Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISATS) has become the first ground handling company in India to be awarded the newly mandated Safety Clearance by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This landmark achievement positions AISATS as a pioneer in aviation safety and operational excellence, and underscores India’s emergence as a global leader in aviation standards.
The DGCA introduced this mandate in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommendations, requiring ground handlers to demonstrate robust Safety Management Systems (SMS), risk controls, staff training programs, and infrastructure readiness. This mandate was in response to increasing air traffic and the need for standardized safety protocols, DGCA introduced mandatory safety clearance requirements for Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSPs). Under the new Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), GHSPs must appoint accountable managers, station managers, and safety and quality managers, while ensuring recurrent training for ground personnel. With this regulation, India becomes the second country globally to formally regulate ground handling services.
AISATS has become the first and only Ground Handler in India to receive the Safety Clearance Certificate No. GHSP/001, issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under these newly established safety regulations. This milestone follows months of rigorous documentation review and operational inspections conducted by DGCA across all AISATS-managed airports. The Quality Management, Risk & Compliance, and Safety teams at AISATS developed a comprehensive suite of Operations and Training Manuals, which were highly commended by DGCA officials for setting a new industry benchmark.
Speaking on the achievement, Mr. Ramanathan Rajamani, CEO, AISATS, said: “We are honoured to be the first ground handler in India to secure DGCA’s Safety Clearance. Safety and quality have always been the cornerstone of AISATS’ operations. This recognition reflects our strong culture of accountability, continuous training, and operational excellence. As India’s aviation sector expands at record pace, AISATS remains committed to building a safety-first environment that inspires trust among our airline partners, passengers, and the global aviation community.”
AISATS currently operates at six major airports Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Ranchi, and Trivandrum providing comprehensive ground and cargo handling services. Its cargo arm manages the BLR Logistics Park in Bengaluru, one of South India’s largest on-airport logistics hubs, and is also developing the 87-acre Multi-Modal Cargo Hub at Noida International Airport, poised to become India’s largest integrated cargo facility.
This milestone reinforces AISATS’ vision of enabling safe, reliable, and efficient aviation services, further strengthening India’s position on the global aviation map.
About Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd (AISATS)
AISATS is a 50:50 joint venture between Air India Limited (TATA Group entity), and SATS Limited, one of the world’s largest providers of air cargo handling services and Asia’s leading airline caterer in Asia. As part of the Indian Government’s initiative to upgrade its airports to world-class facilities and attract more airlines to fly into India, AISATS was formed with the vision to provide world-class airport services in ground and cargo handling that exceed customers’ expectations.
Since the start of its operations in 2008, AISATS has provided hassle-free and comprehensive solutions to its customer airlines in airports at Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Ranchi and Trivandrum. Currently employing approx. 15,900 staff, AISATS offers end-to-end ground handling services such as passenger and baggage handling, ramp handling, aircraft interior cleaning, load control and flight operations, and cargo handling services for general, perishable, transshipment, express courier and special cargo.
