Air France-KLM expands Cairo cool-chain capacity

Citing a growing pharmaceutical market in Egypt that is expected to be worth US$8 billion in 2015, Air France-KLM has invested in an expansion of its cool-chain capacity at its Cairo International Airport (CAI) hub to handle more temperature-sensitive shipments.

After announcing a 1.2 percent year-over-year reduction in cargo volume for its third-quarter to 873 million RTKs, the carrier said the “cold room” handling facility at CAI (capable of maintaining a temperature of 2°C to 8°C) has been doubled in size to 420 cubic meters. In addition, the cool room area (for temperatures from 15°C to 25°C) at the airport can accommodate 124 cubic meters of cargo.

The improvements were made to combat the “natural conditions of average temperatures above 30°C for more than six months a year” in Cairo, the carrier said.

CAI is also undergoing a major renovation of its Terminal 2 facility, which is scheduled to open in 2015. Once completed, the new 170,000-square-meter terminal will be able to handle 7.5 million passengers annually, double the capacity of the original building.

Air France-KLM added that its central cargo hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, known as G1XL, has also been upgraded to offer three additional storage rooms for pharma shipments that must stay within the 2°C and 8°C.

“By investing all over the world in temperature-controlled facilities, Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo shows its commitment to the fast growing pharmaceutical industry,” the carrier said.