Swissport Marks 30th Anniversary with 63,000 Employees and Operations at 300+ Airports in 49 Countries

Swissport marked its 30th anniversary on 16 August 2026, reporting 63,000 employees, over 300 airports in 49 countries, and 4 million flights handled annually.

Original report
cargoforwarder.eu

Industry impact

Sustained double-digit growth in cargo and hospitality alongside AI-driven turnaround and warehouse technology signals ground handlers deepening investment in automation and specialised logistics segments.

Swissport marked its 30th anniversary on 16 August 2026. Founded in 1996 as a subsidiary of Swissair and based in Zurich, the ground handling and air cargo company now employs 63,000 people worldwide, serving approximately 850 airline customers across more than 300 airports in 49 countries. Annually it handles 4 million flights, serves 243 million passengers, and processes 5.2 million tonnes of air cargo across 126 cargo warehouses, while its Aspire Pre-Flight Hospitality business welcomed 6.4 million guests across 110 airport lounges.

Between 2023 and 2025, Swissport recorded a compound annual revenue growth rate of 7.2%, with turnover increasing by more than EUR 500 million over the period; segment CAGRs were 5.6% in ground handling (including fueling), 10.1% in cargo, and 20.8% in hospitality. Over the five-year span, the company doubled its total revenue and improved margins, and has expanded cargo infrastructure at airports including Manchester, Amsterdam, Sofia, Liège, and New York JFK, focused on e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, temperature-sensitive products, and perishables.

On technology, Swissport introduced AI-powered TurnSmart cameras for aircraft turnaround visibility and AI-enabled dashboard cameras across its North American vehicle fleet, cutting operational incidents by 60% within six months. Its SmartGSE system tracks ground support equipment across airports, and its Shanghai Pudong cargo terminal uses AI-based workflows to process 3,500 shipments per hour at 99% accuracy, cutting international transit times by two days. The company is also trialing a fully autonomous baggage handling system. In leadership, Steven Polmans, former Head of Brussels Airport Cargo and President of TIACA, has joined as Global Senior Vice President Cargo, and Torsten Wefers, former VP Sales and Marketing at Liège Airport, has become Head of Cargo Commercial for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India.