Airports are mostly crowded, and therefore, success in managing them depends on efficiency. Every second counts. The quicker planes can land, refuel, and take off, the more flights an airport can manage. This directly impacts revenue. However, many airports fail to consider this factor as they select a ground support aircraft. These can be of great benefit to airports in the following ways, whereby investing in them can increase their profits.
Faster Turnaround Time
Each aircraft that arrives at a terminal requires specific services such as refueling, cleaning, and loading or unloading the passengers’ luggage. Tugs and pushbacks help in having these jobs done in the shortest time and with a lot of safety. When these tasks are accomplished in a short duration, the planes do not spend much time on the ground. This makes it possible to have many flights in a day. It is, therefore, apparent that the more flight movements an airport has, the more revenues are generated.
Increased Safety and Efficiency
Ground support aircraft minimize the chances of an accident and destruction of aircraft. For instance, moving aircraft with tugs reduces the chances of an accident. Ground support aircraft are either electric or hybrid in nature. This helps to cut fuel expenses while at the same time minimizing pollution. Thus, airports can keep up their environmentally friendly status and enhance safety and efficiency at the same time.
Lower Operating Costs
It is possible to consider that ground support aircraft could be rather expensive to purchase. But in the long run, they can prove cost-effective for airports. One ground support aircraft can perform the work of several workers in the towing of planes or even the transportation of luggage. Also, most of the ground support vehicles are relatively new and have less maintenance needs than the older types of equipment.
Meeting Airline Demands
Airlines have high expectations. They expect their planes to be serviced as fast as possible in the shortest time possible. It is always a concern for airlines that spend money every time there is a delay in the airport service. This is something that airports that have invested in ground support aircraft can offer. If the airlines observe that an airport has adopted modern ground support equipment, they will be inclined to schedule more flights from the airport. Additional flights bring additional passengers, more parking fees, and more revenue from shops and restaurants located in the terminal.
Attracting High-Value Airlines
Although some airlines are willing to pay more so as to obtain excellent ground services, these are mostly private aircraft as well as first class and business flying on commercial airlines. They also expect faster and even more individualized service. Purchasing ground support equipment enables airports to meet these high expectations. Thus, ground support is an important factor in ensuring that the airports get to attract such high-value airlines. Serving them taps a highly lucrative market, everything, from landing fees to VIP services.
Preparing for Future Growth
Commercial aviation is expanding year by year. With the increasing number of people flying, there will be a requirement to accommodate more planes. This is where ground support aircraft come into the picture. Investing in them now will put airports in a better position for future growth. Larger airports that are positioned to handle their increased traffic levels will be better positioned than those that are not so equipped.
Ground support aircraft make it possible for airports to expand their capacity very easily. This means that in cases where new airlines are being launched, or new flight routes are being introduced, the airport will not have to rush for more workforce. The equipment has enough capacity to accommodate the increased traffic. This makes growth smoother and more profitable because the firm is already familiar with the operations of the country in question.
Conclusion
Airports are large organizations, and even the minute details are very important and need to be well managed. Non-operational aircraft, such as ground support aircraft, may not be easily associated with revenue generation. Shorter time to completion, enhanced safety measures coupled with lower operating expenses amount to more profits.
