Dubai’s dnata launches passenger services at New York-JFK airport

Dubai-based air service provider dnata has launched passenger handling operations at New York-JFK Airport, it announced on Wednesday.

The launch customer is Copa Airlines, the flag carrier of Panama, which operates four daily flights with an annual capacity of 364,000 passengers between New York and Panama City using the Boeing 737 aircraft.

Dnata – which is part of the Emirates group – has been awarded with over 40 new contracts in the US in the past 12 months and currently provides ground handling to over 50 airlines in the country.

Including Copa Airlines, dnata’s global ground handling operations now serve over 270 airlines at 75 airports in 13 countries.

David Barker, CEO of dnata USA, said: “Expanding our passenger services portfolio is part of our overall strategy to offer a full range of quality ground handling services in all of our 27 airports in the country.”

Dnata currently offers ground handling, cargo, travel, and flight catering services in 85 countries and has over 300 airline customers around the world.

Each day, the company handles over 1,800 flights, carries over 8,400 tonnes of cargo, assists over 240,000 passengers, books over 21,000 hotel stays, and uplifts over 320,000 meals.

The company is continuing to expand and last week announced that it had acquired Tropo, a Germany-based tour operator, from ProSiebenSat.1 Group for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition marked dnata’s entry into the German market.

The purchase agreement also includes TV media volume worth several million euros for 2018 and 2019.