How to use this glossary
This ground handling glossary brings together the terms you hear every day at a station: on the ramp, in the operations centre, in contracts and in punctuality reports. Definitions are deliberately short. Where they exist, they follow the wording of reference texts: the EUROCONTROL A-CDM Implementation Manual, IATA manuals (AHM, IGOM) and Regulation (EU) 2025/20 on ground handling.
Each term has an anchor you can share, for example /en/resources/glossary/#tobt. The “see also” links connect concepts that work together, such as TOBT, TSAT and A-CDM.
Going further
These terms make most sense in the flow of a turnaround. To see them in action, read the key steps of a narrowbody turnaround, the guide to A-CDM and TOBT for ground handlers or the article on IATA delay codes. To see how Turnpilot displays these markers flight by flight, turnaround control is a good place to start.
- A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision Making)#
- An approach in which the airport operator, airlines, ground handlers and air traffic control share the same flight information and a common set of milestones. Its aim is more predictable departures and better use of airport resources. On the ramp, TOBT and TSAT are its most visible markers.
See also : TOBT (Target Off-Block Time), TSAT (Target Start-up Approval Time), EUROCONTROL
- AHM (Airport Handling Manual)#
- IATA's manual setting ground handling policies and standards. It includes, among other things, the delay codes and the Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA).
See also : IGOM (IATA Ground Operations Manual), SGHA (Standard Ground Handling Agreement), IATA delay code
- AIBT (Actual In-Block Time)#
- The actual time the aircraft arrives on stand and stops, brakes set. It marks the start of the ground turnaround.
See also : ALDT (Actual Landing Time), AOBT (Actual Off-Block Time), Turnaround
- ALDT (Actual Landing Time)#
- The actual time the aircraft touches down on the runway. It is one of the A-CDM milestones that trigger updated estimates for the turnaround.
See also : AIBT (Actual In-Block Time), A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision Making)
- AOBT (Actual Off-Block Time)#
- The actual time the aircraft leaves its stand, by pushback or under its own power. Compared with the SOBT, it gives the departure delay.
See also : SOBT (Scheduled Off-Block Time), Pushback, OTP (On-Time Performance)
- Apron#
- The part of the aerodrome where aircraft park for boarding, loading, fuelling and routine servicing. Parking stands and service roads are located there.
See also : Ramp, Remote stand
- ARDT (Actual Ready Time)#
- The time the aircraft is actually ready for start-up or pushback. Compared with the TOBT, it shows whether the ground kept its commitment.
See also : TOBT (Target Off-Block Time), AOBT (Actual Off-Block Time)
- Baggage cart / dolly#
- An open or covered trailer for loose baggage, or a flat dolly for a single container or pallet. They are hitched in trains behind a tug.
See also : Baggage tug, ULD (Unit Load Device)
- Baggage tug#
- A small tractor that tows trains of baggage carts or ULD dollies between the baggage hall and the aircraft.
See also : Baggage cart / dolly, GSE (Ground Support Equipment)
- Belt loader#
- A conveyor-belt vehicle that carries loose baggage and parcels up to the hold. According to IATA, belt loaders, cargo loaders, passenger stairs and boarding bridges account for 40% of ground damage incidents.
See also : GSE (Ground Support Equipment), Ground damage, Baggage cart / dolly
- BRS (Baggage Reconciliation System)#
- The system that checks that every loaded bag matches a boarded passenger, and helps locate a bag that must be offloaded.
See also : DCS (Departure Control System), Offload, Mishandled baggage
- Chocks#
- Blocks placed against the wheels to stop the aircraft moving on stand. Chocking is part of securing the aircraft on arrival, before equipment approaches.
See also : Safety cones, ERA (Equipment Restraint Area)
- Computer vision#
- A branch of artificial intelligence that analyses images or video to spot objects or situations. On the apron, it is used to detect hazardous situations around the aircraft; it does not need to identify people to do so.
See also : Generative AI, FOD (Foreign Object Debris)
- CTOT (Calculated Take-Off Time)#
- A take-off time allocated to a flight subject to air traffic flow management, in Europe by the EUROCONTROL Network Manager. The flight must take off within the window attached to that slot.
See also : EUROCONTROL, TSAT (Target Start-up Approval Time)
- DCS (Departure Control System)#
- The system that manages check-in, boarding and load preparation for a flight. It is the reference for who is checked in and who is on board.
See also : PAX, BRS (Baggage Reconciliation System), Load sheet
- Enhanced GSE#
- Ground support equipment fitted with anti-collision and inching systems to reduce contact with the aircraft. IATA has recommended such equipment since 2017.
See also : GSE (Ground Support Equipment), Ground damage
- EOBT (Estimated Off-Block Time)#
- The estimated time at which the aircraft will start moving for departure, as filed in the flight plan. At an A-CDM airport it must stay consistent with the TOBT.
See also : SOBT (Scheduled Off-Block Time), TOBT (Target Off-Block Time), AOBT (Actual Off-Block Time)
- ERA (Equipment Restraint Area)#
- A safety buffer around the aircraft stand that must stay free of obstructions and debris before arrival, during manoeuvring and after departure, except for the equipment and staff needed for the manoeuvre.
