US, UK firms bid for Mumbai airport's Rs700-crore ground-handling deal
09 Jun 2008
Worldwide Flight Services of US, Swissport International of Spain and Menzies Bobba Ground Handling Services of the UK are among seven bidders vying for the Mumbai International Airport's ground handling contract worth Rs700 crore.
Swissport is teaming up with the Punj Lloyd group while Menzies is partnering Cambata Aviation for the bid.
European infrastructure and service corporation Swissport provides value-added airport services at 187 airports across 43 countries, while Cambata has been providing airport services at the Mumbai airport since 1967.
Turkey's Celebi Ground Handling is also teaming up with Spencer Travels as overseas bidders. Spencers represents Cathay Pacific for passenger and cargo in southern and eastern parts of India and is also an agent for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
The GVK-led consortium, which is modernising and upgrading the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), may have to start ground handling directly or through contractors, besides the National Aviation Company Ltd., at least four months ahead of the new regulations that come into effect in December.
MIAL had invited bids in January for handling contract at Mumbai airport for a 10-year period.
Currently, 40-odd local agencies are involved in ground handling at Mumbai besides the airlines. Usually, 15 per cent of the contract value is the revenue share between the operator and the contracting parties.
Mumbai airport handles air traffic movements of 700-735 per day, making it the busiest airport, with an estimated annual business size of Rs650-700
