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The IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) 2025 is scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from May 13 to 15, marking the first time the conference will be hosted on the African continent. Distinguished speakers at the event will include the President of the Republic of Kenya, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, and Kenya Airways CEO, Allan Kilavuka.
The conference will feature a variety of plenary sessions, specialized tracks, and workshops. Key topics include the reliability of Ground Support Equipment (GSE), the transition to hydrogen-powered GSE, the importance of harmonized training, and significant safety considerations for ground personnel. Baggage operations will be addressed in a dedicated session, discussing real-time baggage tracking, modern messaging standards, and electronic bag tags. Discussions on collaboration and innovation will cover airport–ground handler cooperation, insights into privatization, and upcoming ground handling regulations.
Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya, has invited regulators and aviation authorities from across Africa, highlighting the pivotal role ground operations play in the continent's growing aviation sector. He stated, “Aviation opens a world of economic and social development opportunities, and aviation’s greatest potential is to make a real difference to the prosperity of people in Africa. Welcoming and supporting the IGHC in Kenya is an example of the importance that Kenya places on the aviation sector and the expectations that we have for it as a sector leading development in Kenya and across the continent.”
