As global airfreight demand continues to climb, airport operators and ground handlers are under pressure to modernise ageing infrastructure while meeting ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets. At the ASA World Ground Handling Leadership Forum in Copenhagen, leaders from dnata, Menzies Aviation, SATS and TCR shared their insights on how airports can evolve to meet the demands of sustainability, human-centred design, and technological innovation.

Sustainability without disruption

Modernising airport infrastructure for sustainability is not simply a question of installing new technology. Noor Salman, Vice President Business Cargo Support at dnata, highlighted the complexity of upgrading decades-old facilities to accommodate electric fleets and renewable energy. “When you compare what you need to do in order to retrofit and enable electric fleet or renewable energy sources, especially given the current operating model, there would be a lot of disruption,” she said.

Salman recommended a phased approach, focusing on “quick wins” like handheld mobility, digitisation, paper elimination, and system upgrades, while also prioritising employee workflows and safety. She pointed to dnata’s joint venture in Azerbaijan, where cargo terminals are being designed with ESG and employee well-being at the forefront. “You put yourself in the people’s shoes, and you walk through that journey with them. That’s how you really design a cargo terminal,” she explained.

John Geddes, Chief Governance and Sustainability Officer at Menzies Aviation, echoed this human-centred perspective. “Sometimes we forget to think of them first when we’re designing things or processes,” he said.

Peter Grypdonck of TCR added the operational lens, noting that electrification is progressing rapidly but infrastructure remains a key bottleneck. “More than half of our new fleet acquisitions are already electric. Over the lifetime of the GSE, we expect gradual phase-outs of diesel equipment to match the uptake of electric vehicles,” he said.

Localised ESG strategies

Celine Hourcade, Global Head ESG at SATS, highlighted the importance of adapting airport infrastructure to climate realities. “We operate in 27 countries… so we have very different climate change scenarios to account for. The challenge is to adapt the infrastructure and the way we work,” she said.

Hourcade described SATS’s approach of pairing group-level ESG targets — such as a 50 percent reduction in scope one and two emissions by 2030 — with regional implementation plans that account for regulatory, cultural, and incentive differences. “We need common standards, guidelines, and best-practice sharing. Together, we rise above — that applies to the industry as well,” she said.

Salman illustrated this principle with a Dubai initiative to introduce a biofuel blend across the airside fleet, achieved through collaboration among the airport, ground service equipment teams, OEMs, and national oil companies. “It was not an easy task at all… it’s all about collaboration and the passion and the drive to really want to make that difference and leave a legacy behind,” she said.

Matt Thomas, SVP Commercial Europe at Menzies Aviation, added that aligning ESG ambitions with operational realities requires strategic partnerships and long-term planning. “Everyone talks ESG, but there is still a real proportion of tactical buying. We need to shift from price-focused decisions to strategic, long-term collaborations,” he said.

Balancing technology and human skills

Technological innovation promises to reshape airport operations, but human oversight remains essential. Grypdonck said electrification and AI are transforming the ramp environment, while hydrogen-powered equipment faces infrastructure hurdles. “Electrification, lithium, high batteries will change the game a lot. Hydrogen will come, but infrastructure is the limiting factor,” he said.

Hourcade highlighted AI’s potential to improve efficiency, safety, training, and workforce retention. “AI can help us get more efficient, improve safety, improve training, and improve the attractiveness and retention of our staff,” she said, citing tools such as augmented reality training and exoskeletons.

Geddes stressed that people remain central to operations. “Virtual reality training is cool, but if you put someone into a workplace after just a few hours of computer-based training, they disengage,” he said.

Salman outlined dnata’s data literacy initiative, training 240 employees through a mix of online platforms and in-person workshops. “We created personas such as data ninja or data samurai… it’s about lifting the minimum standard and making it creative and fun across age groups,” she said.

Practical realities

Panelists acknowledged that ESG ambitions must contend with practical and geopolitical challenges. Hourcade discussed the potential impact of US policy changes, stressing the importance of long-term strategic focus. “Before that, we were all agreeing to say, be ready, be resilient in front of climate change, be better and use renewable energy, be diverse and inclusive… It was making business sense, so we need to stick to that,” she said.

Salman emphasised the data-driven case for sustainability. “Climate change is happening. It’s impacting wildlife, biodiversity, communities, and businesses. Companies that integrate ESG challenges positively reflect that in their profit margins,” she said.

Grypdonck highlighted the practical limits of infrastructure and the gradual transition from legacy diesel equipment. “Where non-electric GSE is currently in use, it will often be redeployed to regions with slower electrification uptake. It’s a gradual phase-out, not a sudden shift,” he concluded