continuous improvement of ground handling
activities
IATA manuals and tools for ground operations
▪ Airport Handling Manual (AHM) and IATA
Ground Operations Manual (IGOM)
▪ Applicability of IGOM
▪ Leadership and teams' management
▪ Managerial activities and how they are linked
with the Station Manager’s role
▪ Responsibility of the Station Manager to design
the organizational structure of the station
Aircraft handling under adverse weather conditions
▪ Adverse weather conditions and disruptions in
ground handling operations
▪ Safety precautions in the airside workplace
Cargo handling
▪ Cargo handling activities
▪ Special cargo handling
▪ Cargo irregularities
SGHA
▪ How the SGHA can be used in overseeing
(airlines) and/or in providing (GSPs) the
contracted ground handling services
▪ The Station Manager’s role in connection with
the contracted services
▪ Components of the SGHA and critical areas

Resource management
▪ The role of the Station Manager in Human SLA
Resource Management ▪ How the SLA can be used in overseeing the
service level of the contracted ground handling
▪ Significant issues affecting labor requirements
services (airlines)
and costs
▪ The importance of providing the handling
▪ Basic staffing calculations
services as per applicable SLAs (GSPs)
▪ Scheduling efficiency and equipment planning
▪ Reviewing SLA targets
▪ Key components of the SLA, the reasoning of
Customer Service and irregularities handling the KPIs and the critical areas
▪ The importance of delivering good customer
service
Safety Management System (SMS) and
▪ The purpose of customer satisfaction
Occupational Health & Safety (OHS)
measurements
▪ Function and components of a Safety
▪ Basic laws and regulations on passenger rights Management System (SMS)
and flight irregularities
▪ Human factors
▪ Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) awareness
Aircraft handling activities and airside safety ▪ Health & Safety hazards associated with ground
▪ Aircraft handling activities operational processes
▪ Turnaround coordination
▪ Threats to ramp safety and the responsibilities
for ensuring airside safety

v3.00
Aircraft emergency Security
▪ Emergency Response Planning (ERP) ▪ Principles of aviation security
▪ Role and responsibilities of the airline and GSP ▪ International, National and corporate
in case of emergency situations regulations

Audits and compliance ULD handling

▪ Station audits ▪ Types of ULDs
▪ Quality Management System (QMS) awareness ▪ ULDs handling and storage
▪ Concepts of a Quality Assurance Program ▪ ULD types of ULD tags and messages
(QAP)
▪ Principles, purpose, and benefits of IOSA and
ISAGO

www.iata.org/training-talp02

Please contact us at www.iata.org/training-contact if you have any questions

v3.00