See also : FOD (Foreign Object Debris), Safety cones
- EUROCONTROL#
- The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation. It acts as the European Network Manager, published the A-CDM Implementation Manual and, through its CODA office, analyses the causes of delay.
See also : A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision Making), CTOT (Calculated Take-Off Time), IATA delay code
- FOD (Foreign Object Debris)#
- Any foreign object on the movement area (strap, bolt, packaging, tag) that could damage an aircraft, in particular through engine ingestion. Inspecting the stand before arrival is first about finding it.
See also : ERA (Equipment Restraint Area), Ramp
- GDPR#
- The General Data Protection Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2016/679. It governs any processing of personal data, including that of passengers and staff: defined purpose, data minimisation, limited retention, security.
See also : DCS (Departure Control System)
- Generative AI#
- Artificial intelligence that produces text, summaries or answers from a question asked in plain language. In ground handling, it helps explain a situation, draft a message or report and find an instruction; it does not replace the operational decision.
See also : LLM (large language model)
- GPU (Ground Power Unit)#
- A mobile or fixed unit that supplies electrical power to the aircraft on stand, so the auxiliary power unit (APU) can be shut down.
See also : PCA (Pre-Conditioned Air), GSE (Ground Support Equipment)
- Ground damage#
- Damage to an aircraft during ground operations, most often equipment striking the fuselage or a door. IATA estimates the annual cost could approach USD 10 billion by 2035 without preventive action.
See also : GSE (Ground Support Equipment), Enhanced GSE, Safety cones
- GSE (Ground Support Equipment)#
- Motorised or non-motorised vehicles and equipment designed and used for ground handling on the movement area. Tugs, loaders, belt loaders, stairs, ground power units and catering trucks are all GSE.
See also : Enhanced GSE, GPU (Ground Power Unit), Ground damage
- Handling agent#
- A company that provides ground handling on behalf of an airline: passengers, baggage, ramp, loading. The contract often follows the SGHA model.
See also : SGHA (Standard Ground Handling Agreement), Self-handling, Station
- IATA#
- The International Air Transport Association, the trade association of airlines. It publishes the main ground handling standards: AHM, IGOM, SGHA, delay codes, ISAGO.
See also : AHM (Airport Handling Manual), IGOM (IATA Ground Operations Manual), ISAGO (IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations)
- IATA delay code#
- A code standardised by IATA in the Airport Handling Manual to record the cause of a departure delay, as two digits or two letters. Codes 31 to 39 cover aircraft and ramp handling; codes 11 to 19 cover passengers and baggage.
See also : AHM (Airport Handling Manual), Reactionary delay, SLA (Service Level Agreement)
- IGOM (IATA Ground Operations Manual)#
- IATA's manual of ground handling procedures: passengers, baggage, ramp safety, turnaround, load control and airside safety oversight. It covers how to do things, complementing the AHM, which covers what to do.
See also : AHM (Airport Handling Manual), ISAGO (IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations), SGHA (Standard Ground Handling Agreement)
- ISAGO (IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations)#
- IATA's safety audit programme for ground handling service providers, launched in 2008. It combines a headquarters audit with the accreditation of at least one station, based notably on the IGOM and the AHM.
See also : IGOM (IATA Ground Operations Manual), AHM (Airport Handling Manual)
- LIR (Loading Instruction Report)#
- The loading instruction that tells the ramp team what to load and where, hold by hold and position by position. The loading supervisor records on it what was actually loaded.
See also : Load sheet, ULD (Unit Load Device), Offload
- LLM (large language model)#
- A generative AI model trained on large volumes of text, able to understand a question and draft an answer. An LLM can be wrong, which is why a serious assistant quotes its sources and leaves the decision to people.
See also : Generative AI
- Load sheet#
- The final document summarising the aircraft's mass, load and centre of gravity before departure. It is handed to the captain, who accepts it before the flight.
See also : LIR (Loading Instruction Report), NOTOC (Notification to Captain)
- Loader (container/pallet loader)#
- A lifting vehicle that raises and lowers containers and pallets to and from the cargo hold doors. It works with ULD dollies and a tug.
See also : ULD (Unit Load Device), GSE (Ground Support Equipment), Belt loader
- MCT (Minimum Connecting Time)#
- The minimum published time between two flights for a connection to be sold at an airport. It varies by airport, terminal and type of journey.
See also : Transfer
- Mishandled baggage#
- Checked baggage that does not arrive with its owner, or arrives damaged or pilfered. Transfer between two flights is a classic cause.
See also : BRS (Baggage Reconciliation System), Transfer
- MTTT (Minimum Turn-round Time)#
- The minimum turnaround time agreed with the airline or its ground handler for a given flight or aircraft type. It is used to estimate the earliest possible departure when the aircraft arrives late.
See also : Turnaround, TOBT (Target Off-Block Time)
- NOTOC (Notification to Captain)#
- Written information given to the captain about dangerous goods and special loads carried on board.
