Morocco – Chinese-owned aviation services company Swissport International has been granted a license to operate in 15 Moroccan airports by the Moroccan Airports Office (ONDA), reports Aviation Pros.
The seven-year license allows Swissport to manage services at the airports of Agadir, Al Hoceima, Casablanca, Dakhla, Errachidia, Essaouira, Fez, Laayoune, Marrakech, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat, Tangier, and Tetouan.
“We are delighted with the trust that ONDA has placed in us,” said Christophe de Figueiredo, Swissport Morocco’s CEO.
“Since 2012, our service agents and ramp personnel have all been working with great dedication to exceed the high expectations of our airline clients in Morocco.”
As a provider of airport ground services, Swissport manages “ramp services” like moving, fueling, and cleaning planes and “passenger services” like security, check-in, and gate services.
Figueiredo praised the dedication and hard work of the company’s staff and added that it was their efforts that earned the company the new operating license.
He also said that the company will continue to invest in highly trained staff and deploy state-of-the-art equipment, many of which will be electrically powered to further improve our carbon footprint.
The company aims to convert most of its ground support equipment (GSE) at Marrakech airport to electric propulsion by 2021. Swissport will invest over MAD 200 million in the renewal of its equipment.
“Morocco is of great importance for us. Our commitment is reflected in our sizeable deployment of state-of-the-art electric GSE in Morocco,” said Luzius Wirth, the executive vice president of Swissport International in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The company also recently announced its goal to make 50% of vehicles in its global fleet be electric by 2025, reinforcing its commitments towards reducing its carbon print.
Swissport is the second largest airport ground services company in Morocco after Royal Air Maroc.
It serves a total of 22 airline customers, including Air Arabia, Air Canada, British Airways, Easyjet, Lufthansa, Ryanair, and TAP Air Portugal.
