IMPORTS and exports of vital cargo supplies including medical equipment could be put at risk unless the Government provides urgent and significant supports for the country's airport ground handling firms, according to representatives for the companies. Income continuance and designating the work as an essential service during the pandemic are two of the key requests made this week by the ground handling firms to ministers including Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Transport Minister Shane Ross. The main ground handling firms here - Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), Swissport, Menzies and Aer Lingus owner IAG - employ about 1,400 people at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports. With airlines facing their own liquidity issues, the ground handling firms are suffering from late payments, which are exacerbating their own financial difficulties. Aside from pharmaceutical firms, air cargo users in Ireland include companies such as Apple, EMC, Danone and Intel.

Source: Irish Independent March 24, 2020 02:26 UTC