Newsroom / News Releases / MAVCOM approves 30 commercial ground handling licences

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 JUNE  2017 – In line with its mandate to drive the development of a more robust aviation industry in Malaysia, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (“MAVCOM”) today released a list of 30 companies who have been approved by the Commission to provide ground handling services in Malaysia. Ground handling services includes, but is not limited to, check-in counter services, baggage handling, catering, ramp handling, and refuelling services. The following companies are now approved by MAVCOM to perform ground handling services on a commercial basis at specific airports.

All companies are also required to have technical approval from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Malaysia in order to provide ground handling services. The aviation industry is advised to take note of this list in their engagements with ground handling service providers.

YBhg. Gen. Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Abdullah Ahmad, RMAF (Retd), Executive Chairman of MAVCOM, said, “As an independent regulator for the aviation industry overseeing commercial and economic matters, MAVCOM places equal importance not only on ensuring high standards by airports and airlines, but also other entities involved in the industry. Ground handling services are highly integral to any travel experience, and companies offering such services must be able to meet the necessary requirements in order to operate. These stringent steps taken by the Commission is ultimately to safeguard consumers and it is our hope that this will continue to elevate our nation’s competitiveness in terms of aviation within the region.”

Since MAVCOM’s establishment, a company is required to hold a ground handling licence from MAVCOM to provide ground handling services on a commercial basis in Malaysia. The full list of ground handling services which require licences issued by MAVCOM is contained in Schedule 2 of the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 [Act 771].

Shortly after MAVCOM was established in March 2016, it informed all incumbent ground handling service providers that they were required to be approved by the Commission by 31 May 2017.

Moving forward, any person or entity operating as a ground handler without the necessary licence from MAVCOM will be committing an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding RM1 million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both. In the case of continuing offence, the offender in addition to the penalty provided, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding RM50,000 for every day during which the offence continues after conviction. This fine is also subjected to persons or entities who engages with unapproved ground handling operators.

Any new approvals issued by MAVCOM will be announced along with the current list of approved ground handling service providers via MAVCOM’s website at www.mavcom.my.