Aviation

Aviation is one of Europe's most heavily regulated and fastest-evolving sectors and a field where competition law, State aid, safety regulation, sustainability obligations, and labour law frequently intersect. Advising airlines, airports, groundhandlers, manufacturers and public authorities in this environment calls for lawyers who understand both the regulatory complexity of the industry and the commercial pressures under which it operates.

Our Aviation practice combines comprehensive advice across all legal aspects of this sector with a distinctive strength in Regulatory, competition law and State aid — a rare combination in the Belgian market. We regularly advise on some of the most complex State aid matters in the sector: subsidies to airports, commercial arrangements between airports and airlines, and compliance with EU rules on groundhandling, airport charges, security, safety and air navigation services. We also advise on abuse of dominance and airline alliance matters and bring specific expertise in aviation labour law.

We represent clients before the European Commission, national competition and regulatory authorities, and national and EU courts — always with a proactive, business-oriented approach that keeps commercial reality, not just legal risk, at the centre of our advice.

Through CMS' global network, we work seamlessly with colleagues across the world, giving clients coordinated advice wherever their operations take them.