What Portway does

Portway, Handling de Portugal, S.A. is a ground handling services provider operating at the five commercially strategic Portuguese airports of Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, and Beja. Founded on July 1, 2000 as a joint venture between Fraport AG and ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, it became the first handling company licensed in Portuguese airports. Since 2013, Portway has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of VINCI Airports, following VINCI's privatization-led acquisition of ANA. The company serves more than 80 airline clients with comprehensive ground handling services organized around four core lines: passenger handling (check-in, boarding, special assistance, lost & found), ramp operations (loading/unloading, pushback, towing, water and toilet servicing), flight operations coordination, and air cargo handling (X-ray screening, cold storage, valuable-cargo storage, surveillance). Supporting services include reduced-mobility assistance (sub-brand MyWay), baggage terminal operations, and jet bridge management. In 2024, Portway handled 66,000 flights, 20.9 million passengers, and 121,000 tonnes of cargo with a workforce of approximately 2,900.

The company's technology stack centers on internally developed operational systems: Clever Ops and Clever Ops Mobile provide real-time aircraft turnaround monitoring via tablet-based ground operations visibility; Siccarga is an integrated cargo terminal management system covering imports, exports, warehouse management, documentation and invoicing; additional in-house systems manage equipment maintenance (including the GSE fleet), operational planning and rostering, quality management, and staff performance assessment. Portway also operates Academia Portway, an accredited training center certified by IATA (the first IATA Dangerous Goods Accredited Training School in Portugal, certified in 2004), ANAC, DGERT, and IQF, which delivers aviation courses and supports workforce development. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 from TUV Rheinland, with a Safety Management System implemented in 2017.

Portway runs a B2B enterprise sales motion, contracting directly with airlines for ground handling services at its five Portuguese airport stations, with commercial and customer-support contacts embedded at each location. The company is a privately held subsidiary of VINCI Airports, does not publish separate financials, and has no public ticker. It has been recognized as Best Air Cargo Handling Agent by Revista Transportes e Negócios for 18 consecutive years (2004–2024) and is pursuing sustainability leadership through electric GSE, B100 biodiesel partnerships with PRIO and Beyond Fuels at Porto airport (up to 84% CO2 reduction), and 100% sustainable operations during the Madeira Airport Green Days initiative.

Name

Portway

Legal name

portway, Handling de Portugal, S.A.

Website

https://portway.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Portway, Handling de Portugal, S.A. is a ground handling services provider operating at five Portuguese airports under VINCI Airports ownership, serving 80+ airlines with passenger, ramp, operations, and cargo handling. Founded in 2000 as Portugal's first licensed handler.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisboa

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ground Handling Services: B2B contracted services to airlines including passenger handling, ramp operations, cargo handling, and aircraft turnaround services at 5 Portuguese airports.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Portway provides B2B ground handling services at five Portuguese airports covering passenger handling, ramp operations, flight operations coordination, and air cargo handling for 80+ commercial airlines. The offering is supplemented by an accredited Training Centre (IATA, ANAC, DGERT certified) and supporting services such as baggage cart management, jet bridge operations, reduced-mobility passenger assistance (MyWay), and baggage terminal operations.

Product overview

Portway is a ground handling services provider operating at five Portuguese airports (Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, and Beja). Its offering is organized around four core service lines — Passenger Services, Ramp Services, Operations Services, and Cargo Services — supplemented by a Training Centre and Support Services (baggage carts, jet bridges, reduced mobility assistance, baggage terminal, and passenger information). The company also develops proprietary internal software systems including Clever Ops and Clever Ops Mobile (operational management and mobility), Siccarga (cargo terminal management), Maintenance Management System, Operational Planning and Rostering System, and Staff Assessment System, which collectively support its ground handling operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Academia Portway: Training academy providing accredited and continuous training courses for current and future employees, including IATA certified programs.
• MyWay

