The 'handling' accuses the decline in air traffic in 2009

In a context of falling air traffic - the entry and departure of aircraft in Spanish airports declined 10% and the number of passengers a 8%-price adjustment and decrease in the number of carriers, the market for airport services of assistance on the ground ('handling') recorded a new fall in 2009accentuating the negative trend of the previous year.

After a phase with an average close to 10% annual growth, in 2008 began a deterioration of the evolution of the evolution of the billing for services to third parties, which continued in 2009 with a decline of 5.6%, 845 million euros.

The billing to third parties in the ramp services segment experienced a decline of 7% in 2009, 490 million euros. Other assistance services segment showed a slightly less unfavorable behavior, fell 3.5%, up to 355 million.

Considering also the autoprestación of services of 'handling' carried out by the airlines, the total valuation of the market stood at 1,135 million euros in 2009. The autoprestación was penalised by the negative economic situation and the difficulty of dealing with new investment by airlines.

The forecasts point to a recovery in air traffic of passengers and goods, especially from the second half of 2010, while the profitability of operations followed by airlines strategy could negatively influence the number of flights and the activity of the companies 'handling'.

The deterioration of demand and margins, along with the difficulties of access to funding, led to the cessation of activity of some of the companies in 2009. At the end of this year were recorded some 320 companies, including both airlines operating in regime of autoprestación such as companies engaged in the provision of the service to third parties.

A total of 16 companies have licenses for the provision of services 'handling' of commercial aviation ramp to third parties, either directly or through temporary unions of companies (UTE). Alongside these companies operate many businesses, generally of lower dimension, aimed at the demand of general/private aviation and whose operations are mostly performed in small and medium-sized airports.

The decline in the number of operators and templates carried out adjustment policies gave rise to a notable decrease in the volume of employment in the sector over the period 2008-2009. In this last year the companies had with approximately 14,000 employees.

In the past two years has been an increase in sectoral concentration, bringing together the five first companies 71.5 per cent of the total in 2009 market, while the top ten absorbed 88 per cent.

(a) it is up to the billing for the provision of services for handling for third parties, as well as the evaluation of the autoprestación. It excludes support for fuel and lubricant.

(b) excludes support for fuel and lubricant.

(c) on billing for delivery to third parties. It excludes support for fuel and lubricant.