In the January issue of PGL’s Aviation Review, we reported that 2024 marked a record year for Polish aviation. Polish airports handled 59.5 million passengers, and LOT Polish Airlines, which belongs to our Group, carried 10.7 million passengers. Both results were the best ever recorded. However, this success would not have been possible without efficient handling services at Chopin Airport and regional airports. LS Airport Services (LSAS) specialises in this type of service within the Polish Aviation Group, and today we will take a closer look at its activities and planned developments.
In 2024, LSAS handled over 9.89 million passengers and 6.29 million pieces of baggage, which represented an increase of 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year. As a result, the number of passengers handled has almost reached pre-pandemic levels. Most of the LSAS’s operations were based at Warsaw Airport.
Busy year of 2024. Chopin keeps up the standard
– 2024 was a period of intense yet well-planned and executed operational efforts for our Company. We handled approximately 10 million passengers, which is an increase of nearly 1 million compared to 2023. We were prepared both in terms of manpower and equipment to handle the increased passenger traffic – says Marcin Warsicki, Member of the Board For Operations at LS Airport Services S.A.
At the same time, he stresses the key importance of earlier investments in equipment and well-designed operational processes, which have enabled the company to maintain a high efficiency level. He also points out that one of the major challenges were slot restrictions, which led to some operational disruptions, especially during peak traffic hours.
– Poland, and Warsaw in particular, rank really well when compared to other European airports. We maintain high service quality standards and our teams are regularly trained to meet the growing expectations of both airlines and passengers. It is worth noting that despite the dynamic traffic growth, we did not experience any serious irregularities, which proves the stability and maturity of our operational structures – adds Ewelina Mordarska, Manager of LSAS Handling Warsaw Branch.
The key to success was right HR policy and well-trained staff, as well as cooperation with the Airport’s Management Board and airlines.
– One of the most frequent challenges was the extended waiting time for passenger check-in and baggage claim, especially during peak hours. In cooperation with the Airport, we took measures aimed at better coordination of passenger traffic, including earlier check-in where possible. The increase in the number of operations and passengers did not adversely affect the process continuity, which confirms the effectiveness of our preparations and flexibility in operation. Chopin Airport maintained a high standard of service comparable to the largest airports in Central and Eastern Europe.– stresses Ewelina Mordarska.
Meanwhile, LSAS is investing in new equipment as well. In 2025, modern, more comfortable passenger buses were introduced in Warsaw. In the near future, a new towbarless tug and puller tugs will also join the Company’s fleet, which will significantly improve operational efficiency. As in previous years, we are working closely with Fryderyk Chopin Airport to implement the necessary improvements and adapt to dynamic operating conditions. Our priority is to maintain process continuity and provide a high standard of service during the expected holiday traffic peak
Ewelina Mordarska
Dyrektor Oddziału Handling Warszawa
LSAS ready for another record-breaking summer
There is every reason to believe that the coming summer and the whole year will also be record-breaking. Chopin Airport has already reported its highest passenger numbers for the first quarter of this year, with similar figures for regional airports.
LSAS forecasts an increase in employment for the 2025 summer season compared to the 2024 summer season of approximately 6 percent across the entire company. We are well aware of the growing expectations and scale of traffic, which is why we have commenced preparations well in advance, focusing on both human resources and equipment – continues the LSAS Member of the Board.
LSAS invests
LSAS currently operates a fleet of over 1,600 units of specialised ground support equipment (GSE), including both electric and combustion-powered models. In view of the challenges related to the need to adapt its operations to the changing environmental standards in force/being introduced by the European Union, the Company has prepared a GSE equipment purchasing strategy for the coming years, focusing on investments in low-emission equipment and vehicles.
– Responding to the steady growth in the number of operations, we are developing a long-term investment plan, whose key elements include the expansion of the cargo terminal and the construction of new service facilities for GSE equipment. Meanwhile, we continue to implement our strategy of upgrading and expanding our equipment fleet. We invest in cutting-edge solutions, focusing on the electrification of our machine park. Just recently, we have purchased new loading platforms, boarding stairs and passenger buses,
which will significantly improve passenger comfort and working conditions.
