Madrid, 16 June 2025 — Spain’s competition authority has carried out fresh inspections in the private aviation sector as part of an expanding investigation into suspected collusion among companies managing fixed-base operator (FBO) facilities at airports.
The CNMC (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia) announced that between 10 and 13 June 2025, it conducted unannounced inspections at the headquarters of several companies involved in FBO operations. These raids follow earlier inspections in May 2024 and aim to uncover potential anti-competitive agreements related to the management of FBO services and bidding processes for facility leases offered by the state-owned airport operator Aena.
FBOs provide private aviation services such as fueling, hangaring, and ground handling. The CNMC suspects that companies in this market may have coordinated their behavior, potentially dividing up tenders or engaging in other concerted practices that distort competition.
While no companies have yet been formally charged, the inspections are a preliminary step that could lead to disciplinary proceedings if evidence of cartel behavior is found. Such violations are considered very serious under Spanish and EU competition law and can result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover.
The CNMC emphasized that cracking down on cartels remains a top priority due to the significant harm they cause to consumers and market integrity. It also reiterated that companies cooperating through its Leniency Program may receive immunity or reduced fines in exchange for providing information about illegal agreements.
Members of the public can anonymously report suspected cartels via the CNMC’s Anonymous Competition Informants System (SICA).
Source: https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/inspecciones-fbos-aeropuertos-20250616
