The company Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (Aena), which controls most of Spain's airports (43 airports and 2 heliports) with the exception of the private ones, has launched a new tender to contract handling services for seven years across its entire airport network. The public procedure worth 5 billion euros for 41 operating licenses. 

Among the main new features of the tender, Aena has introduced environmental sustainability criteria: each vehicle at the airport will have to be a maximum of 10-12 years old, depending on its function; of this fleet there will be a minimum percentage of electric vehicles, which will increase every year from the current (23% today to 49% in 2030). 

According to the Asociación de Empresas de Servicios de Asistencia en Tierra en Aeropuertos (Aseata), handling services engage 22,000 workers in Spain. Ground handling is currently operated by seven companies, although the two main ones, Iberia and Groundforce, together cover more than 60 percent of the market. The rest of the licenses belong to Swissport, Wfs, Aviapartner, Atlántica de Handling, and Acciona.

Other international bigwigs in the industry will also participate in the bidding: Scotland's Menzies, and Emirates-based Dnata. On offer will be baggage handling, assistance with runway operations, and support in moving cargo and mail between the airport terminal and the aircraft.