Groundforce Portugal, provider of ground handling services to scheduled airlines in Portugal, is to take a 50 per cent stake in Cascais FBO OMNI Handling to form a partnership with Omni Group that will offer executive aviation handling services in Europe and beyond. The agreement will come into effect by the end of 2006.

OMNI Handling will operate under a new brand, Groundforce One.

It will aim to cover markets

including Spain, Morocco and Mexico, where the Groundforce Group is already established as a handling agent. Business manager will be Luis Vianna, former commercial manager of NetJets.

Another Omni Group company, Aero Service Handling, an executive aviation handling operator in Paris Le Bourget airport is also shortly to be integrated into OMNI Handling.