The jury of the tender reportedly selected a Spanish consortium that includes Clece and South.
“Menzies Aviation was formally notified yesterday [Wednesday] by the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) of the results of the preliminary report regarding the tender for the renewal of operating licenses at the three mainland Portuguese airports—Lisbon (LIS), Porto (OPO), and Faro (FAO),” stated the company.
“Menzies regrets this outcome and disagrees with the assigned classification,” the company asserted, believing that its proposal “demonstrates proven operational excellence, continuity, and a fully qualified workforce of more than 3,500 employees who consistently deliver high safety and quality services to customers and the community.”
The company reminded that since Menzies Aviation’s acquisition of SPdH (formerly Groundforce) in 2024, “the company has maintained strong operational performance, high compliance standards, and constructive labor relations, supported by a Company Agreement that protects employee rights and ensures service stability.”
The group believes that its proposal “represents the best overall value and the lowest risk for ANAC and the general public.”
“Based on the analysis of other submitted proposals, we believe there are multiple objective and technical grounds to contest the ANAC’s preliminary report, according to the timelines established by the tender procedure,” it highlighted.
Menzies further expressed concern that this decision “may cause significant operational disruptions and uncertainty for thousands of employees and clients, jeopardizing the sector’s stability.”
It will, therefore, “immediately initiate the formal appeal process and utilize all available means to ensure that the integrity and fairness of the outcome are fully reviewed, as stipulated in the tender rules.”
Contacted by Lusa, ANAC stated only that “within the scope of the tender procedure, competitors have been notified by the jury of the preliminary report,” and that this is part of the “normal and regular processing within the tender.”
The regulator emphasized that “the competitors will now have the period to present their statements,” noting that “no final report has been made, nor is there any decision or selection of the service provider at this stage.”
