Iberia has filed a request with the Central Administrative Tribunal for Contractual Resources (TACR) to challenge the handling ground services tender managed by Aena at eight major Spanish airports. The airline alleges irregularities in the bidding process and has asked the court, through the Ministry of Finance, to temporarily suspend the award while the case is assessed.
The handling category covers several critical tasks, including cargo and mail support, baggage handling, on-runway operations support, and the movement of goods between the terminal and the aircraft. Recently, Aena completed a seven-year tender for these services, a contract valued at five billion euros and described as the largest of its kind. At the eight sites where Iberia lost the license, the work has been distributed among Aviapartner, Groundforce (Globalia), Menzies, and Swissport.
Iberia contends that Aena violated legal procedures when processing the results, arguing that no argument supporting the chosen solution was presented, that access to sufficient information to understand the scoring rationale was denied on the grounds of privacy, and that deadlines set by the relevant regulations were not respected. The airline has requested the Central Administrative Court to immediately suspend the decision until the dispute is resolved. In its filing, Iberia indicates that approximately 4,800 workers are employed at the airports where the license was lost.
The airline is pursuing cancellation of the awards through a challenge to the bid evaluation process, which affects Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, Alicante, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tenerife South, Valencia, Ibiza, Arrecife-Lanzarote, Bilbao, and Fuerteventura. A motivated ruling accompanied by a formal report is anticipated as part of the process.
Aena Responds
The IAG group has expanded its network of small airport shuttle operations to include new routes and service points. Beyond Madrid, it has joined forces with Aviapartner and Groundforce (Globalia) to operate in Tenerife North, Menorca, Santiago de Compostela, Girona, Asturias, La Palma, Vitoria, Reus, San Sebastián, and A Coruña, along with Santander, Vigo, Pamplona, León, Jerez, Granada, Badajoz, Melilla, Córdoba, and Albacete. The expansion mirrors a broader strategy to stabilize ground handling coverage across a wide geographic footprint.
Aena issued a statement affirming that the tender met the criteria of being objective, transparent, and non-discriminatory, with prior consultation of airlines and unions to ensure a fair process. The operator acknowledges, however, that concerns have been raised about the outcomes at the eight airports where Iberia did not receive a licence while noting that the competition results are not challenged at the 30 airports where Iberia has retained licences.
The company stresses that it expects responsibility toward employees and passengers and suggests considering an option for automatic processing for Iberia and other IAG-affiliated airlines. Depending on the final decision, Iberia may be required to cease providing handling services at the affected airports but could continue offering services to its own group airlines, such as Vueling, Level, and British Airways, at those locations. The administration indicates that a decision on automatic handling should be issued promptly, and if the outcome is negative, Iberia would assist in the transition of licenses to ensure a smooth handover for all parties involved.