AF KLMP expands presence in Germany with Swissport Frankfurt partnership

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) has said it is set to strengthen its position in the German market.

The carrier’s comments come as Swissport — its ground handler in Frankfurt — commenced operations at its new cargo facility at Frankfurt Airport last week.

GertJan Roelands, senior vice president of sales and distribution at AFKLMP Cargo, said:  “Germany is a strategic market for Air France KLM Martinair Cargo. We are continually striving to enhance our product proposition to assure our customers of the best possible service. Together with Swissport, we will be taking the next step in achieving this ambition.”

Peter Visser, director for Germany and Austria at AFKLMP Cargo, added: “We congratulate Swissport on the opening of this ultramodern warehouse. Together, we are ready for a future in which we will offer customers extensive capabilities, including the transportation of Covid-19 vaccines.”

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo also said it is preparing for the transport of Covid-19 vaccines with the expansion of its handling facilities, improved monitoring and intervention management, and partnerships with pharmaceutical container suppliers.

“We have created a Covid-19 Task Force to ensure that we can successfully execute this logistics challenge from an airfreight perspective,” the carrier said.

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With the new building, Swissport increases its handling capacity by about 50% compared to the former facility at Frankfurt’s Cargo City South logistics district.

The facility includes a pharma centre covering 1,560 sq m, expanding the space reserved for temperature-controlled shipments by a factor of seven.

It offers 1,300 sq m for shipments which require a 15°C to 25°C storage temperature and 260 sq m for pharmaceuticals in the 2°C to 8°C range.

An additional 2,400 sq m of office space will be available for the head office of Swissport Cargo Services Germany and administrative and operational roles.