SAS Ground Handling

SAS Ground Handling is Europe's third-largest full-service provider of aircraft ground handling and airport related services. SAS Ground Handling is the largest ground-handling company in Scandinavia.

As of July 1, 2010 SAS Ground Services is renamed to SAS Ground Handling. SAS Ground Handling serves more than 30 airports in Denmark, Norway and Sweden and has about 8.400 employees. SAS Ground Handling is owned by the SAS Group.

As part of the Core-SAS strategy formed by the SAS Group in February 2009, some of SAS Ground Handling operations are being divested or outsourced.

• SAS Ground Services Finland was divested to ISS Palvelut in July 2009.
• SAS Ground Services UK was divested to ASIG in June 2010.

On March 7, 2013 Swissport International Ltd. (“Swissport”) and Scandinavian Airline Systems (“SAS”) announced that they signed a Letter of Intent creating the basis for continued negotiations between the two companies, aiming at an agreement to transfer full ownership of SAS Ground Handling in Denmark, Sweden and Norway to Swissport. As a first step, both parties intend to establish a joint venture company to which the business and operations of SAS Ground Handling and Spirit (cargo handling) will be transferred.

As of September 1, 2013 SAS Ground Handling was divided into three divisions, SGH Norway, SGH Sweden and SGH Denmark, respectively, in preparation for the planned sale to Swissport. At the same time, Swissport, in according to the Letter of Intent, have bought 10% shares in each of these three divisions, while negotiations still continue.

In May 2016 SAS, however, announced its intentions to retain control of the operations at main airports.[1]