GH.OPS.400 Coordination of aircraft turnaround activities

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 · Regulations (EU) 2025/23 and 2025/24 · EAR revision 5 Nov 2025

IRImplementing rule

GH.OPS.400Coordination of aircraft turnaround activities

(a)The ground handling organisation shall ensure the safe provision of ground handling services and aircraft handling during turnaround by establishing a function for the coordination of turnaround activities. The coordination of the turnaround activities shall take into account the turnaround plan specified by the aircraft operator.

(b)Where more than one ground handling organisation is involved in the provision of ground handling services to the same aircraft operator according to the aircraft operator’s turnaround plan, the ground handling organisations concerned shall agree [among themselves] which one is responsible for the turnaround coordination function unless this is established by the aircraft operator.

(c)The ground handling organisation responsible for the aircraft turnaround coordination shall have a written procedure for the coordination of the turnaround activities that includes the following aspects:

(1)ground handling activities to be monitored and coordinated during aircraft turnaround;

(2)whether the turnaround coordination function is performed by a person or an automated device, on the aerodrome or remotely; if applicable, the person responsible for this function;

(3)coordination of communication with all the organisations involved, be it other ground handling organisations, the aircraft operator or the aerodrome operator;

(4)tasks associated with the turnaround coordination function;

(5)ensure that the load of tasks per person does not jeopardise the safety of activities;

(6)when refuelling and defuelling operations take place with passengers being on board, boarding or disembarking, ensure the following:

(i)all the following points shall be kept clear of obstacles:

(A)designated emergency exits;

(B)escape routes, including that of the fuel vehicle;

(C)the ground area beneath the aircraft exits intended for emergency evacuation and slide deployment areas when stairs are not in position for use in the event of an evacuation;

(D)Fuel Emergency Stop button, where fitted;

(ii)the intoplane fuelling service provider shall be informed immediately when the designated evacuation exits and escape routes are obstructed;

(7)dissemination of the written procedure to all the persons involved.

(d)The turnaround plan applied to each aircraft shall observe the aircraft type specificities and aircraft limitations. The turnaround coordination shall take into account the operational context of the aerodrome.

(e)The ground handling organisation shall observe the requirement to alert the aerodrome emergency services in accordance with point ADR.OPS.D.050 of Regulation (EU) No 139/2014 for accidents and incidents on the apron.

IR · GH.OPS.400 — Regulations (EU) 2025/23 and 2025/24 · Regulation (EU) 2025/20 · Ground Handling Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 5 Nov 2025

AMCAcceptable means of compliance

AMC1 GH.OPS.400Coordination of aircraft turnaround activities

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GENERAL

(a)Turnaround coordination should cover the GH services provided to an aircraft between the moment when the aircraft leaves the centre line of the taxiway to park at a stand until it departs from the stand.

(b)The instructions and procedures for turnaround coordination should address at least the following key safety risks:

(1)injuries to passengers around the aircraft due to lack of coordination during passenger boarding/disembarkation,

(2)injury/death of personnel on the apron,

(3)accidents/incidents during takeoff due to incorrect aircraft loading,

(4)damage to GSE/aircraft due to improper coordination between GH organisations providing different GH services during turnaround,

(5)collision between vehicles or between vehicles and aircraft,

(6)jet blast incidents.

AMC · AMC1 GH.OPS.400 — Regulations (EU) 2025/23 and 2025/24 · ED Decision 2025/007/R · Ground Handling Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 5 Nov 2025

AMCAcceptable means of compliance

AMC2 GH.OPS.400Coordination of aircraft turnaround activities

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TURNAROUND COORDINATION FUNCTION AND ACTIVITIES

(a)The aircraft turnaround activities should be coordinated by one person or by means of a computerised system.

(b)The turnaround coordination function is responsible for monitoring and coordinating the following GH activities:

(1)aircraft arrival;

(2)operation of GSE to or around the aircraft, including PBBs, passenger stairs and loading equipment for baggage and cargo operations;

(3)aircraft loading/unloading;

(4)passenger disembarkation and boarding, including PRMs;

(5)ground transport of passengers, crews, baggage and cargo;

(6)aircraft refuelling; the aircraft operator may assign the additional task of monitoring the refuelling operations with passengers on board, boarding or disembarking;

(7)potable water and aircraft toilet servicing;

(8)catering unloading/loading;

(9)aircraft departure activities;

(10)aircraft pushback/towing;

(11)aircraft deicing/antiicing when not carried out at a remote stand;

(12)any other additional tasks requested by the aircraft operator;

(13)coordination and communication with those performing the GH services indicated above and with load control personnel;

(14)coordination and communication with the aircraft operator’s flight crew, the aerodrome operator and any other organisations involved in the GH activities to the aircraft on the apron and preparation for flight, as required.

(c)The procedure for the turnaround coordination function should ensure the presence of safe and effective equipment staging areas on the apron. Effective configuration of stands should be coordinated with the aerodrome operator.

(d)The turnaround coordination function should establish and implement a ground communications system and clear lines of communication with the organisations or persons responsible for the provision of various GH services to the same aircraft during turnaround.

AMC · AMC2 GH.OPS.400 — Regulations (EU) 2025/23 and 2025/24 · ED Decision 2025/007/R · Ground Handling Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 5 Nov 2025

All rules in Annexes

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 5 Nov 2025, extracted 17 Aug 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.

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