We have also expanded our equipment fleet with a towbarless tug and electric towing tractors, which will improve ground handling and contribute to reducing exhaust emissions – explains Marcin Warsicki, Member of the Board of LSAS.
Interestingly enough, LSAS, together with ORLEN S.A. and a consortium of 17 partners, has joined the international HySPARK project, which was the first in Poland to receive funding from the EU’s Clean Hydrogen Partnership. The funds secured under the project will be used, inter alia, to manufacture hydrogen vehicles and test them for the purposes of Chopin Airport. The use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source will reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles used by LSAS employees on the airport apron.
However, investing in equipment is only part of the story. LSAS is also going through a tech revamp and is working on a new operating system to make ground handling more efficient in terms of managing staff, working hours, and GSE equipment.
– The GSE purchasing strategy developed by the Company is also in line with the assumptions of the PGL Capital Group’s Decarbonisation Strategy as regards the need to comply with the requirements of the Green Deal as key challenges for PGL and the Group companies. In accordance with its provisions, when replacing vehicles, the Company strives to acquire primarily electric or low-emission vehicles. The infrastructure of the airports where LSAS operates may prove to pose a particular challenge for the Company, as it allows only limited use of electric vehicles (due to insufficient power sources), over which the Company has no influence
Marcin Warsicki
członek zarządu ds. operacyjnych
LS Airport Services
Chopin Airport is growing
Most of the GSE equipment used by LSAS is, of course, located at the capital’s airport, and this is where the largest investments are planned. Currently, the Warsaw Handling Branch operates a fleet of over 1,200 vehicles. The strategy adopted by LSAS provides for an increase in the fleet by approximately 20 percent by 2030, which means that LSAS’s equipment base in Warsaw will include almost 1,500 pieces of handling equipment.
In line with the aforementioned decarbonisation strategy adopted by LSAS, 30 percent of the company’s fleet should be electrically powered. This will result in an increase in the Company’s demand for power supply points in the infrastructure of the capital’s airport.
– The observed increase in flight operations and the planned expansion of the fleet require LS Airport Services S.A. to increase employment, and also necessitate investments aimed at increasing the operational area and rest and refreshment area. As part of the long-term development strategy, a new GSE workshop at Warsaw Airport is also planned and expected to be completed by 2028. However, LSAS wants to invest outside Warsaw too. The remaining branches of the Company will be supplied with new hardware units intended for operational use – adds Warsicki.
LS Airport Services S.A. is Poland’s largest ground handling agent, providing services for passenger, private, business, military, and government aircraft. With over 15 years of continuous operation, the company has become a leader in the handling industry, distinguishing itself through a wide range of services and high operational quality. The Company operates at four Poland’s biggest airports in: Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, and Katowice. It regularly delivers its comprehensive services to over 50 carriers worldwide. Through its shareholding in WRO-LOT Airport Services Sp. z o.o., the company also has a presence at Wrocław Airport, extending its operational reach.
The company plays a key role in the cargo handling sector, managing Poland’s largest CARGO Terminal located in Warsaw, as well as handling air freight at the company’s Cargo Branch in Katowice. The wide range of services includes handling of special cargo, such as: AVI – transport of animals, DGR – dangerous materials, VAL – valuable cargo, PER – perishable cargo, CTR – cargo requiring a cold chain, RFS – reloading of air cargo onto trucks. With its highly trained staff and modern technological facilities, LSAS provides comprehensive services for all types of cargo transported by air.
The company employs more than 3,000 people, making it one of the largest employers in the Polish aviation sector.
As part of the PGL Capital Group, LS Airport Services S.A. (PGL S.A. holds 100 percent of the Company’s shares), plays a key role in the Polish aviation sector offering comprehensive handling and cargo services, all delivered to the highest standards. With many years of experience, extensive infrastructure, and a broad range of services, the company is reinforcing its position as an industry leader, contributing to the growth of Poland’s aviation market.
