Swissport has completed an e-turnaround for a Brussels Airlines aircraft at Geneva Airport on January 29. It said that from landing to take-off, the entire Swissport ground handling operation for the aircraft was completed using fully electric ground support equipment — a first in Switzerland.
This underscores Swissport's global commitment to decarbonising its ground operations on its pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050, including the objective to electrify 55% of its world-wide ground support equipment fleet by 2032.
Swissport said it conducted the first complete aircraft turnaround in Swiss aviation using only electric ground support equipment (GSE), covering passenger disembarking and boarding, baggage and cargo handling, and aircraft servicing, allowing for lower CO2 emissions and a seamless turnaround operation.
The use of fully electric ground support equipment (GSE) — including baggage tractors, aircraft pushback tractor, passenger boarding stairs and conveyor belt loaders — illustrates Swissport's targeted measures to reduce carbon emissions while ensuring operational efficiency, punctuality and full compliance with applicable safety regulations.
Investing in sustainable operations
Swissport's ongoing investments focus on the electrification of its GSE fleet to reduce environmental impact.
At Geneva airport, Swissport noted that over 60% of its GSE fleet is already electric, including all baggage tractors and more than half of baggage belt loaders, ground power units, passenger boarding stairs and cars.
Since 2024, Swissport has invested more than US$3.4 million (3 million CHF) in electric ground support equipment in Geneva alone.
"As leading airport ground handling provider, we are committed to actively contribute to the decarbonisation of the aviation sector. In Switzerland, we are pioneers with more than 50% of our ground support equipment fleet already electrified," said Bruno Stefani, CEO of Switzerland, Italy & France.
"Working closely with our partners, airlines and airport infrastructure providers, every step we take in electrifying our fleet helps reduce emissions and supports a more sustainable future for air travel. Thanks to our strategic investments and operational expertise, Swissport continues to set the standard for sustainable ground handling," he added.
Decarbonisation through science-based targets
Swissport’s emissions reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), with a goal of reaching net‑zero by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement. The company is expanding its electric ground support equipment, with 26% of its roughly 14,600 motorized units now electric and a target of 55% by 2032.
Swissport reports environmental data through the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and has retained an EcoVadis Platinum rating for the second year, placing it among the top 1% of companies assessed for sustainability performance.
