This week, over 170 suppliers filled Lisbon’s FIL with the next generation of ground support equipment. Two themes stood above the rest: batteries replacing diesel and drivers stepping out of the cab.
Electrification
From ambulifts to tugs, buses and catering trucks, nearly every stand had a battery-powered version on show, which was often the headline exhibit. This therefore reflects an ongoing demand to decarbonise airports from the ground up.
Automation
At GSE Expo, autonomous towing was also showcased as having moved from concept to convoy, led by partnerships like TLD Robotics’ work with EasyMile and TractEasy.
This technology could help airports automate repetitive baggage and cargo movements between terminals, aircraft and logistics areas, reducing the need for staff to carry out routine driving tasks. It could also support more predictable vehicle movements, improve operational efficiency and allow ground handling teams to focus on tasks that require human oversight and intervention.
Taken together, the equipment on display showed how airport ground operations are moving towards a model that is less dependent on diesel and manual driving, while placing greater emphasis on efficiency, safety and lower-emission operations.
