Ethiopian Airlines lauds SAHCO’s exceptional ground handling services

BY CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO 

With effective coordination and structured teamwork, leading ground handling company in Nigeria, Skyway Aviation Handling Company SAHCO PLC has achieved what can be described as one of the fastest aircraft turnaround in recent times. 

Checks at the cargo apron of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport

MMIA Ikeja, show that, it took operations staff of the ground handling company about 37 minutes to turn around an Ethiopian B777 cargo aircraft. 

The global average for a Long-haul flights generally require between 90 minutes to 2 hours for a turnaround while short haul flights range from 25 minutes to 35 minutes, depending on the airline and flight situations. 

Although, this is not the first time, SAHCO is maintaining such a fast turnaround time, Ethiopian airline staff present during the recent operation were full of admiration at the way SAHCO handled their flight, just as the handler have been doing in the past. 

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An insider who witnessed the recent operation while it lasted revealed, that it normally takes 1 hour 30 minutes to turn around a B777 with 37 pallets. 

With a record time of 37 minutes to turn around B777, which includes full offload and preparing the flight for departure, it now shows the preparedness of the operations department of SAHCO in readiness for the tax ahead in ground handling. 

According to the source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, SAHCO from recent trends have shown that they maintain control in, not just the cargo handling but also aircraft turnaround.

SAHCO, a Public Liability Company was incorporated as an Aviation Ground Handling Services Provider under the Nigerian Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

Formerly known as Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAHCO was carved out of the liquidated Nigeria Airways Limited as part of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Aviation’s Reform of 1996. On the 23rd of December 2009, SAHCO was handed over to the Sifax Group by the Federal Government of Nigeria, after a keenly contested privatization in which Sifax Group came first as the preferred bidder. 

With its public sector management composition and orientation, SAHCO has kicked off the development of business models geared towards ushering in efficient and speedy service delivery.