Basic Ramp Handling

Procedures Precautions
 INTERNATIONAL ALPHABETICAL
CODES
These codes are to be used when spelling names or initials of
person(s) or when communicating seat or gate numbers over the
walkie talkie.
A Alpha N November
B Bravo O Oscar
C Charlie P Papa
D Delta Q Quebec
E Echo R Romeo
F Foxtrot S Sierra
G Golf T Tango
H Hotel U Uniform
I India V Victor
J Juliet W Whisky
K Kilo X X-Ray
L Lima Y Yankee
M Mike Z Zulu
 IATA 2 Letter Airline Codes
2-Letter
Airline Name 2-Letter Code Airline Name
Code
Adria Airways JP Iran Air IR

Aer Lingus EI Japan Airlines (JAL) JL

Aeroflot SU Jet Airways 9W

Air Algerie AH Kenya Airways KQ
Air Asia D7 Kingfisher Airlines Ltd IT
Air Berlin AB KLM KL
Air Canada AC Korean Air KE
Air China Limited CA Kuwait Airways KU
Air France AF Libyan Airlines LN
Air India AI Lufthansa LH
Air Jamaica Limited JM Mahan Air W5
Air Madagascar MD Malaysia Airlines MH
Air Malta KM Oman Air WY

Air Mauritius MK Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PK

Air New Zealand NZ Philippines Airlines PR

Air Seychelles HM Royal Nepal Airlines RA

Air Zimbabwe UM Qantas QF

Alaska Airlines AS Qatar Airways QR
Alitalia AZ Royal Jordanian RJ
All Nippon Airways NH SAA (South African) SA
American Airlines AA SAS (Scandinavian) SK
Ariana Afghan FG Saudi Arabian Airlines SV
Asiana OZ SilkAir MI
Austrian OS Singapore Airlines (SIA) SQ
Biman Bangladesh BG Sri Lankan UL

BMI BD Swiss International Airlines LX

British Airways BA Thai Airways International TG

Brussels Airlines SN THY- Turkish Airlines TK

Bulgaria Air FB Tunis Air TU

Caribbean Airlines BW United Airlines UA

China Airlines CI US Airways, Inc. US

Continental Airlines CO Virgin Atlantic VS

Delta Airlines DL

Dragonair KA Domestic Airlines

Go Airlines (LCC) G8
Egyptair MS

EL AL LY Indigo Airlines (LCC) 6E

Emirates EK Paramount Airways P7

Ethiopian Airlines ET

Etihad Airways EY Low Cost Carriers

Finnair AY Air Asia D7

Garuda GA Air India Express IX

Gulf Air GF Jet Lite (India) Limited S2

Iberia IB Spice Jet SG

Icelandair FI Thai Air Asia FD

Name Of Airlines 2 Letter Code 3 Digit Code
Air China CA 999
Air France AF 057
Air India AI 098
Air Lanka UL 603
Air New Zealand NZ 086
Air Nuigini PX 656
Air Seychelles HM 061
Air Zimbabwe Corporation UM 168
All Nippon Airways NH 205
Asiana Airlines OZ 988
Austrian Airlines OS 257
Biman Bangladesh Airlines BG 997
British Airways BA 125
Cargolux Airlines CV 172
China Eastern Airlines MU 781
China Southern Airlines CZ 784
Emirates EK 176
Eva Air BR 695
Gulf Air Company G.S.C. GF 072
Indian Airlines IC 058

Japan Airlines JL 131

Jet Airways Ltd 9W 589
Kingfisher Airlines Limited IT 090
Korean Air KE 180
Kuwait Airways KU 229
Lufthansa Cargo LH 020
Malaysian Air System MH 232
Myanmar Airways International Co. Ltd 8M 599
Nippon Cargo Airlines KZ 933
Philippine Airlines PR 079
Qantas Airways QF 081
Qatar Airways QR 157
Royal Brunei Airlines BI 672
Royal Nepal Airlines RA 285
 3 Letter City & Airport Codes