Products and services

• Ground Handling Services (Passengers) Passenger handling services for airlines including automatic acceptance, boarding, CIP/VIP assistance, unaccompanied minors assistance, baggage irregularity service, excess baggage payment, ticket sales, and Lost & Found.
• Ground Handling Services (Ramp) Ramp operations for airlines including passenger and crew transport, aircraft loading/unloading, cockpit communication, pushback and towing, toilet and water services, and pneumatic engine starting.
• Ground Handling Services (Operations) Flight preparation, control and coordination, and post-flight communication services for airline customers.
• Ground Handling Services (Cargo) Premium air cargo handling including transport, loading/unloading, X-ray services, cold storage, valuable cargo storage, automatic pallet/container weighing, DVR surveillance, and facility security, serving airlines and cargo customers.
• Training Centre Services Accredited aviation training services covering Dangerous Good Regulations, aeronautical security, and other specialized aviation courses; certified by IATA, ANAC, and DGERT.
• Airport Support Services (including MyWay reduced mobility assistance) Additional airport support services for airlines and passengers including baggage cart management, jet bridge operation, MyWay reduced-mobility passenger assistance (from check-in through aircraft and back), baggage terminal operations, and passenger information support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,900,000 passengers assisted in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PRIOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for biodiesels use in ground support equipment. PRIO supplies Zero Diesel B100 (100% renewable fuel) enabling up to 84% reduction in CO2 emissions for Portway operations at Francisco Sao Carneiro Airport.
• Beyond FuelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Specialized company managing implementation of biodiesels and circular economy projects for fleet decarbonization at Porto Airport.
• Fraport AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2000Joint venture partner at founding in July 2000. Fraport AG partnered with ANA to establish Portway as the first licensed handling company in Portuguese airports.
• ANA Aeroportos de PortugalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2000Joint venture partner with Fraport AG at founding in July 2000. ANA acquired 100% of Portway capital in 2006.
• EurocontrolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision Making) project financed by European Commission.
• TUV RheinlandminorOthersCertification body for ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications.
• Lisbon AirportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Baggage Recovery project and A-CDM airport collaborative decision making initiative.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Groundforce Portugal: Groundforce is Portway's primary direct competitor in Portugal, providing ground handling services at Portuguese airports. It is the most geographically and operationally comparable peer, competing head-to-head for airline contracts at the same five airports.
• Menzies Aviation: Menzies Aviation is one of the world's largest independent ground handling and aviation services companies, serving 200+ airports globally. It directly competes with Portway for airline handling contracts and offers comparable passenger, ramp, and cargo services.
• Swissport: Swissport is a global leader in airport ground services and cargo handling, operating at 270+ airports worldwide. It is a direct competitor in European airport handling and provides the same suite of passenger, ramp, and cargo services as Portway.
• dnata: dnata is a global air services provider and subsidiary of the Emirates Group, offering ground handling and cargo services at 130+ airports. Following its acquisition of Swissport's ground handling operations, it became one of Portway's largest global competitors.
• Aviapartner: Aviapartner is a European-focused ground handling company operating at 70+ airports across Europe. It competes directly with Portway for European airline contracts and offers comparable full-service handling capabilities.
• Worldwide Flight Services (WFS): WFS is a major global air cargo and ground handling provider operating at 200+ stations worldwide. It directly competes with Portway in cargo handling and ramp services for international airline clients.
• Celebi Aviation: Celebi Aviation is a Turkish-based ground handling and cargo services company operating across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offers comparable passenger, ramp, and cargo handling services and competes for airline contracts in similar markets.
• SATS Ltd: SATS is Asia's leading provider of gateway services and food solutions, offering ground handling, catering, and cargo services at 70+ locations. It is a direct peer in the global ground handling market with comparable service offerings.
• Acciona Airport Services: Acciona Airport Services provides ground handling and airport services across Spain and Latin America. As a Iberian Peninsula neighbor with comparable service offerings, it is a regional direct peer competing for the same airline clients in overlapping markets.

Broad incumbents

• TAV Airports: TAV Airports is a Turkish airport operator that also provides ground handling services through its TAV IT Services and handling subsidiaries. It is a broader incumbent in airport services with overlapping handling capabilities, though its primary focus is airport operations rather than standalone handling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-rrV5UiuQSIqtzSKVDhblQ
• LinkedInpt.linkedin.com/company/portway
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Portway