The European Transport and Tourism Committee has passed new laws that will affect ground handling services at major airports across the continent.

MEPs narrowly voted in favour of having three companies involved in transferring baggage and other items between planes and terminal buildings, rather than the current two.

This will apply to airports that accommodate more than 15 million passengers and/or 200 million tonnes of freight a year and the ruling is aimed at increasing competition in the industry.

Participants also inserted common criteria for minimum quality standards and called for the accounts of airports and ground handling operators to be separated in the interest of transparency.

Overall, 19 MEPs voted for the reforms, while 17 were against the proposals. Eight members abstained from the vote.

The European Parliament will stage a final vote on the matter in April.

If they are eventually forced through, the changes will affect a number of airports in the UK, including Heathrow, where ground handling specialists currently deliver more than 250,000 bags every week.