Lisbon, Oct. 1, 2026 (Lusa) - The government has extended the licences for ground handling services at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports for up to two years from 26 October, according to a decree published in the 'Diário da República'.
The licences for this service, which Menzies (SPdH), formerly Groundforce, currently provides, may therefore «be extended for a total period not exceeding two years, starting from 26 October 2026, subject to a reasoned order by the government minister responsible for infrastructure, in the event that the procedure for awarding the new licences is ongoing, that the licences' validity is under review, or that the operational transition to the new providers is still in progress and requires further measures to ensure the continuity and safety of airport operations».
The authorities have already extended the licences previously, as the regulator's tender for their award is still ongoing.
The latest extension runs until 25 October, with the government stating that «the tender procedure for the award of the new licences has been the subject of legal proceedings, whilst the need to ensure the continuity of airport operations remains, particularly during periods of high operational pressure».
The aviation regulator has excluded the Spanish consortium Union South from the tender for ground handling at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports and has called on SPdH, formerly Groundforce and controlled by Menzies, to proceed with the process.
In a statement issued in July, the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) explained that it had decided to uphold the exclusion of the consortium comprising Clece and South Europe Ground Services, the ground handling company of the Iberia group, as it had announced in its preliminary decision.
The consortium had submitted the highest-ranked bid to provide ground handling services at the three main national airports over the next seven years, ahead of SPdH.
According to the regulator, the Spanish consortium needed to provide further evidence of «compliance with the requirements of the licensing phase, as indicated in the bid it submitted and as required in the tender specifications, particularly with regard to demonstrating the mobilisation of the necessary resources».
As some trade unions reported, the Spanish consortium faced challenges in recruiting staff.
After excluding the Spanish consortium, the regulator determined that «the bidder ranked second should be selected». Consequently, the regulator asked SPdH to submit the qualification documents.
The tender has been the subject of legal disputes, after SPdH challenged in court the procedure that initially placed the Clece/South consortium first.
ALN/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