City City Country Name of Airport Airport

Code Code
AKL Auckland New Zealand Managere
AMS Amsterdam Netherlands Schipol SPL
ATH Athens Greece Hellinikon
BJS Beijing China Capital PEK
BKI Kota Kinnabalu Malaysia International
BKK Bangkok Thailand Don Muang
BLR Bangalore India Bangalore International
BNE Brisbane Australia Brisbane Internatiol
BOM Mumbai (Bombay) India Santa Cruz
BRU Brussels Belgium Zaventum
BWN Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darusalam Brunei Darusalam International
CAI Cairo Eygpt Cairo International
CAN Guangzhou China Bai Yun
CCU Calcutta India Calcutta
CEB Cebu Philippines Mactan
CHC Christchurch New Zealand Christchurch International
CHI Chicago United States O’Hare International ORD
CMB Colombo Sri Lanka Katunayake
COK Kochi India Cochin International
CPH Copenhagen Denmark Copenhagen
DAC Dhaka Bangladesh Zai International
DEL Delhi India Indira Ghandi
DPS Denpasar Indonesia Ngurah Rai
DRW Darwin Australia Darwin
FRA Frankfurt Germany Rhein Main
FUK Fukuoka Japan Fukuoka
HAN Hanoi Vietnam Noi Bai
HKG Hong Kong Hong Kong Chap Lap Kok
JKT Jakarta Indonesia Soekarno Hatta International CGK
Airline Geography
IATA Conference Areas
TRAVEL ORGANISATIONS
IATA/ICAO Formation

Formed for co-operation &

regulation of air services
world-wide to enhance safety,
growth and efficiency in the
aviation industry.
Travel Organization (India)
DGCA - DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CIVIL
AVIATION

BCAS - BUREAU OF CIVIL AVIATION

SECURITY
DGCA
They are responsible for the administration and
maintenance of airports, aerodromes and the
registration and licensing of aircraft and licensing of
personnel and safety.

The headquarters of the DGCA are located in New

Delhi, with regional offices in various parts of India.
 BCAS.
 Bureau of Civil Aviation Security is a independent department under
the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India which ensures
National Aviation Security.
 It communicates the policy, decisions and directives given by advisory
committee for Civil Aviation Security to the appropriate authorities
for implementation keeps a watch on the enforcement of these
directives at the Airports so as to keep the Government informed.
 It co-ordinates with the Government of the states and the Union
Territories to insure implementation of Security measures contained in
the National Aviation Security.
 Formulates Security schemes indicating measures to be enforced in
normal and high threat situations.
Baggage Tags
 Baggage Tags will start from 2 letter IATA Airlines
code e.g.
SQ x x x x x x
MH x x x x x x
EK x x x x x x
AI x x x x x x
On line Baggage Tag

Information on
Tag:

1. Destination.

2. Tag No.

3. Airlines.

4. Names of
pax

5. Check in
baggage
details.

6. PNR.

7. Date.

8. Flt no.
Heavy Tag

Heavy Tag is
placed when a
single piece is
more than
32kg.

Extra
precaution
should be used
while loading
and offloading
heavy
Baggage and
Cargo.
Priority Baggage Tag

It is placed on the
baggage of
premium passenger
.

Priority Baggage to
be loaded in
separate
container/hold.

Extra care must be

taken while
handling baggage
with priority tag.
Fragile Sticker

These self-
adhesive
stickers are for
use on baggage
which contain
fragile items
requiring care in
handling.

