In its statement, the association emphasised ongoing uncertainties surrounding ground handling licenses at Portugal’s airports and warned that these could lead to disruptions affecting the country’s tourism sector.

ANAV pointed to recent developments in the tender process, particularly an unresolved legal dispute, and noted that the process remains incomplete, with less than 2 months remaining until the deadline.

The association warned that these unresolved matters could disrupt regular airport activities.

Impacting airport operations

Miguel Quintas, president of ANAV, expressed serious concerns about the stability of the airport sector, noting that unresolved issues could affect flight timeliness, baggage processing, and the overall passenger experience during the busy summer season.

On 18 March, the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) affirmed that its handling of the ground services tender adheres to legal, transparent, and ethical standards, and confirmed receipt of all necessary documents from the Clece/South consortium on 15 March.

Earlier this year, the regulator granted the Clece/South consortium a seven-year license to manage ground handling services at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports, choosing them over a competing offer from SPdH. The partnership comprises Spain’s Clece and IAG's ground handling division, Iberia’s parent company.

ANAC stated that it is currently reviewing the submitted documents and will update the involved parties on its findings, as required by law.

The analysis process may take up to 90 days to complete, according to their communication with Lusa.

Regulator assures that it will "take into consideration the expiry date of the current licenses."

However, the regulator reaffirmed that it will factor in the expiration of current licenses and the need to maintain uninterrupted operations, pledging to make its decision before the existing permits lapse.

Meanwhile, Menzies has initiated legal action in the Lisbon Administrative and Tax Court to contest the tender outcome, contending that the process design and execution did not fully address the operational complexity and safety demands present at Portugal’s busiest airports.