GH.OPS.005 General responsibilities for the provision of ground handling services

(a)The ground handling organisation shall ensure, for all the ground handling activities it performs, that:

(1)the operational procedures and the instructions provided by the aircraft operator and, when applicable, by the aerodrome operator are correctly implemented;

(2)sufficient personnel are available to perform the assigned tasks safely;

(3)the personnel performing ground handling activities are trained and competent to perform the assigned tasks;

(4)the operation and maintenance of any equipment used for GH activities are performed in accordance with Subpart ORGH.GSE.

(b)In accordance with point 4.1(c) of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, the ground handling organisation shall provide services in accordance with the instructions and procedures of the aircraft operator. However, the ground handling organisation may apply its own operational procedures in either of the following cases:

(1)if agreed and accepted by the aircraft operator;

(2)if the aircraft operator does not provide any operational procedures.

(c)If the instructions and procedures provided by the aircraft operator differ from the operational procedures of the ground handling organisation, the procedures of the aircraft operator shall prevail. The ground handling organisation shall address with the aircraft operator any conflicting differences that may affect the safety of aircraft, its passengers, or the ground handling personnel as soon as they have been identified, and shall determine together with the aircraft operator whether the implementation of the operational procedures of the ground handling organisation are accepted instead.

(d)The operational procedures of the ground handling organisation shall:

(1)cover, as applicable, all services provided, as listed in Article 2(2) of this Regulation;

(2)be appropriate to the aircraft type and operational context;

(3)ensure that the aircraft handling activities are conducted in a way that the risks of damage to the aircraft or other vehicles on the ground and injuries to personnel and passengers are minimised, and that the safety of flight is not compromised.

(e)In accordance with point 4.1(b) of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, the ground handling organisation shall comply, to the extent relevant to the activities it carries out, with the procedures provided to it by the aerodrome operator related to the following operational aspects referred to in Regulation (EU) No 139/2014:

(1)foreign object debris (FOD) control programme;

(2)authorisation and operation of drivers and vehicles;

(3)aircraft towing;

(4)communications between vehicles and air traffic control (ATC);

(5)control of pedestrians;

(6)fuel quality and safety of apron during refuelling/defuelling;

(7)operations in winter conditions;

(8)night operations;

(9)operations in adverse weather conditions;

(10)marking and lighting of vehicles and other mobile objects;

(11)aircraft arrival at and departure from the stand;

(12)information to organisations operating at the apron;

(13)alerting of emergency services;

(14)jet blast precautions;

(15)highvisibility clothing.

(f)The procedures of the aerodrome operator covering the elements in point (e) shall prevail over the procedures with the same scope of the ground handling organisation or of the aircraft operator. The ground handling organisation shall address any conflicting instructions or procedures with the aerodrome operator as soon as they have been identified.

(g)Without prejudice to points (a) to (f), to ensure that safety of the aircraft and persons on the ground is not compromised during the provision of ground handling services, the ground handling organisation may decide to apply stricter operational procedures based on the procedures and instructions of the aircraft operator or the aerodrome operator if it considers that the local operational context requires additional safety precautions. These additional safety elements shall be documented and communicated to the aircraft operators or the aerodrome operators concerned, as applicable.

(h)The ground handling organisation shall ensure that a copy of relevant operational instructions and procedures is available to its personnel, according to their tasks and communicated in a manner that ensures their understanding. The ground handling organisation shall also ensure that their personnel are able to understand and comply with the instructions and procedures from the aerodrome operator and/or competent authorities that might be provided only in the national language.