Swissport intends to acquire a majority stake in Giraldo Hermanos International, or GHI for short. GHI is a Colombian provider of ground handling and cargo services with operations in Bogotá and Medellín. The agreement is binding, but completion is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Colombia is particularly attractive for air cargo. Flowers must be transported quickly and under refrigeration, pharmaceutical shipments require controlled processes, and in e-commerce, short transit times are critical. According to Swissport, Colombia was Latin America's second-largest international air cargo market in 2025. Approximately 500,000 tonnes of air cargo were moved between Colombia and the United States.
GHI serves customers including Copa Airlines, Air Europa, Solar Cargo, and FedEx. With Swissport as majority owner, the local network could be more closely integrated with international standards, IT systems, and customer contracts. This could provide airlines with greater choice. However, no immediate changes to capacity or pricing have been announced.
For freight forwarders, it remains crucial which handling agent is named on the air waybill and in the station instructions. For temperature-controlled shipments, handovers, cooling times, and liability should continue to be clearly defined. Only after completion will it become evident how substantially Swissport will actually change processes and facilities.