Handling the pressure

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Prem Bajaj, managing director and chairman of India-based handlerBhadra International, talks to Airside about its offering and extensive GSE fleet

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about Bhadra’s backgound?

A: The company’s formal name is Bhadra International India Pvt Ltd, and it was formally incorporated in the year 2000 as a ground handling agent (GHA).

​Our company has actually been associated with Airports Authority of India for over three decades, venturing into many activities; however, today, this is the seventh year that we have been providing ground support services to almost every important airline that visits India.

​The company was formed by myself, and continues to be under my leadership as managing director and chairman.

​Q: Do you also provide a range of passenger and/or cargo handling services, as well as your ground handling?

A: Indeed, our cargo handling business is a well-established business and we provide cargo handling services to almost all our airlines.

​Q: What sorts of GSE do you operate?

A: Bhadra has positioned at all the seven stations at which we operate brand new state-of-the-art, pollution-controlled fleets of ground support equipment, serving airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, AirAsia, Jet Airways, Vistara, Oman Air, Qatar Airways and various other important carriers.

​Our equipment includes: push-backs manufactured by Schopf; ground power units (GPUs) and air start units (ASUs) from Hitzinger; towbars from Hydro; self-propelled water and lavatory carts from TLD in France; electric (battery-powered) self-propelled steps from TLD in France; air-conditioning units (ACUs) from TLD USA; electric tow tugs from TREPEL in Germany; maindeck loaders, lower deck loaders and universal deck loaders from TREPEL; transporters from TREPEL; tail stands from Hydro; self-propelled steps from EINSA in Spain; and luxury passenger coaches from Cobus in Germany.

​Q: Do you own your own GSE or do you typically lease it? Are you looking to expand or improve your GSE fleet at all?

A: We feel that we are the only company in India that has been able to position such a state-of-the-art fleet of equipment. As and when there might be additional requirements for equipment we would certainly study the market, find out if any more innovations have taken place.

​All our ground support equipment belongs to Bhadra International India Pvt Ltd. Nothing is on lease.

​Q: What plans do you have to expand your business, whether geographically or in terms of your product offering?

A: When it comes to the product offering, we offer our customer airlines a completely comprehensive handling service. When it comes to expanding the business, we continue to evaluate the business on offer, and react accordingly.

At this point in time, we are primarily focused on ground handling services.

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