See also : Load sheet
- Offload#
- Removing a bag or load item already loaded, most often because its owner did not show up at boarding. A late offload can delay hold closure.
See also : BRS (Baggage Reconciliation System), LIR (Loading Instruction Report)
- OTP (On-Time Performance)#
- Punctuality rate: the share of flights departing or arriving on time. The most common measure allows 15 minutes, which is the threshold EUROCONTROL uses for arrival punctuality.
See also : IATA delay code, SOBT (Scheduled Off-Block Time)
- Passenger boarding bridge (PBB)#
- A telescopic corridor linking the terminal to the aircraft door for boarding and deboarding. Stands equipped with one are called contact stands.
See also : Remote stand
- PAX#
- Common abbreviation for passenger or number of passengers.
See also : DCS (Departure Control System)
- PCA (Pre-Conditioned Air)#
- A ground unit that heats or cools the cabin on stand without running the APU.
See also : GPU (Ground Power Unit)
- Pushback#
- Moving an aircraft backwards out of a nose-in stand with a tug, with or without a towbar. It follows tower clearance and disconnection of ground equipment.
See also : AOBT (Actual Off-Block Time), TSAT (Target Start-up Approval Time)
- Ramp#
- Everyday term for the apron and, by extension, for the people who work there: ramp agents, loaders, turnaround coordinators. Ramp handling means aircraft handling on stand.
See also : Apron, Turnaround
- Reactionary delay#
- Delay to a flight caused by the late running of a previous flight: aircraft, crew or load arriving late. IATA codes 91 to 96 describe it.
See also : IATA delay code, OTP (On-Time Performance)
- Remote stand#
- A parking stand away from the terminal, without a boarding bridge. Passengers reach the aircraft by bus and stairs, which adds equipment and time to the turnaround.
See also : Passenger boarding bridge (PBB), Apron
- Safety cones#
- Cones placed around the parts of the aircraft exposed to impact, to mark the area to protect. Regulation (EU) 2025/20 provides for this marking when the aircraft is secured on arrival.
See also : Chocks, ERA (Equipment Restraint Area), Ground damage
- Self-handling#
- When an airline carries out its own ground handling with its own staff instead of contracting a service provider.
See also : Handling agent
- SGHA (Standard Ground Handling Agreement)#
- IATA's standard ground handling contract between an airline and a service provider. It consists of a main agreement, Annex A (list of services) and Annex B (location, agreed services, terms and charges).
See also : SLA (Service Level Agreement), AHM (Airport Handling Manual), Handling agent
- SLA (Service Level Agreement)#
- The agreement that sets the expected level of ground handling service (punctuality, baggage delivery times, quality) and how it is measured. IATA publishes a template to be negotiated alongside the SGHA.
See also : SGHA (Standard Ground Handling Agreement), IATA delay code
- SOBT (Scheduled Off-Block Time)#
- The scheduled time of departure from the parking stand, as published in the flight schedule. It is the reference for departure punctuality.
See also : EOBT (Estimated Off-Block Time), AOBT (Actual Off-Block Time), OTP (On-Time Performance)
- Station#
- An airport where an airline operates flights and, by extension, the local organisation that handles them: station manager, agents, service providers.
See also : Handling agent, Turnaround
- TOBT (Target Off-Block Time)#
- The time at which the airline or its ground handler estimates the aircraft will be ready: all doors closed, boarding bridge removed, pushback tug available, ready to start up or push back as soon as the tower clears it. It is the ground's commitment to the other A-CDM partners.
See also : A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision Making), TSAT (Target Start-up Approval Time), EOBT (Estimated Off-Block Time)
- Transfer#
- A passenger and their baggage moving from an arriving flight to a departing one. Transfer baggage must be sorted and delivered to the departing aircraft in time.
See also : MCT (Minimum Connecting Time), Mishandled baggage
- TSAT (Target Start-up Approval Time)#
- The time at which an aircraft can expect start-up or pushback approval. Air traffic control calculates it from the TOBT, any CTOT slot and the traffic situation.
See also : TOBT (Target Off-Block Time), CTOT (Calculated Take-Off Time), A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision Making)
- Turnaround#
- The coordinated set of activities carried out on an aircraft, its passengers, baggage, cargo and mail between its arrival on stand and its departure. Deboarding, offloading, cleaning, fuelling, loading and boarding follow one another or overlap.
See also : AIBT (Actual In-Block Time), AOBT (Actual Off-Block Time), Turnaround coordination
- Turnaround coordination#
- The function that coordinates ramp activities around an aircraft and ends with the release of the flight once ground handling is complete. Regulation (EU) 2025/20 recognises it as having a safety role.
See also : Turnaround, TOBT (Target Off-Block Time)
- ULD (Unit Load Device)#
- A container, or a pallet with its net, designed to be restrained directly by the aircraft's cargo loading system. ULDs consolidate baggage, cargo and mail.
See also : Loader (container/pallet loader), LIR (Loading Instruction Report)