A Stronger Voice Where Aviation Is Shaped | Q3 2026

The third quarter of 2026 demonstrated what ASA World is working to achieve: ensuring that ground handling has a strong and credible voice wherever the future of aviation is being shaped. From London to Lima, our engagement has continued to bring the priorities of our industry into important international discussions.

Our dialogue with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) marked an important step in our cooperation, reinforcing the link between workforce resilience, decent work and the industry’s ability to invest in training and retain skilled people. At the same time, our joint work is contributing directly to the debate on market design and resilience ahead of ICAO’s Air Transport Conference in Montréal this November.

We have also strengthened the platforms through which our industry can engage and collaborate. Our new long-term partnership with Ground Handling International (GHI) will create further opportunities to bring together industry leaders, exchange knowledge and ensure that the issues that matter to ground handling are heard.

Importantly, this quarter has also been about turning engagement into practical progress. Our taskforces and working groups continue to advance work on SGHA contracting and IGOM safety standards, supported by the experience and evidence of our members, while the ASA Training Accreditation Program continues to generate interest across the industry.

As we move into the final quarter of the year, our focus remains clear: stronger representation, practical industry solutions and a safer, more resilient and sustainable ground handling sector. Thank you to our members and partners for continuing to contribute their expertise and voice to this work.

Dr Waleed Youssef
Director-General, ASA World

Where we have been

ASA and ITF open dialogue on workforce and resilience, London (4 September 2026)

ASA met the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Civil Aviation Section Committee for a dialogue session, the first major exchange since the two organizations signed their Memorandum of Understanding in February 2026. ASA was represented by Policy Director Dr. Nadine Itani. The discussion affirmed a shared position: resilience in ground handling is inseparable from decent work, given the commercial impact on training, retention and workforce investment. Both sides highlighted the joint ASA–ITF working paper on market design and resilience, prepared for ICAO’s Air Transport Conference (ATConf/7) in Montréal this November, as a concrete outcome of the MoU.

ACI LAC & ACI World WAGA, Lima, Peru (25–28 September 2026)

Dr Waleed Youssef participated in the ACI LAC & ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA), the premier global gathering of airport leaders. WAGA 2026 brought together senior airport executives and industry leaders for high-level discussions and the partnerships shaping the future of aviation.

Agreements & Partnerships

Ground Handling International Events Partnership

ASA World has entered into a long-term partnership with Ground Handling International (GHI), making GHI ASA World’s official events partner.

Hassan El-Houry, Chairman of ASA World, said: “ASA exists to represent and advance the interests of the aviation services industry globally. Bringing our members together to exchange knowledge and address the issues shaping our sector is central to that role.

GHI has built a respected global meeting place for our industry. This partnership lets us work together to deepen engagement across the ground handling community and ensure the sector’s most important conversations have a strong platform.

The partnership will help drive greater engagement across the global ground handling community while ensuring the industry’s most important conversations have a strong and effective platform.”

Alice Clarke, Portfolio Director at GHI added: “At GHI, we believe our events should be shaped by the people at the heart of our industry. Working with ASA brings valuable expertise and insight to our conference programmes, ensuring they reflect the opportunities and challenges that matter most to those working in the ground handling sector.”

The partnership takes effect immediately and will encompass GHI’s full portfolio of events, beginning with the 27th Annual GHI Conference, taking place at Olympia London from 1-3 December 2026.

As part of the agreement, ASA will work closely with GHI on conference programming, contribute to the development of industry-focused content and support the participation of senior leaders from across the aviation services sector.

One of the highlights of this year’s programme will be the ASA CEO Keynote Spotlight: The New Era of Ground Handling, bringing together some of the industry’s most influential leaders to discuss the future of the sector. Against a backdrop of evolving global regulation, financial pressures, workforce challenges and increasing investment demands, the panel will explore what effective regulation should look like and how the industry can build a safer, more sustainable and economically resilient future.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Clive Sauve-Hopkins, CEO Airport Operations, dnata
• Hassan El-Houry, CEO, Menzies Aviation
• Jared Azcuy, CEO, AGI
• Mohammad Mazi, CEO, Saudi Ground Services (SGS)
• Warwick Brady, CEO, Swissport
• Richard Prince, CEO, Aviapartner

To find out more about the 27th Annual GHI Conference, taking place at Olympia London from 1-3 December 2026, visit annual.groundhandling.com or contact sales@groundhandling.com.

Updates from our Working Groups

Commercial Contracting Taskforce

Following the IATA GOS Contracts Subgroup meeting in Singapore in April, the taskforce drafted the “ASA Guidance Document on Key SGHA Points.” The document sets out the principles behind each term, maps the status of the 2028 ISGHA process, and is backed for the first time by member evidence collected through the ASA members’ survey (June–August 2026). Thank you to all who took part. The survey findings also fed into ASA’s submission on market design, to be presented at ICAO’s ATConf/7 in Montréal on 16–20 November.

Safety & Operations Working Group

Work with the IATA GOS Safety & Operations Group has continued, reviewing proposed changes for the next edition of IGOM and securing agreement on ASA’s proposed amendments. A face-to-face meeting in Montréal at the end of October is expected to conclude this cycle, with most if not all proposed changes either accepted for implementation or placed on the priority work list for further development.

For more information about ASA working groups, or to get involved, contact ASA World at info@asaworld.aero.

Training and skills

ATAP – ASA Training Accreditation Program

The ASA Training Accreditation Program (ATAP) continues to attract industry interest. A further assessment has been completed for one of our ground handling organization members, and three additional organizations are expected to confirm their participation in Q4. Engagement with training providers and colleges offering aviation courses also continues.

For more information, contact
Gabriel Vinccini | info@asaworld.aero
www.asaworld.aero