In an effort to facilitate beneficial ground handling cooperation among airlines and with the view to adopt and implement cost-effective common solutions to address some of the handling challenges faced by airlines, AFRAA has established a Ground Handling Steering Committee for its members.
Under the chairmanship of Mr. Mpho Phillip Sekhamane, Head of Department, Global Operations Control Centre – South African Airways, the Committee held its 5th meeting at the Emperor’s Palace in South Africa back-to-back with the 1st African Ground Handling conference. Present at the meeting were Ground Services Directors from the member airlines and experts from related departments who had fruitful discussions on the action plan of the Committee towards the launch of the first tender expected to be concluded by the end of 2014 and rolled out in 2015.
The Committee will also focus on other activities such as safety audits, joint investment in equipment, lobbying for reduction of handling costs at selected airports among others.
Current Members: Seven AFRAA member airlines have committed to participate in the Committee. They include: Air Uganda, Astral Aviation, Camair-Co, EgyptAir, Kenya Airways,
South African Airways and TAAG Angola Airlines.
Similar to the AFRAA Fuel Project, Ground Handling Project is among AFRAA’s projects that are of signifi-cant value addition to members. Member airlines interested to join are Participants who were present at the meeting on 19 June include: Mr. Mpho Phillip Sek-hamane, Head of Department: Global Opera-tion Control Centre – South African Airways (Chairman), Mr. Yves Guibert, Ground Ser-vices Director – Kenya Airways (Vice Chair-man), Mr Carlos Anapaz, GM – Southern Africa – TAAG Angola Airlines, Mr. Mo-hamed Metwally, Contracts and Agreements Specialist Overseas Stations Management – EgyptAir Airlines, Mr. Richard Hunt, Manag-er: Ground Handling Operations – South African Airways, Ms. Lee-Anne Swart, Pro-curement Sourcing Specialist – South African Airways, Mr. Mzolisi Rungqu, Commodity Manager – South African Airways, Mr. Must-wafa Murad, Senior Accountant – Astral Aviation Ltd , Mr. Mekonnen Abebe, Ground Operations Manager – Air Uganda, Dr. Elijah Chingosho, Secretary General – AFRAA and Ms. Maureen Kahonge, Business Develop-ment Manager – AFRAA
