dnata invests $48 million in 340+ ground support equipment assets in Dubai. Post Date: Oct 12, 2026 Dubai (PlantAndEquipment.com) - dnata has invested AED175 million ($47.7 million) in over 340 new ground support equipment (GSE) assets in the UAE, extending and updating its fleet to support increased aircraft operations at Dubai's airports. The investment includes equipment for Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), where dnata presently runs about 2,800 motorized GSE units. The main emphasis is on expanding aircraft pushback and towing capability, as well as modernizing aircraft loaders and other ground handling equipment. The new loaders have enhanced working-at-height safety measures and AI-enabled cameras that identify possible risks underneath loading platforms. dnata is also experimenting with technologies such as automated aircraft docking systems and 3D printing for specific equipment components to boost maintenance efficiency and fleet availability. The investment comes as Dubai prepares for a significant expansion of aviation operations at Al Maktoum International Airport, which will increase the need for airplane handling equipment, towing trucks, and cargo loading systems. Dnata runs over 4,700 motorized GSE assets worldwide and offers ground handling and cargo services at 86 airports. During the fiscal year 2025-26, the corporation handled over 888,000 airplane turnarounds and moved 3.2 million tons of freight over its network.

dnata appoints Siobhán Meaney as MD of Catering and Retail in Ireland. A Monitor Report Dubai: dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, has appointed Siobhán Meaney as Managing Director of its Catering and Retail business in Ireland, effective 1 October 2026. Siobhán succeeds Andrew Whitworth, who is leaving the business after more than 10 years of successful service with dnata. In her new role, Siobhán will oversee dnata's Catering and Retail operations in Ireland, with responsibility for the company's people, customers, operations and continued growth in the market. Siobhán steps into the position from within dnata Ireland's leadership team, where she has served as Finance Director for almost eight years. Prior to joining dnata, Siobhán was an Associate Director at CPL Group Plc. A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), she brings extensive financial and commercial expertise, alongside an in-depth understanding of dnata's business, customers and operations in Ireland. Based at Dublin Airport Logistics Park, dnata provides inflight catering and retail services to seven international airlines across three airports in Ireland. Collectively, its facilities span 9,100 square metres and can produce up to 40,000 meals per day Air Travel Globally, dnata's Catering and Retail division operates from more than 60 locations worldwide with a team of over 10,000 catering professionals. In the 2025-26 financial year, the division uplifted 115.3 million meals, while its onboard retail operations supported 28.4 million transactions annually.

dnata highlights lessons learnt from challenging Schiphol opening. The need to manage the speed and phasing of the implementation of new technologies was one of dnata's key learnings from the challenging opening of its highly automated facility at Schiphol Airport. The highly automated and tech-based facility was opened in July 2025 and initially faced operational challenges with data issues across various systems. Speaking at the Aviation Connect event in Athens, dnata chief cargo officer Guillaume Crozier said that the key challenges of moving to the new facility were the ramp-up of volumes, systems and people, and limited data visibility and performance insight. The recovery involved stabilisation of operations and the transfer of all volumes from the previous facility, using data and dashboards to drive decision-making, improving end-to-end collaboration and establishing KPIs. On the key lessons learned, Crozier highlighted the importance of early operational readiness through the use of simulations, having data from day one, having clear governance and working closely with key stakeholders. Providing more detail, Crozier said that it is perhaps not always best to implement too much automation and new technology at the same time and instead take a phased approach. "It sounds right in terms of planning," he said. "It will be a big leap, so to have all of that together, it makes sense. "As it is an end-to-end process, you think end to end - if you start automating one thing, you want to cover it throughout the process. "Reflecting on the situation, maybe not always. [Management of the] pace of innovation you are delivering, especially when it is something that has not been seen in the market, is potentially better." He highlighted the use of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and the need to make sure that companies understand the flow around them before they are put into use. Another learning point was the timeline of the project and making sure there is enough buffer built in for unexpected setbacks. Elsewhere, Crozier highlighted the importance of local market knowledge, as there is a lot of local specificity that cannot be managed from overseas. Contingency planning, change management and training were also key to making large automation projects a success, he said. Overall, he said the facility is now "ticking nicely" with good feedback from the local market. He added that automation of handling facilities is becoming increasingly important as recruitment becomes more challenging. The 61,000 sq m facility is highly automated with automated storage and retrieval, AGVs, Elevated Transfer Vehicles (ETV), smart gates, weight and dimension systems, automated storage and retrieval, forklift guidance systems and truck management systems.