As five of its existing licences are set to expire at the end of October 2025, Brussels Airport Company has awarded new ground handling licences, valid for seven years.

Ground handling at Brussels Airport is provided by external providers responsible for services like baggage handling and catering. With the upcoming expirations, the airport company began the selection procedure in mid-February 2024 to appoint service providers in five categories, where only a limited number of operators are permitted.

The first license was awarded in December to Gate Gourmet Belgium NV for the ‘catering transport’ category, with a new selection process underway to award the second, since at least two handlers must be licenced in the category.

On March 27, 2025, the airport company selected providers for the other four categories.

Aviapartner Belgium NV and Alyzia SAS received the baggage handling licenses, as well as for ramp handling for passenger aircraft.

The licences for ramp handling for full freighter aircraft went to Aviapartner Cargo NV, dnata NV, and Menzies Aviation Holding Limited. Both dnata NV and Aviapartner Cargo NV have also been licensed for freight and mail transport, along with Alyzia SAS.

The licence proposals were evaluated based on a series of criteria compliant with current legislation to ensure safe, proper, and high-quality ground services for airlines.

In addition to the usual selection criteria, there have also been particular focus and specification requirements on the electrification of rolling stock, as sustainability plays an increasingly important role in the industry.

The emphasis on sustainability also aligns with Brussels Airport’s new environmental permit which states that 80% of airside vehicles must be electrified or replaced by zero-emissions alternatives by 2030.

Nearly half of the 600 airside vehicles are already electric, but to accelerate the electrification of ground operations and facilitate the energy transition, the airport has secured €7.2 million in funding from the European Commission for its BREEZE ((Brussels Airport Electrification for Zero Emissions) programs.

Brussels Airport will also reinforce the electrical grid with new high-voltage cabins and expand on-site electricity production, including the installation of additional solar panels with a total capacity of 5 MWp.

Arnaud Feist, chief executive of Brussels Airport, commented: “With the BREEZE programme, Brussels Airport aims to strengthen its role as a pioneer in sustainability – a role already embraced through the EU Green Deal’s Stargate project – and speed up the decarbonisation of all airport operations.

“We play a crucial role in enabling ground handlers and airlines to electrify their fleet and airside vehicles and decarbonise their operations.”