After being awarded the ground handling business of Alitalia – Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A. in extraordinary administration – at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, Swissport has started preparations for the transition of operations. Granted successful consultations with the trade unions, Swissport will support ITA Airways, among others, with safe, cutting-edge and efficient services.
Swissport has been awarded the ground handling business at Rome-Fiumicino Airport, Italy, from Alitalia in extraordinary administration. In accordance with the regulatory framework, Swissport is preparing to start the consultation with the trade unions. Once the consultation proceedings have been completed, Swissport will take over the airport ground handling activities and employees shall be transferred from Alitalia – Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A. in extraordinary administration – to Swissport.
Following the consultations with the unions, Swissport will define the best suitable date for a smooth passage of operations together with Alitalia. Supporting ITA Airways, the Italian national airline, and all other client airlines with safe, cutting-edge and efficient ground services from day one is the ambition shared by all parties involved.
“With demand for air travel rebounding post-COVID, airlines around the world are refocusing on their core-competencies of schedule quality, marketing, digital distribution as well as safe and reliable flight operations,” explains Warwick Brady, President & CEO of Swissport International AG. “More and more airlines are turning to Swissport as their preferred service partner, entrusting us to manage even complex home base operations.”
With Rome-Fiumicino, Swissport adds a top European business and leisure hub to its growing global network of airports and continues its rapid expansion. The market leader in aviation ground services, based in Zurich, Switzerland, provides some 850 airlines on six continents with a full suite of airport ground services and air cargo handling. In Europe, Swissport has been providing full hub management for world-class airlines at their home base, among others, at the airports in Zurich (Switzerland), Munich (Germany), and Helsinki (Finland).
“We are delighted to see Swissport expand to Italy and to acquire Alitalia’s ground handling business at Rome-Fiumicino airport,” says Marina Bottelli, Swissport’s General Manager Italy. “We look forward to welcoming the first of 1,451 former Alitalia employees. Their professionalism will be the key to success for a reliable operation in Italy and at Swissport we are beyond excited to play our part in a world-class Italian aviation sector.”
Country teams at Swissport are part of a global pool of Swissport aviation professionals who benefit from the company’s central governance and a standardized training curriculum. This enables the business to swiftly and reliably start up at any new airport or to take over airport service providers with no disruption to operations.
Adding Italy to its global portfolio is a milestone in Swissport’s expansion as a hub management expert, which has grown from a small local player in Switzerland into the global leader of aviation services in just over 25 years. Swissport operates at 285 airports in 45 countries and continues to execute on an ambitious growth plan.
