Turkish ground handler Celebi expands in Indian aviation

TURKEY's top private ground handler, Celebi Holding, has set its sights on obtaining a larger chunk of India's growing aviation market, after commencing operations in Mumbai and Delhi over the past two years, reports the Times of India.


"India is a fast emerging market in the civil aviation sector. We are keen to expand our operations and make our presence felt in other Indian cities. We have also bid for the contract for ground handling services at Kochi airport in Kerala," chairman Can Celebioglu was quoted as saying in the report.


It said the company has already won ground handling licences for 10 years in India and began its operations in Mumbai in July 2009 and in New Delhi in June 2010.


"We also have the licence for developing, modernising, financing and operating the existing cargo terminal at IGI Airport in New Delhi for 25 years and took over management of the cargo terminal in November 2009," Mr Celebioglu said.


The report noted that the cargo terminal at IGI Airport has been expanded to 70,000 square metres of warehouse space that is capable of handling 540,000 tonnes of air freight movement annually. "We are also bidding for the cargo terminal at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport," said Mr Celebioglu.


Last year, the company provided ground handling services in Delhi and Mumbai for nearly 25,000 flights. It has so far invested INR770 million (US$17.1 million) in developing its service offering in Mumbai and INR600 million in Delhi. The company employs about 2,300 personnel at these two locations.


Its cargo clients are said to include British Airways, United, Air France, Gulf Air, Air India, Kingfisher, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Emirates, Delta and Turkish Airlines.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)