Brussels Airport will welcome dnata as a new cargo handling partner, as it awards new licences for various ground handling categories.

The airport launched a selection procedure to grant licences in 2017 to ground handlers pursuant to the Royal Decree of 6 November 2010 on access to ground handling giving two licences to baggage handling, two for ramp handling for passenger aircraft, three for cargo aircraft, three for cargo and mail handling and two for catering transporting.

The licences for ramp handling for cargo aircraft and cargo and mail handling were awarded to Aviapartner Cargo, dnata and Swissport Cargo Services Belgium.

The selection was based on financial requirements in the first phase, and qualitative requirements in the second phase.

Brussels Airport has also released January traffic figures, with total volumes up 2.7 per cent to 56,846 tonnes despite full freighter traffic continuing to fall.

Full freighter volumes were down 21.2 per cent to 13,651 tonnes, while integrators were up 5.6 per cent to 17,848 tonnes and belly cargo increasing 8.8 per cent to 11,680 tonnes.

Total flown cargo was down 3.9 per cent though trucked cargo increased 31.1 per cent to 13,668 tonnes.

Imports fell 13 per cent due to a drop in African imports following the departure of several cargo airlines though exports were up four per cent.