Following a public tender Leonardo has been selected to upgrade the baggage-handling systems at 10 Spanish airports.

The upgrade, intended to ensure the systems meet the latest security standards, will be undertaken at La Palma, Santiago-Rosalía de Castro, Valencia, Asturias, Bilbao, Jerez, Reus, Lanzarote, Region of Murcia and Seville airports, with the combined contracts worth in excess of €35m. Leonardo will work with the Spanish construction company Cemosa to deliver the upgrades.

The tenders were issued by state-owned Spanish airport operator Aena, which manages 46 airports and two heliports in Spain and has shares in 23 additional airports in Europe and the Americas.

The project includes the replacement of baggage transport components, electromechanical, control, supervision, and management equipment for baggage sorting. Baggage handling systems will also be equipped with European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) Standard 3-approved security technology, including X-ray and Computed Tomography (CT) scanners. Cemosa will take responsibility for civil works and updates to auxiliary systems.

The 10 airports will be upgraded simultaneously, and the work is expected to take less than two years. Leonardo is guaranteeing the continued operation of baggage management services throughout the duration of the upgrade work and has carried out complex planning and coordination activities with its supply chain to ensure continuity.