Airport Handling Equipment
Explore how airport handling equipment optimises efficiency, safety, and turnaround times, ensuring smooth operations and enhanced passenger satisfaction.
Efficient Airport Handling: Three Pillars of Viking
Airport ground handling is all about speed, safety, and reliability. Every minute an aircraft spends on the ground counts. To keep processes running smoothly, specialised equipment is required that fits seamlessly with the operational needs of airports and handling agents. This equipment can broadly be divided into three categories: Ground Support Equipment (GSE), baggage handling equipment, and cargo handling equipment. Together, they form the backbone of efficient airport operations – and it is precisely in these areas that Viking Airport Equipment provides solutions.
Ground support equipment (GSE)
Ground Support Equipment covers all the tools needed to support aircraft and their loads during turnaround. This includes vehicles and equipment that move baggage, freight, and ULDs to the right place. In this area, reliability and standardisation are crucial: equipment must meet international standards and withstand heavy daily use.
For Viking, this means developing robust trailers and dollies that are easy to manoeuvre, safe to couple, and capable of handling significant loads. The result is equipment that speeds up the flow of materials across the airport while safeguarding both staff and cargo. GSE in this sense helps prepare aircraft for departure more quickly, reducing costly ground time and improving overall efficiency.
Baggage handling equipment
For passengers, baggage is often the first tangible point of contact with an airport’s service quality. Efficient baggage handling is therefore essential for both customer satisfaction and operational continuity. Baggage handling equipment includes the systems that move luggage from check-in to the aircraft: conveyors, sorting systems, baggage trailers, and loading and unloading tools.
The challenge lies in combining speed with care. Bags must arrive undamaged and correctly sorted, without creating delays. Viking supports this process with trailers and related solutions designed for daily intensive use, with attention to ergonomics and safety. In this way, they contribute to a smooth baggage flow, reduced physical strain for staff, and higher overall reliability.
Cargo handling equipment
Alongside passenger services, cargo is playing an increasingly important role in the success of airports worldwide. Cargo handling equipment is focused on the safe and efficient processing of goods: from standard pallets to temperature-sensitive or fragile shipments. This involves not only transport solutions such as dollies and trolleys, but also storage systems that bring order and capacity to busy cargo terminals.
For Viking, this means providing solutions that combine flexibility with safety. Examples include systems capable of handling different types of ULDs, or storage systems that optimise space utilisation and streamline workflows. The goal is always the same: to move cargo flows reliably, safely, and without unnecessary delay through the airport.
The role of airport ground handling equipment
At every airport, ground handling equipment forms the invisible engine that keeps operations moving. Without it, aircraft would remain idle, cargo would not be loaded, and passengers would not see their luggage arrive on time. Ground handling equipment covers a wide spectrum – from baggage trailers and container dollies to specialised storage systems for Unit Load Devices (ULDs).
The role of this equipment goes beyond simple transport. It ensures that the complex choreography of aircraft, passengers, and cargo can take place seamlessly. By standardising dimensions, capacities, and safety features, equipment makes it possible for different handling teams, airlines, and airports to work together efficiently. Viking Airport Equipment contributes to this global network with solutions that are designed to integrate into international standards and practices, ensuring compatibility wherever they are deployed.
In short, ground handling equipment is not just a supporting element, but the foundation on which modern air transport depends.
Improving efficiency and turnaround times
One of the biggest challenges in aviation is minimising turnaround time – the period an aircraft spends on the ground between landing and take-off. Every minute saved in this process adds value, both for airlines seeking cost reductions and for airports striving to handle more flights within the same infrastructure.
Equipment plays a decisive role in achieving these efficiency gains. Lightweight yet durable dollies and trailers make it easier to move ULDs quickly and safely. Well-designed baggage trailers reduce the number of manual actions, improving both speed and ergonomics. Storage systems that keep cargo and ULDs organised shorten the time it takes to locate and prepare loads for departure.
Technology also supports efficiency: visible safety markings, standardised coupling systems, and intuitive operation reduce training time and prevent errors. For Viking, the goal is always the same – equipment that enables handling teams to do their work faster, with less effort, and with maximum reliability. This directly contributes to reducing turnaround times, optimising aircraft utilisation, and keeping operations on schedule.
Ensuring safety and compliance
Airports are high-pressure environments where safety cannot be compromised. Ground handling equipment is therefore designed with strict attention to compliance with international standards such as IATA and ISO. Safety features are integrated into every aspect: from secure locking mechanisms that keep containers in place, to protective barriers that prevent workers from entering hazardous zones.
For handling agents, safe equipment means fewer workplace incidents and lower risk of costly delays. For airlines and airports, it ensures that their operations comply with regulations and that their reputation remains untarnished. Equipment that is easy to inspect, maintain, and operate further reduces risks by making safety procedures part of daily practice rather than an added burden.
Viking Airport Equipment aligns its designs with these requirements, ensuring that dollies, trailers, and storage systems are not only functional but also actively contribute to safer working environments. By combining ergonomic design with robust construction, the equipment protects both people and cargo. Compliance is not an afterthought – it is built into the equipment from the very first design stage.