Saving up to 500 phone calls a day, discovering turnaround trends, and collaboratively finding solutions. Swissport colleagues Nathalie Ramdjan, Duty Manager and Marc Landsman, Key Account Manager, share how Deep Turnaround has empowered ground handling. They explain how having access to accurate turnaround data, anytime and everywhere, has improved ground operations.
A working day in the life of Ramdjan is never a boring one. As soon as her shift starts at six in the morning at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, it’s go-time. Together with her 12 platform coordinators, she’s responsible for all aircraft turnarounds. Dynamic conditions at the airport, a busy European airspace, and challenging weather are just a few things she deals with almost every day.
In the midst of all the chaos, Deep Turnaround is an ally that makes her life a lot easier: “During peak days, we handle about 40–50 aircraft per day. Before using Deep Turnaround, I estimate we were making up to 500 calls daily—to check in, align, and notify each other. It wasn’t very efficient for me to constantly try to reach people at the ramp. That takes a lot of time. And it’s also not helpful for my colleagues, who are already very busy on the ramp, working hard to ensure we finish the turnaround on time.
Deep Turnaround provides me the information I need without having to call them. And if I do need to phone someone, my question is much more precise. For example, instead of asking for a general status update of the turnaround, I can now ask why the rear door isn’t closing.”
As Key Account Manager, Marc Landsman is responsible for ensuring TUI’s aircraft turnarounds meet the Service Level Agreements (SLAs). He wants to ensure everything is done to achieve a high On-Time Performance percentage. But even with the best preparations and systems in place, unexpected issues can arise.
What’s crucial for Landsman is knowing about potential issues as soon as possible. That’s where Deep Turnaround notifications and alerts come in. “I’m a frequent Deep Turnaround app user. Some people spend a lot of time on Instagram; I spend a lot of time on Deep Turnaround. The app allows me to easily select flights I want to ‘follow.’ In my case, I track all of TUI’s flights. It means I receive an alert if there is a potential delay.
Sometimes, this alert helps us accelerate a turnaround—for example, if we know we’re waiting for cargo, and a quick call can expedite the process. And if a delay does occur, I can inform TUI proactively. I use the app every day.”
But it’s not just in the heat of the moment where Deep Turnaround provides value. It also makes life easier for both Ramdjan and Landsman after a turnaround has taken place.
SLAs are in place with all of Swissport’s customer airlines. Swissport is responsible for all turnaround activities, except for catering, and fuelling.
In the case of a delay, Ramdjan can look at the data and identify the cause. By being transparent and having accurate data, it’s much easier to understand what went wrong and how to resolve it. This quickly creates a mutual understanding of what exactly happened: “The other day, Cleaning informed us that we had forgotten to connect the stairs at the back of the plane. A quick look at the data showed that the stairs were clearly there and connected. A simple screenshot of the data like that saves a lot of time for everyone.”
Landsman adds that he regularly analyses the data to find improvement opportunities: “We analyse hundreds of different delay codes. If we’re seeing a lot of Code 35s, we know something isn’t going quite right with the cleaning process. We can plan actions and improvements. The insights we gain help us work more efficiently and plan better. That’s also part of my responsibilities as I’m focused on operational excellence.
And about delay codes—since we have accurate data, the codes themselves have become more accurate, as we are now better at specifying delay reasons.”
Before working with Deep Turnaround, only the people on the ramp knew the exact status of a turnaround. Thanks to Deep Turnaround, anyone can now see the status of a turn, anywhere in the world.
Landsman explains: “All operational colleagues can see the status of a turn. For example, colleagues working at the Operational Control Centre, at Departures, or the baggage team. I can even check it after work while I’m making dinner, and also in the weekends!”
With Deep Turnaround, Swissport is proving that the power of data and collaboration can transform even the most dynamic challenges into seamless operations, ensuring everyone has the visibility to keep things moving. And, Landsman mentions that there’s more to come: “We are collaborating closely with the Deep Turnaround team to provide clear visibility on when the preconditioned air is connected and when passenger boarding is complete. Access to this information will further enhance the efficiency of our operations. It’s always evolving, just like Deep Turnaround!”
Note: Deep Turnaround is implemented at, and supporting, multiple airports. If your airport is also looking for ways to improve turnaround operations through insights and collaboration, please request a Deep Turnaround demonstration.
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