Air India has extended its collaboration with SATS Ltd. (SATS) and its
wholly owned subsidiary Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) by awarding 14 new
cargo and ground handling contracts across major international airports. This follows a comprehensive global tendering
process. The contracts cover airports in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and
North America.
In
addition to renewing 11 existing agreements, Air India has increased its
reliance on SATS and WFS for operational services at several key locations. The
newly awarded stations include North American airports in Chicago and
Washington Dulles, UK airports such as London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and
Birmingham, as well as European hubs like Frankfurt and Milan.
In Asia, services have been expanded to locations including Kuala
Lumpur and Hong Kong. Bob Chi, CEO of Gateway Services, APAC, at SATS, noted
the significance of this development, stating that Air India’s decision followed a thorough evaluation of the cargo and
ground handling market. He added that SATS and WFS are positioned to meet
Air India's needs due to their operational network and service coverage.
Air India's Head of Cargo, Ramesh Mamidala,
stated that the contracts align with the airline’s focus on streamlining
logistics and improving service levels for passengers and cargo. The collaboration is expected to
enhance Air India's global operations and service delivery. The renewed and new
agreements underscore Air India's ongoing transformation and its approach to
leveraging partnerships to strengthen its international logistics and
operational framework. The expansion
involves airports across multiple regions, reflecting the airline’s global
strategy. No further details on the financial terms of the contracts or their
durations were disclosed