The Ministry of Civil Aviation has initiated a comprehensive transition plan to ensure that approximately 10,000 employees of ground- handling firm Celebi are seamlessly absorbed by other service providers at nine major Indian airports. This move comes after Celebi’s operations were set to wind down across key airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, Kannur, Goa and Ahmedabad.
To facilitate the handover without disruption to airport operations, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has allowed existing Airport Entry Permits (AEPs) for Celebi staff to remain valid until 19 May. After this date, new permits will be issued under the names of incoming ground-handling employers. Given the volume of daily flight operations—nearly 160 handled by Celebi staff—industry experts anticipate that BCAS may consider extending the current permit validity to prevent any operational delays.
Celebi provided a wide range of services including terminal and ramp handling, as well as cargo operations. At Delhi airport, it also managed the cargo terminal, which is now expected to be taken over by GMR, an Indian infrastructure company . Ground-handling responsibilities at Delhi will shift to existing players Air India SATS
Airport Services (AISATS) and Bird Worldwide Flight Services that operated alongside Celebi previously.
At Mumbai airport, a new ground-handling firm is being onboarded to ensure smooth transition and staff integration, while the situation at Goa’s Mopa airport, where Celebi was the sole handler, is still being assessed.
While the Ministry has outlined a robust transition plan, the complete redistribution of Celebi’s assets and staff is ongoing. Decisions on how equipment and infrastructure will be allocated between existing and new service providers is still being reviewed as the sector works to maintain uninterrupted ground operations.
