Swissport serves 50% of Kingdom’s foreign carriers, targets 16 airports: CEO

Dirk Goovaerts, Swissport's CEO Continental Europe, Middle East, Africa, India, and Global Cargo Chair, expects the Saudi aviation industry to remain on a strong growth path this year

Dirk Goovaerts, Swissport's CEO Continental Europe, Middle East, Africa, India, and Global Cargo Chair, said that the Saudi ground handling sector in 2025 is estimated at approximately SAR 3 billion, making it one of the largest and fastest-growing aviation support markets in the region.
 

“This growth is fueled by rising passenger volumes, expanding cargo operations, and ambitious national aviation targets under Vision 2030,” he added, in interview with Argaam.
 

“Swissport has firmly established itself as the leading partner for international airlines in the Kingdom, serving over 50% of all foreign carriers operating in Saudi Arabia. This milestone underlines the confidence global airlines place in our ability to deliver safe, efficient, and world-class services,” said the top executive.
 

“Our rapid growth from 6 airports in early 2024 to 13 by mid-2025, with a target of 16 by year-end is proof of the scale and momentum we have built. As Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector accelerates under Vision 2030, Swissport is not only expanding its footprint but also setting new benchmarks in operational excellence and customer satisfaction,” he added.
 

On an annual basis, Swissport handles more than 100,000 flights in Saudi Arabia, delivering consistent, high-quality ground handling and cargo services, according to the CEO.
 

Goovaerts also highlighted that Swissport currently partners with more than 50 airlines in the Kingdom, spanning both regional and global carriers.
 

Additionally, the CEO expects the Saudi aviation industry to remain on a strong growth path this year. “With continued government investment in airports, new routes and tourism marketing under way, passenger traffic likely will climb even higher. The growth of airlines such as Saudia, Riyadh Air, Flyadeal and Flynas, combined with the increase in international travelers for business and leisure will also fuel this expansion,” he said.
 

According to Goovaerts, the sector is set for strong and sustained growth, as Vision 2030 outlines ambitious targets to increase annual air passenger traffic to 330 million by 2030. The momentum is already visible: in 2024, Saudi airports handled 128 million passengers, a 15% increase year-on-year.
 

“With the expansion of national carriers, continuous airport infrastructure upgrades, and the development of entirely new airports, we expect demand for ground handling services to grow significantly. This environment not only intensifies competition but also creates opportunities for high-quality service providers like Swissport to form strategic partnerships, introduce innovative solutions, and capture additional market share,” according to the CEO.
 

“Swissport’s commitment to the Kingdom goes far beyond expanding our airport footprint. We are actively diversifying our services to better support our airline partners and enhance the passenger journey, said the CEO, “We are preparing to extend our portfolio into line maintenance services, complementing our core ground handling and cargo operations.”
 

The CEO highlighted that his company is heavily investing in initiatives that improve passenger flow and satisfaction, such as the ‘Passenger with No Bag’ program, led by the Ministry of Hajj, which aims to streamline baggage handling for millions of pilgrims.
 

Goovaerts also indicated that Swissport is set to launch a pilot of its latest technology platform, ‘Matchbox’, across Saudi airports, which is designed to significantly reduce, and ultimately eliminate, inadmissible passenger (INAD) cases.

“By doing so, we will help airlines, airports, and passengers alike improving operational efficiency for our partners while ensuring travelers have a better and more seamless experience,” he said.
 

Swissport Saudi Arabia work closely with Swissport Labs, the innovation engine of Swissport International where turnkey solutions are delivered that improve operations for our own stations and airline partners worldwide, according to Goovaerts.
 

The CEO further said that the Swissport Training Academy is a key enabler of his company’s, which equips its workforce with the latest skills and knowledge in safety, customer service, and operational excellence through structured training programs, simulation-based learning, and continuous development initiatives, thus ensuring the staff are prepared to meet the highest international standards.