Do not drop or
throw
baggage/cargo
with fragile
stickers.
Aircraft Handling Facilities

 The means of transporting

cargo/baggage to and from aircraft.
 Following equipment are used:
 Container.
 Pallet-container dolley.
 Cargo bulk hold loader.(CBL)
 Baggage trolley.
 Tractor .
 JCPL(Jumbo cargo pallet loader).
Baggage Trolley
Dolley
Electric Tractor
Ground Support Equipment check

 Pre-Operations Safety Check

 Conduct a pre-operations safety check before operating any ground service vehicle to
ensure that:
 All inside and outside lights are in good working condition.
 Steering and brakes, including emergency brakes, are in good working condition.
 Tires are inflated properly and have adequate tread.
 The windshield, if installed, is attached properly, free of cracks and scratches, and
clean.
 Wiper blades are in good working condition.
 Fuel, oil and water levels are sufficient.
 If external damage exists, it will not affect vehicle performance or cause injury to
personnel or damage to other equipment, facilities or aircraft.
 There are no leaks or spills.
 Tow couplings, if installed, are attached properly.
 All hydraulically operated equipment (e.g., conveyor belt) is operative.
 All aircraft protective buffers (bumpers) are in good condition.
Loading/Unloading
Loading Supervisor’s Responsibilities
During aircraft loading, the loading supervisor or his/her designated
representative is responsible for:

 Monitoring the loading of the aircraft until hold doors are closed.
 Working with load control personnel to resolve any discrepancies with the
load or the load instruction report (LIR).
 Stopping the loading of that hold until any discrepancy has been resolved.
 Ensuring that the load in a pre-loaded aircraft is safe and secure.
 Ensuring that the destinations, weights, container numbers and pallet
numbers correspond to the LIR.
 Ensuring that all loads are in the correct position according to the LIR.
Contd.
 Double-checking around no-fit positions to ensure that the
locks are raised.
 Entering the hold to ensure that all locks are raised.
 Confirming with the operator before closing each door that
the load matches the LIR and is restrained correctly.
 Checking that the doorsill locks and lateral guides and/or
webbing are raised.
 Ensuring that hold doors are not reopened after loading
without first advising the flight crew.
 Completing the aircraft loading checklist and the departure
report on the LIR after loading is complete.
Contd.
 Checking the inbound LIR to ensure that all loads for
that airport are unloaded.
 Checking for any load irregularities compared with the
inbound LIR.
 Checking for any locks or restraints that have been left
unsecured.
 Checking each hold, even those that the LIR indicates
are empty.
 Completing an aircraft irregular load report (AILR)
whenever an irregularity is found with an inbound load
and submitting it to the appropriate departments.
Loading Heavy Items.

 Loaded Pallets should not exceed height limit of 64inches onto lower deck.
 When using manual handling procedures, take care when loading or
unloading heavy items. Use load spreaders and restraints to avoid
exceeding aircraft floor loading limits and to prevent damage to the cargo
hold.
 Urgent medical supplies, human remains, live animals and odd-shaped items
that cannot be placed in a container are exceptions. The weight of each
item should be clearly marked and can be loaded in bulk hold.
Loading/Unloading Freighter Aircraft
The following precautions should be taken to prevent tail tipping:

 The loading supervisor should allocate loads in compartments forward of

the CG to obtain proper ground stability.
 Begin loading in the forward compartments.
 Begin unloading in the rear compartments.
 When necessary, use a tail support stanchion to ensure ground stability. Use
a stanchion only if the aircraft manufacturer recommends it for that aircraft
type.
 Pay particular attention to the distribution of the transit load on multi-sector
flights. Where possible, items that will be unloaded first should be loaded
last.
 Do not offload load from front compartment first if rear compartment is
full.
 Handling Wet Cargo

The following types of cargo are considered wet:

 Liquids in watertight containers.

 Wet materials not in watertight containers, such as fish packed in wet ice, fresh meat,
wet hides, etc.
 Items, such as live animals, that may produce liquid.

Take the following precautions when loading or unloading wet cargo:

 Spread plastic sheets or tarpaulins on the aircraft or unit load device (ULD) floor and
walls to catch any leakage or spillage.
 Do not load damaged goods in a ULD or on the aircraft. Examples include packages
with holes or indentations, traces of leakage and defective caps or closure devices.
 Avoid crushing packages when stacking them on several levels.

