Another blow for Çelebi: Bengaluru airport ends ties with Turkish firm after Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad airports

In another blow for Çelebi Airport Services, the Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) said on Friday that it has transitioned it's ground handling operations from Çelebi Airport Services to other existing service providers.

The airport made the announcement a day after a national security directive from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

On May 15, India revoked the security clearance for Turkish firm Çelebi Airport Services, a major player at key Indian airports, following Turkey’s support for Pakistan after India's strikes on terrorist camps in response to the Pahalgam attack.

"In compliance with a directive from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Government of India, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) has transitioned it's ground handling operations from Çelebi Airport Services Pvt Ltd, to other existing service providers to ensure continuity and operational stability," the airport said. 

BIAL also said that it is committed to maintaining seamless operations throughout this period of transition. "We are coordinating the transition in collaboration with all the existing aviation stakeholders and government authorities. We remain committed to maintaining seamless operations throughout this period of transition."

Bengaluru airport is the fourth airport to sever its ties with the Turkish firm after Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad airports. Celebi has been an important player in ground handling and cargo operations at several airports across the country. 

The Delhi International Airport was the first to announce its split from Çelebi. DIAL has terminated its ties with Çelebi Airport Services India and Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management.

The DIAL has begun working closely with its existing partners such as AISATS and Bird Group to stabilise operations and avoid service disruptions. In order to streamline cargo operations, DIAL is in the process of onboarding one of its pre-approved handlers to ensure continuity. 

All Çelebi staff at IGIA will transition to new employers without changes to their employment terms. Following this, Adani Airport Holdings ended its partnership with Çelebi for the Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports, respectively. 

Çelebi has been directed to immediately hand over all the ground handling facilities at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) to the company to ensure smooth operations.