Ground Handling Services
Declaration for the provision of Ground Handling Services at EASA Certified Aerodromes
In accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20, ground handling organisations operating at Luqa International Airport shall, between 27 March 2027 and no later than 27 March 2028, submit a declaration in line with point ORGH.DEC.100 of Annex I to the Regulation.
Organisations whose principal place of business is located in Malta shall submit the declaration to the Civil Aviation Directorate. Organisations established in another Member State shall submit their declaration to the Competent Authority of their respective country.
A principal place of business is determined by the following criteria:
- It is the place where the corporate financial functions are exercised;
- It is the place where the accountable manager exercises his/her role, and;
- It is an effective and actual centre of control from where business development and continuity, strategy, and planning activities affecting the single ground handling organisation business grouping as a whole are managed on a regular basis.
Ground handling activities covered by this Regulation are as follow:
1. passenger handling, including passengers with reduced mobility, including safety aspects of passenger and baggage acceptance at the aerodrome, safety of passengers during boarding and disembarkation using ground support equipment and during transit or transfer, and ground transportation of passengers between the aerodrome terminal and the aircraft;
2. baggage handling, including baggage identification, sorting, building, transfer, arrival and reclaim;
3. the following aircraft servicing activities:
- operation of ground support equipment (GSE) used for ground handling services, including loading and unloading of catering, and the movement of those GSE on the apron and around the aircraft;
- aircraft refuelling and defueling, namely into-plane fuelling services at the aerodrome;
- aircraft toilet servicing;
- potable water servicing;
- aircraft exterior cleaning;
- aircraft de-icing and anti-icing
4. the following aircraft turnaround activities:
- activities upon aircraft arrival, including aircraft securing on the ground;
- loading and unloading of baggage, cargo, mail, catering, and loading supervision;
- activities upon aircraft departure;
- aircraft towing and pushback;
5. the following cargo and mail handling at an aerodrome:
- cargo acceptance on behalf of the aircraft operator;
- final build-up and storage;
- final weighing and tagging of unit load devices;
- final checks before air transportation;
- ground transportation of cargo and mail between the point of final checks and the aircraft
The following activities are exempted from the provisions of this Regulation
- Aircraft Marshalling;
- Flight dispatch;
- Load control;
- Ground supervision;
- Oil handling performed by maintenance organisations;
- Aircraft exterior cleaning performed by maintenance organisations;
- Any ground handling activity performed by maintenance organisations;
- Ground transportation of passengers and crew when this is the only service provided;
- Self-handling by operators involving CAT operations with non-complex motor-powered aircraft;
- Self-handling by operators involving non-CAT operations by any aircraft type;
- PRM services or ground transportation of passengers and crew when this is the only service provided by an aerodrome operator.
Declarations may be submitted via email: civil.aviation@transport.gov.mt and should be accompanied by electronic copies of the following documents:
- Safety Management System Manual
- Ground Handling/Cargo Handling Manual
- Training Manual
Forms
ANSAU_ADR_033_GHDC - Declaration for the provision of Ground Handling Services
