Swissport

Swissport International Ltd. is an aviation services company providing airport ground, lounge hospitality and cargo handling services owned by an international group of investors. Its headquarters are located in Opfikon, Canton of Zürich, Switzerland.

Swissport International Ltd.
IndustryAviation (outsourcing/subcontracting)
Founded1996
HeadquartersOpfikon, canton of Zürich, Switzerland
Number of locations
310 airports
Area served
50 countries
Key people
Warwick Brady, President & Chief Executive Officer
ServicesGround handling
Cargo services
Executive aviation
Aircraft maintenance
Aviation security
Travel services
aircraft cleaning
RevenueEUR 2.99 billion (2018)
OwnerInternational group of investors
Number of employees
Around 66,000
Websitehttp://swissport.com

It handles around 282 million passengers and 4.8 million tonnes of cargo annually, on behalf of some 850 client-companies in the aviation sector. With a workforce of around 66,000 personnel, Swissport is active at 307 locations in 50 countries, and generates consolidated operating revenue of EUR 2.8 billion.[1]

History

The company was founded in 1996 as Swissair Ground Services International, independent of the former Swissair. In the following years, the company expanded both through organic growth and through various acquisitions.[2] As part of the Swissair financial crisis, Swissport was first purchased by the British private equity firm Candover Investments and in August 2005 by the Spanish construction company Ferrovial.[3] In the meantime, the company has grown through various acquisitions. At the end of 2010, Ferrovial sold Swissport for €654 million to the French private equity firm PAI Partners.[4]

In August 2013, Swissport announced the acquisition of competitor Servisair[5] which bought Handlex in Canada, a part of the group Transat in 2012. In December 2013, the acquisition was approved, subject to conditions by the European Commission.[6]

Over the years, Swissport has been the recipient of several industry awards including Ground Handling Award 2013,[7] Air Cargo Handling Agent of the Year 2014[8] (for the sixth year in succession) and Global Aviation Ground Services Company 2012 (for the twelfth year in succession).[9]

On July 31, 2015 it was announced that China's HNA Group, the parent company of Hainan Airlines, was to purchase Swissport for $2.81 billion US.[10] “The acquisition by HNA will enable the company to grow in the interpenetrated Asian markets and in China, in particular, thanks to HNA’s strong roots in the region,” Ricardo de Serdio, a partner at PAI Partners, said in a news release.

On March 7, 2018, Swissport has concluded the acquisition of Aerocare and its subsidiaries Skycare, Carbridge and EasyCart from Archer Capital and the Aerocare management.[11] Swissport now holds 100% of Aerocare, an Aviation Services and Airport Infrastructure Services provider in Australia/New Zealand.

On June 8, 2020, Swissport's Belgian subsidiary declared bankruptcy, which was confirmed by the Belgian commercial courts the following day.[12]

On June 25, 2020, Swissport UK & Ireland announced to cut a workforce of 8,500 by 50%.[13]

In December 2020, Swissport had completed its comprehensive financial restructuring that began in August 2020. Ownership of the company has been transferred from HNA Group to a group of financial investors led by the former senior secured lenders of Swissport.[14] Their total existing debt was reduced by about 1.9 billion euros.[15]

Lounge hospitality

Swissport provides a lounge service called Aspire Lounge, which has the biggest lounge network in UK (21 lounges) with more lounges across the globe.

They also have AspirePlus lounge, which is an adult only lounge.

Aspire Lounge provides lounge service for financial institutions, tour operators and airlines.

Airlines - Aegean Airlines, Aeroflot, Aer Lingus, AirFrance,[16] Beijing Capital Airlines, Brussels Airlines , Czech Airlines, Eastern Airways, El Al, Emirates, Finnair, Iberia Express, Icelandair, Iran Air, KLM, Lufthansa, Philippine Airlines, PIA, Swiss International, Turkish Airlines, Vueling, Wideroe

Partner Frequent Flyer Scheme Lounge Access - Miles & More Scheme, One World Scheme, SkyTeam

References
  1. Swissport 2018 Company Profile
  2. "History of Swissport International Ltd." Funding Universe. 2005. Retrieved on 22 August 2014.
  3. "Candover buys Swissair arm" The Telegraph. 02 February 2002. Retrieved on 22 August 2014.
  4. "Ferrovial to Sell Swissport to PAI Partners for $909 Million" Bloomberg. 02 November 2010. Retrieved on 22 August 2014.
  5. "Swissport to Acquire Servisair" Airports International. 02 August 2013. Retrieved on 22 August 2014.
  6. "Commission approves the acquisition of ground handling service provider Servisair by Swissport, subject to conditions" europa.eu. 18 December 2013. Retrieved on 22 August 2014.
  7. "Swissport International Ltd. - News & Media Center". www.swissport.com. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  8. "Swissport International Ltd. - News & Media Center". www.swissport.com. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  9. "The Swissport Profile" Swissport. Retrieved on 22 August 2014.
  10. "PAI Partners to Sell Swissport International for $2.8 Billion". New York Times. July 31, 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  11. "Swissport secures €325m financing commitment for Aerocare acquisition". Air Cargo News. 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  12. "Swissport Belgique déclarée en faillite par le tribunal de commerce de Bruxelles". RTBF. June 9, 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  13. "Swissport to cut 8,500 workforce by 50%". Global Cargo News. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  14. "Swissport completes financial restructuring / ownership transfer to group of new shareholders". 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  15. "StackPath". www.aviationpros.com. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  16. "AIR FRANCE RESERVATION | CANCELLATION | BOOKING FLIGHTS +1 800-235-2747". BUKTICKET. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
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