Facing a staff shortage, ANA and JAL announced in November 2023 that they were discussing recognizing each other’s ground handling workers’ qualifications. On April 1, 2024, the system came into effect at 10 airports in Japan where both ANA and JAL outsource ground handling to the same company.
The new system covers seven basic ground handling qualifications including towing tractor operation, belt loader operation, passenger boarding bridge operation, safety oversight, marshalling, push back, and towing. It has been implemented at Rishiri, Nakashibetsu, Hakodate, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Tokushima, Kochi, and Kagoshima airports.
While the system does not eliminate company-specific training, it reduces it to content that is different between the two companies, significantly shortening the time required for staff to earn their qualification with the other company.
Going forward, the two companies plan to explore further cooperation opportunities to maintain stable operations in the face of the challenges the Japanese aviation industry is expected to face.
