dnata, which is one of the largest combined air services providers in the world and the largest travel management services company in the UAE, acquires a U.S. airport ground handling operator.
dnata plans to use as a launch pad into the lucrative North American market and as a starting point the firm last month purchased a 100 percent stake in Ground Services International Inc. (GSI), which provides ground handling services to international carriers and cargo operators in 14 cities across the United States.
dnata aims to use the acquisition as a springboard into the North American market, Chief Executive Officer Gary Chapman told Reuters-owned Zawya in an interview last week.
"We also see it as a launching pad for the whole of North America, which means Canada, and potentially Mexico," he said. Company officials declined to confirm the financial details of the acquisition.
dnata partners with SAS in Zurich and Geneva
dnata recently announced a new partnership with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). The firm will provide ground handling and cargo services at Zurich Airport and Geneva Airport.
SAS operates 42 weekly flights from Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen to Geneva and Zurich, using a mix of aircraft types including the Canadair 900, Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. dnata has been selected to provide passenger, baggage and ramp and cargo handling services for these operations.
dnata’s business in Switzerland provides passenger, baggage, ramp, business lounge, de-icing and cargo handling services at both Zurich and Geneva to many major airlines from around the world. The contract with SAS in both Zurich and Geneva, is a vote of confidence in dnata’s consistent and quality service, and dedicated team. The dnata team continues to win over new business with its attention to meeting the customer’s requirements, and its commitment to maintaining the integrity of airline schedules, with over 35 thousand aircraft turnarounds handled in Switzerland last year.
