The granting of the license for ground handling services at Munich airport is legal. With this decision in principle which is unappealable, the Bavarian Administrative High Court rejected the summary proceedings of two competitors (judgement of 25 Feb. 2010, File Nos.: 8 AS 10.40000 and 8 AS 10 400003). On 1 March, for the first time since Germany's second largest airport became operational, the license changed hands. "The full judgement, which will, however, only become available in a few weeks' time, is expected to lay down important guidelines for changing and granting licenses for the hard fought competition for airport ground handling services" explained Rechtsanwalt Uwe Erling of the law firm Noerr in Munich. He represented a joint venture consisting of Swissport International, a worldwide provider of ground services, and the local partner Losch Airport Service GmbH in the case.

The competitors for the license to provide ground handling services at Franz-Josef-Strauss Airport and claimants in the proceedings were the former licensee Aviapartner GmbH and Acciona Airport Service Frankfurt GmbH.

Uwe Erling (legal counsel in the case, aviation law); Associates: Dr. Stephan Patrick Waggershauser, Dr. Tim Uschkereit