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Zintia Tobar, CFO and Commercial ManagerA leading ground service provider, LAATS integrates multiple airport services—from ramp handling and passenger services to line maintenance and FBO operations—within one operational structure, improving responsiveness, delay recovery coordination and overall safety performance.
“Our operational culture is built on accountability and situational awareness, and that’s what sets us apart. We execute procedures with a complete understanding of how each decision affects safety, airline performance and the passenger experience,” says Zintia Tobar, CFO and commercial manager.
LAATS remains 100 percent Guatemalan-owned while competing against multinational handlers across the region. American Airlines, Copa Airlines and Aeromexico have each recognized the company with Best Station awards tied to turnaround performance and reliability.
Coordinated Ground Operations
LAATS operates as an operational partner rather than a conventional service provider. It obtained ISAGO certification in 2011, years before it became common across Central America. Today, its operation follows procedures aligned with ISAGO, IATA AHM, IGOM and airline-specific requirements.
Real-time coordination is one of the most critical aspects of ground handling, especially in operations with short turnaround windows and high operational pressure. At LAATS, ramp crews, cargo personnel and maintenance staff work through a centralized Operations Control Center, tracking flights, resources, timing and emerging deviations.
LAATS has also developed its own Integrated Operational System, SIO, consolidating flight assignments, service progression and resource allocation into one interface shared between airline representatives and internal teams. The platform improves operational traceability, reporting and real-time decision-making across active flight operations.
Investing Beyond Immediate Airport Requirements
LAATS builds its training structure around recurrent instruction, field supervision, practical evaluations and simulation exercises. Crew Chiefs are continuously evaluated through airline- and aircraft-specific operational checklists during aircraft handling. GSE operators also undergo repeated evaluations across different handling scenarios to ensure operational compliance and full equipment proficiency.
One of LAATS' many defining characteristics is pursuing projects many consider too ambitious for the region. In 2020, it opened Guatemala’s only dedicated FBO facility, filling a gap that had existed for more than three decades in the country’s private aviation sector. The facility now operates under IS-BAH Stage 2 and Safety 1st certifications.
Its commitment to sustainability and GSE modernization has followed a similar path. LAATS became an early adopter of electric ground support equipment in Central America. It currently operates more than 15 electric units, including the region’s first Lektro vehicle dedicated to FBO activity.
Rather than waiting for airport infrastructure to evolve, LAATS invested in its own charging and electrical systems to support electric GSE deployment. The company is now moving forward with an additional investment involving more than 20 electric GSE units, reflecting its long-term commitment to modernizing airport operations across the region.
Competing against multinational providers, LAATS has demonstrated that a 100 percent Guatemalan company can sustain international standards across safety, coordination and service quality—and keep raising them.
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Company
LAATS
Management
Zintia Tobar, CFO and Commercial Manager and Mario Juarez, CEO
Description
LAATS is a 100 percent Guatemalan ground handling company with more than 25 years of experience providing integrated ramp handling, passenger services, cargo support, aviation security, line maintenance and FBO services across Guatemala’s primary international airports.