 Immediately notify the loading supervisor, maintenance personnel or flight crew if

there is any leakage or spillage of liquid. Clean any leakage or spillage before
flight.
Motorized Stairs

Motorized stairs are used to board or deplane

passengers when aerobridges or push-up stairs are
not available or not appropriate. Only
authorized driver should operate the motorized
stairs.
Contd.
Arrival:

 Elevate the rear step and attach and lock the rear safety strap.
 Place the motorized stairs behind the aircraft clearance zone
equipment limit lines before aircraft arrival.
 Approach the aircraft only after the aircraft’s anti-collision beacon
has been turned off. Always observe the “circles of safety.”
 Ensure that the aircraft door is closed and locked when positioning
the stairs.
 Place the stairs with the rubber buffer parallel to the aircraft
fuselage while maintaining a space of about 50 millimeters (two
inches) from the fuselage.
Contd.
Departure:

 Ensure that the passenger door is closed and that no

one is on the stairs.
 Retract the safety rails or canopy.
 Elevate the rear step; attach and lock the rear
safety strap.
 Move the stairs to the designated parking area.
Belt Loaders

Belt loaders are used to move baggage, freight

and mail into and out of the aircraft cargo holds.
Never drive a belt loader with the belt in the raised
position except when making final positioning
adjustments at the aircraft. Always follow the “no
seat, no ride” rule.
Bulk hold Cargo loader(CBL)
Guidelines
Follow these guidelines when approaching an aircraft in a belt
loader:

 Approach only after the aircraft’s anti-collision beacon has been

turned off.
 Position the loader according to the type of aircraft.
 Put the gear selector in “park” and apply the hand brake.
 Raise the belt to a height just below the hold doorsill and keep the
belt 50 millimeters (two inches) from the aircraft.
 Erect the safety handrails.
 Open the hold door and begin loading or unloading.
 Do not stand on CBL.
JCPL
A Jumbo container pallet loaders (JCPL) are used
to load/unload unit load devices (ULDs) and pallets
on widebody aircraft and some narrowbody
aircraft. Line personnel must be thoroughly trained
on the importance of aligning the loader with the
aircraft and on the ULD handling systems of all
aircraft.
Jumbo container pallet loader(JCPL)
Precautions while operating JCPL
 Pallet loaders should have safety rails on the left side of the forward
platform. When operating any pallet loader, line personnel should:

 Verify that the safety rail is in the “down” position before approaching the
aircraft.
 Raise and lock the safety rail only after the pallet loader is in position and
the cargo door is open.
 Adjust the extension arm to within 50 millimeters (two inches) of the
aircraft.
 Retract the extension arm and lower the safety rail before closing the cargo
door.
 Carefully remove the pallet loader from the aircraft.
 Report any malfunctioning or inoperative safety rails to the ground
equipment maintenance department.
Damaged Dangerous Goods
Packages
 Remove dangerous goods packages showing signs of leakage, fumes or other
damage to a safe location, preferably in the open air.
 Wherever possible, use ground service equipment such as forklift vehicles to remove
damaged packages.
 Isolate the vehicle and the dangerous goods, and evacuate personnel from the
immediate area if it is not possible to remove the dangerous goods from the vehicle
or area.
 Immediately inform your supervisor, maintenance personnel and the flight crew of
any spills.
 When handling damaged packages, do not inhale any vapor or fumes or allow the
package contents to contact any part of your body.
 Never load a damaged package, or one suspected of being damaged, into an
aircraft.
 Immediately isolate any damaged packages with radioactive contents. Keep
personnel away until qualified personnel with proper equipment arrive.
Ramp Operations With Empty Aircraft
 Empty aircraft, also called dead aircraft, are those without
passengers or flight crew aboard, and with engines shut off.
Empty aircraft sometimes are towed to and from the gate.
These aircraft may arrive from a maintenance hangar,
another gate or a remote parking area. Empty aircraft also
are pushed back from the gate and then towed to a
maintenance hangar, another gate or a remote parking
area.The supervisor shall ensure that the gate area is ready
for aircraft movement by ensuring that all vehicles and
equipment are outside the aircraft clearance zone
equipment limit lines and that the gate area is clear of
debris.
Closing of Hold Doors
Below precautions needs to be taken before closing
the doors:
 Cross check the loading sequence from LIR.
 Ensure locking/latching & Netting is done.
 Ensure all empty loading equipments are towed
away from Aircraft.
 Ground Engineer is informed about finishing of loading.
 Note down the time at which the hold doors are closed
as it may be required in filling in reports.
Tagging of Pallets & containers

