Celebi Aviation Holding is a Turkish company that provides integrated ground handling services to the aviation industry. Established in 1958, it was the first privately-owned ground handling services company in Turkey. Today, Celebi operates on three continents, in six countries, at over 60 stations and employs more than 13,000 people. Celebi offers a wide range of services, including ramp, passenger and cargo handling, warehouse management, bridge operations, trucking, general aviation, airport lounge management, and premium services.
In India, Celebi's presence grew to include three different entities. The company's first venture in India was a joint venture with a mandate to provide services at Mumbai International Airport. Within a year, Celebi was registered in India to provide ground handling as Celebi Airport Services India and cargo services as Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India at Delhi International Airport. Over the last 10 years, these stations have grown to a total of nine airports in India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Ahmedabad, and Chennai.
Celebi Airport Services India offers passenger services from check-in to lost luggage assistance, load control and flight operations, ramp services, general aviation services, cargo and postal services, warehouse services, and bridge operations. Ramp services include loading and unloading, passenger and crew transportation, aircraft towing, and cabin cleaning. The company also handles approximately 70% of the ground operations at Mumbai Airport. In 2023, Celebi was the exclusive ground handler for the G20 movement in Delhi. Prior to its security clearance revocation, Celebi managed 540,000 tons of cargo across 58,000 flights annually. It employed 7,800 employees in India.
On May 15, 2025, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revoked the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd with immediate effect. The order, issued by the BCAS, cited "the interest of national security" as the reason for the revocation. The security clearance for Celebi was initially approved on November 21, 2022.
The revocation of Celebi's security clearance came amid rising tensions between India and Turkey. This followed Turkey's support for Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, where India conducted strikes on terror camps. There were also concerns about the use of Turkish drones by Pakistan against India. Some also alleged links between the company and the Turkish government. Shiv Sena staged protests at Mumbai airport demanding that Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) remove Celebi as its ground handling agency.
Following the security clearance revocation, airports served by Celebi are making interim arrangements with alternate ground handling agencies. Fresh tenders are expected to be issued to appoint new service providers at the nine airports where Celebi operates. Other ground handlers, such as AISATS and Bird Group, will need to fill the void left by Celebi.
