Swissport Belgium and Aviapartner Belgium were again in the red last year, according to annual figures published on the National Bank of Belgium’s site.
Aviapartner and Swissport are the only baggage handling companies active at Brussels Airport for passenger transport.
In addition to baggage handling, their activities include checking in and onboarding passengers, de-icing and refueling planes.
As in 2017, the two cargo handlers incurred losses in handling passenger flights at Zaventem.
Aviapartner had forecast a profit last year but a strike lasting many days in Autumn put paid to its plans. “The strike cost us about three million euros,” the company said. “Instead of a net profit of about 1.5 million euros, we closed the year with a loss of 1.44 million euros.
Still, the results are in the right direction. Compared to 2017, the net loss was reduced by half (-3.6 million euros) while turnover amounted to 63.9 million euros, a 3.7% increase. “We expect to break even this year or make a profit,” the company added.
Aviapartner Belgium handles passenger baggage for about 30 airlines at Brussels Airport, including Ryanair and TUIfly.
Its rival, Swissport Belgium, experienced similar difficulties last year. The cargo firm, whose clients include Brussels Airlines, saw its turnover increase by 7%, ending the year on 84.8 million euros, while its net loss went down by over a quarter to -3.4 million euros. Swissport declined to comment on these results.
The two companies stressed in their final reports that they have been taking measures to improve their finances.
The Brussels Times
