Brussels Airport Company awards new ground handling licences

At Brussels Airport, ground handling is provided by external service providers responsible for key services such as baggage handling and catering transport. As the licences in five categories of ground handling are set to expire at the end of October 2025, Brussels Airport launched a selection process in early 2024 to award new licences. Following this procedure, Brussels Airport Company has granted new licences for all restricted categories. These new licences will be valid for seven years. In addition to the usual selection criteria, sustainability played an important role, with specific requirements on 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.

As the current licences in five ground handling categories expire in October 2025, Brussels Airport initiated the selection procedure in mid-February 2024 to appoint service providers in five categories, where only a limited number of operators are permitted.

A first licence had already been awarded in December to Gate Gourmet Belgium NV in the “catering transport” category. Since no other candidate met the minimum requirements, and at least two handlers must be licensed in this category, a new selection process is currently underway to award the second licence.

On 27 March, Brussels Airport Company made decisions on the four other categories. The following providers were selected and will receive licences valid from late October 2025 until October 2032:

Electrification as a selection criterion

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

The selection criteria also included sustainability requirements. Particular focus has been placed on the electrification of rolling stock, with specific criteria built into the procedure. This is aligned with the airport’s new environmental permit, which stipulates that 80% of airside vehicles must be electrified or replaced by zero-emission alternatives by 2030.

Brussels Airport Company as a facilitator of ground operations electrification

These electrification efforts cannot be carried out by service providers alone. As the airport operator, Brussels Airport Company plays a key facilitating role in the electrification of ground operations.

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 in funding from the European Commission for its BREEZE programme (‘Brussels Airport Electrification for Zero Emissions’). By December 2027, the BREEZE programme aims to install over 300 charging stations using a decentralised approach to maximise energy efficiency and reduce unnecessary movement of heavy vehicles. The project also encompasses supplying electricity to stationary aircrafts.

To meet the growing electricity needs, the 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.

“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”, says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.