The investigation had centred around the two handling companies back in 2010, and they were subject to inspections in June 2010. The in-depth investigation focused on the two companies' loading and freight transport services between aircraft and warehouses, which were offered to airlines through licences granted by the airport authority, following a European-directive selection procedure. It was suspected that these two companies had used their market power in the airside cargo market as leverage for a greater market share in the downstream cargo market landside freight. However, after a thorough investigation, the prosecutor concluded that the competition rules had not been infringed, and the case was duly closed. A second investigation, looking at possible illegal agreements between Aviapartner, Flightcare, Swissport Cargo Services Belgium, Worldwide Flight Services Belgium and Skylink within the association Contactgroep Cargo Afhandelaars Brucargo, was also undertaken. Here, too, the Commission's investigation did not reveal any infringement of competition law and this case was also closed on April 1.
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Two Belgian investigations close
On April 1 2015, the Investigation Service of the Belgian Competition Authority concluded that competition law had not been infringed, following an investigation into the activities of Aviapartner and Swissport (Flightcare as was) at Brussels airport.
