The new Hyderabad International Airport has awarded two seven-year concessions to carry out ground handling activities of third party airlines at the airport, which is scheduled to open in March 2008. One award went to a Menzies and Bobba joint venture and the other to a SATS Indian Airlines and Air India joint venture. The two ground handling operators at the new airport form part of the airport’s objective to have competitively provided services for the airlines.

Menzies Aviation provides ground handling and cargo handling services at over 100 airports around the world, while its Indian partner Bobba Aviation Group has extensive experience in cargo and ground handling in India.

Among the partners in the other consortium, SIA subsidiary SATS is the leading provider of ground handling and in-fl ight catering services at Singapore Changi Airport while it also operates 16 joint ventures in nine Asian countries.

Air India and Indian Airlines are major third party ground handling operators in India.