 All ULDs loaded into the aircraft MUST be tagged

with the appropriate container or pallet tag.
 AKE/ALF’s containing baggage must be tagged
with the container tag with the red stripe across the
tag.
 AKE/ALF’s containing cargo must be tagged with
the container tag without the red stripe across it.
Contd.
The tagging of AKEs prior to loading into the aircraft also
involves:
 Indicating the status of loads in the AKEs.

 The various load and volume information codes are given on

the loading instructions report form.
 For empty containers old tags can be used by crossing out
the front and using the reverse side which says ‘EMPTY”.
 Empty pallets need not be tagged.

 Damaged ULDs being sent to GSD for repairs must be

tagged with the “DO NOT USE UNSERVICEABLE” Tag.
ULD load volume codes.
 0- No Volume available in ULD.

 1- Quarter Volume available in ULD.

 2 - Half Volume available in ULD.

 3- Three quarter volume available in ULD.

Load information codes.
 B- Baggage.
 C- Cargo.
 M- Mail.
 D- Crew Baggage.
 E- Equipments.(Flight spares)
 N- No ULD space.
 X- Empty ULD.
 T- Transfer load.
 Q – Courier.
 U- Unserviceable ULD.
Loading Precautions.
 The cargo pallets (or empty pallets) must be loaded
first in compartment 2.For empty pallets, a pallet
net must accompany each pallet.
 Priority baggage/Container must be loaded
separately . The loading position of the Priority
baggage AKE is position 43L. If there are 2 priority
baggage AKEs, then the second AKE must be
loaded in position 42R.
Contd.
 If and when empty containers have to be loaded,
they must be loaded inside in compartment 3,
followed by cargo containers.
 The Security container MUST always be loaded in
position 43R. The status and load information for
the service container MUST be indicated as “S".
Security container has locker and is used for
stowage of valuables/DIP/urgent documents/crew
baggage.
Offloading Precautions.
 If two lower deck loaders (FMC) are available for
offloading, the aircraft may be offloaded
simultaneously from the forward and aft holds.
Caution and care must be exercised to ensure that
offloading from the forward hold is not excessively
faster than the offloading from the aft hold.
 If one lower deck loader is available then the aft
hold must be offloaded first as a precaution against
“tipping” and also for service reasons.
LIR (loading instruction report)
 LIR (Loading instruction report) is issued by load
control department to Ramp Supervisor.LIR is an
accountable document which guides as how loading
will take place.
 LIR consist of :
 Flt details.
 Distribution of joining dead load(Baggage/cargo).
 Transit load.
NOTOC(Notification to Captain)
 NOTOC is the official and accountable document
issued by Load control/Cargo department to notify
the Captain of Aircraft when ever there is special
load being carried onto that particular Aircraft.
 NOTOC is issued when:
 AVI is carried.
 DIP is carried.
 Valuable cargo is carried.
 Dangerous Goods is carried.
 HUM is carried.
Ramp Messages
 After flight takes off few important messages needs
to be sent to down line station.i.e LDM/CPM .
 LDM is load distribution message which advise as
how load in narrow body aircraft is loaded.
 CPM is container pallet message which advise as
what are the position of containers/pallet onto
Aircraft.
ULD Numbering
All ULDs are identified by:

 3-Alpha/Numeric Characters e.g. AKE, PAG

 4 or 5 Numeric (or Serial Number) e.g. 0210
 2-Letter Airlines Code e.g. SQ

 Note:

 Numeric Characters - is an indication of the size and shape of the ULD

 The 2-Letter Airline Code - indicates which airline the ULD belongs to.