Croatian Civil Aviation Agency (CCAA) announced on 12 March 2025, a public tender for the selection of a second provider of ground handling services at Zagreb’s Franjo Tuđman Airport. Tender coveres two categories, handling of passenger luggage and handling on the airport’s apron. This move follows multiple delays in the announcement of the tender, which has caused concern among stakeholders in the aviation industry.
According to information available on HACZ’s official website, the tender is open to all interested ground handling service providers who meet the prescribed conditions, and the deadline for submitting bids is 30 days from the date of publication.
The repeated delays in publishing this tender have led to dissatisfaction among airline operators and passengers due to limited competition and its potential impact on service quality. Currently, ground handling services at Zagreb Airport are provided exclusively by the Turkish company Havaş, which took over MZLZ Zemaljske usluge d.o.o. in 2022.
Experts emphasize that the arrival of a second service provider is crucial for improving service quality and reducing costs for airline operators. Increased competition is expected to lead to greater efficiency and higher passenger satisfaction.
According to the Regulation on the Provision of Ground Handling Services, tenders for a second service provider must be issued once an airport exceeds two million enplaned and deplaned passengers in a single year, allowing independent ground handling service providers access to airport infrastructure.
HACZ has announced that tenders for the selection of a second ground handling service provider for Split and Dubrovnik airports will be published during 2025.
Interested service providers are invited to submit their bids in accordance with the tender conditions, and a decision on the selection of the second provider is expected in the coming months.
