WFS opens cargo terminal at Milan Malpensa Airport

Paris-based Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has opened a 47,000-tonne per year capacity cargo terminal at Milan-Malpensa Airport (MXP) in a 10- to 15-year agreement with the airport.

John Batten, executive vice president of cargo for the WFS’ Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA) regions, said the agreement will provide a good foothold for the ground service firm’s European network.

Massimiliano Introini, WFS’ managing director of Italy, said this will be the first new cargo facility to open in Milan-Malpensa since 2004, where total cargo volumes rose 7.5 percent in 2017 to 490,000 tonnes.

The company previously operated offices in Malpensa exclusively to provide documentation and cargo supervision services for clients China Cargo Airlines and American Airlines, the latter of which has signed a new contract with WFS for 2018 and will be its launch customer at the terminal.

The freight building has 5,000 square meters of warehouse space and 3,000 square meters of ramp area. WFS has invested in the “latest cargo handling and ground support equipment,” and temperature-controlled cargo areas for the facility.

Last month, the ground handler secured a memorandum of understanding with Oslo Airport (OSL) for operation of its seafood facility and, last week, expanded its relationship with Thai Cargo.