In a country beset with inherent policy and regulatory issues and perceived as one with services below par, it may have come as a surprise to the world community that the first company certified for the new International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH), is Delhi-based SRC Aviation Ltd.
IS-BAH is a voluntary, performance-based program for ground handlers. The standard was developed by IBAC based on industry best practices for ensuring quality and managing risk.
With a 70 percent market share in India, SRC’s major clients include Forbes 500 companies, who “cannot afford to deviate from quality service,” Bobby Chadha, managing director, told AIN. For a smooth passage, “the critical thing is to get a ground handler with the experience to know where problems may creep in,” he added. He hopes that as airports start to get privatized, “it will make flying into most airports much easier.”
The Business Aviation Operators Association (BAOA) has welcomed the certification. “Now when international companies seek ground handling, they can be assured of a benchmark in quality,” said Rohit Kapur, president BAOA.
While SRC handles customs, security, permits, baggage handling, fuel, catering, weather services and more, its specialty is VIP handling, according to Chaddha. The company was a trip planner for the corporate jets that accompanied President Obama’s trip to India in December last year. Honeywell, Bloomberg, and many more world-class companies are regular clients.
The first IS-BAH certificate was presented to MK Adnan, CEO of SRC Aviation by Kurt Edwards, director general of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), in Bangalore in February.
According to IBAC’s IS-BAH program director Terry Yeomans, the second to receive the award is Fort Worth, Texas-based American Aero FTW, an FBO at Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth.
