Safer, more capable and more flexible

The Aviation Services division invests in the provision of quality, cost-effective services. As the largest division in terms of personnel, the division has a significant role in reinforcing Finnair's customer service image. Aviation Services' biggest client is the Finnair Group.

Finnair Ground Handling - FGH

FGH ensures the efficient departure and arrival of passengers, baggage and freight and provides the ground handling services required by aircraft. The unit is the market leader in its field in Finland and takes care of ground handling for Finnair and nearly 20 other airlines. Every year the unit's workforce of 1,200 employee handles over 100,000 flights and the baggage of eight million passengers.

Cost-cutting by airlines has led to very intense price competition in the sector. During 2002 FGH increased its cooperation with Finnish companies by outsourcing ground handling at domestic airports. Services are provided at ten airports through cooperation agreements. In addition to Helsinki-Vantaa, FGH provides services with its own organization at a further ten airports.

Ground handling is a labour-intensive service area, in which the daily cycle of flight traffic requires the flexible use of labour. Profitability is sought by allocating resources flexibly to times when flight traffic is at its peak. The outsourcing of Finnair's ground equipment, in which nearly 400 motorized vehicles were acquired by ABB, released significant amounts of capital. FGH continues to use the vehicles under a maintenance leasing agreement.