WFS-owned Orbital Group has won handling contracts from Aerolíneas Argentinas at São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia airports.
Orbital Group, the leading ramp, passenger services and airport security operator in Brazil, has been awarded two-year contracts by the Buenos Aires-based airline to handle some 1,800 flights per annum and serve over 210,000 passengers a year. Its responsibilities will include check-in, lost and found, boarding and flight arrivals as well as security services.
Aerolíneas Argentinas currently operates 72 flights per month ex São Paulo, 58 services from Rio de Janeiro and 18 departures ex Brasilia. All flights are operated by Boeing 737 aircraft and are direct services to Buenos Aires.
Under the terms of the agreements, Orbital’s local teams will provide ramp and passenger services for Aerolíneas Argentinas in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and aviation security services in Brasilia, covering aircraft access control and baggage screening.
Rubens Pereira Leitão Filho, CEO at Orbital, said: “These three new contracts emphasise our growing strategic partnership with Aerolíneas Argentinas, which has been an important customer of Orbital for many years.
“We can support its requirements thanks to our strong presence at these major airport gateways in Brazil and the ground handling skills of our local teams. We hope this will also lead to further opportunities to serve Aerolíneas Argentinas and its customers at more airports across WFS’ global network.”
WFS (Worldwide Flight Services) took its first step into the Latin America ground handling market when it acquired a controlling shareholding in Orbital Group in 2014. Today, Orbital employs over 5,800 staff at 16 airports in Brazil, offering passenger, ramp, ground and cargo handling services for more than 30 airline customers. Aerolíneas Argentinas has been a customer of Orbital’s specialist aviation security services for the last three years in São Paulo and Porto Alegre.
