Swissport Kenya, the country’s largest independent ground handling company, is celebrating its first 25 years of operations.
The Kenyan company was set up just a year after the 1996 incorporation of Swissport International in Zurich. It was one of Swissport’s first businesses outside Switzerland.
Swissport began operations at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in September 1997 with ramp handling and passenger services – and a team of just 27 employees. It took on additional services over the years, including aviation security in 1999, cargo handling in 2003, executive lounge hospitality, freighter ramp handling and apron bussing in 2015, centralised load control services in 2019, a centralised cargo office in 2020 and centralised finance in 2022.
“The growth of our business in Kenya is a reflection of the growth of our people,” said Racheal Ndegwa, managing director of Swissport Kenya. “Swissport prioritises training and provides professional development pathways. This enables our staff to provide operational excellence and customer centric services.”
Currently, Swissport Kenya employs over 470 trained and qualified professionals.
Image: Swissport
