Ground handling at Brussels Airport is provided by external service provider responsible for key services, such as catering and baggage handling. Brussels Airport, whose licences for five categories of ground-handling are due to expire by the end of October 2020, launched a selection procedure in early 2024 in order to award new licenses. The Brussels Airport Company has now granted new licences to all restricted categories.
These new licences are valid for seven-year periods. Sustainability played a major role in addition to the usual criteria for selection, with specific requirements regarding electrification. This initiative forms part of Brussels Airport’s broader goal to electrify all ground operations – a goal supported by a grant from the European Commission under the BREEZE programme.
Brussels Airport, whose current licences for five categories of ground handling expire in October 20, 2025, initiated the selection process in mid-February, 2024, to appoint providers in five categories where only a small number of operators is permitted.
Gate Gourmet Belgium NV had already received a first license in December in the “catering transportation” category. A new selection process for the second licence is underway because no other candidate has met the minimum requirements and at least two handlers are required to be licensed in the category.
Brussels Airport Company took a decision on the four other categories on March 27. The following providers will receive licences valid between October 2025 and October 2032.
- Baggage handling: Aviapartner Belgium NV and Alyzia SAS
- Ramp handling for passenger aircraft: Aviapartner Belgium NV and Alyzia SAS
- Ramp handling for full-freighter aircraft: Aviapartner Cargo NV, dnata NV and Menzies Aviation Holding Limited
- Freight and mail transport: Aviapartner Cargo NV, Alyzia SAS and dnata NV
- Catering transport: Gate Gourmet Belgium NV (announced on 17 December 2024) – selection process for a second provider ongoing
Electrification is a selection criteria
The proposals were evaluated according to a series objective criteria in compliance with current legislation, ensuring safe, proper and quality ground services.
Sustainability criteria were also included in the selection criteria. Specific criteria have been built into the selection process to focus on the electrification rolling stock. This is in line with the new environmental permit for the airport, which stipulates 80% of all airside vehicles have to be electrified by 2030 or replaced by zero emission alternatives.
Brussels Airport Company facilitates ground operations electricification
These electrification initiatives cannot be carried out solely by service providers. Brussels Airport Company, as the airport operator plays a crucial role in facilitating the electrification.
Currently, nearly half of the 600 airside vehicles – most operated by external partners – are already electric. To accelerate the electrification of ground operations and facilitate the energy transition, Brussels Airport has secured 7.2 million euros in funding from the European Commission for its BREEZE programme (‘Brussels Airport Electrification for Zero Emissions’). By December 2027 the BREEZE Programme aims at installing over 300 charging station using a distributed approach to maximise energy-efficiency and reduce unnecessary movement for heavy vehicles. The project includes supplying electricity to aircrafts that are stationary.
In order to meet the increasing electricity demand, the airport is also strengthening the electrical grid, installing new high voltage cabins, and expanding the on-site power production, including additional solar panels, with a total output of 5MWp.
“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.” Arnaud Faist, CEO at Brussels Airport, said that the airport plays a vital role in enabling airlines and ground handlers electrify and decarbonise airside vehicles as well as their fleets.
