WFS extends handling contract with Air China Cargo in Madrid
13 / 02 / 2024
Air China Cargo freighter. Photo: Worldwide Flight Services
Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has extended its cargo and ground handling contract with Air China Cargo for another three years at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain.
Air China Cargo has been a longstanding customer of WFS in Madrid since commencing regular freighter operations connecting China and Spain in 2020.
The new contract will see WFS handle over 36,000 tonnes of cargo a year for the airline, which currently operates eight Boeing 777F flights a week to Madrid, originating from Hangzhou and Guanzhou via Beijing.
As well as cargo handling services, WFS will also continue to provide aircraft ground handling services for Air China Cargo’s freighter operations in Madrid.
Additionally, outside of this contract, WFS will continue to carry out cargo handling for Air China’s road feeder services.
“Air China Cargo is a very significant customer of WFS and we enjoy a close working partnership with the airline,” said Humberto Castro, managing director of WFS in Spain.
“With the high volumes of e-commerce traffic, especially, from China to Europe, we fully understand the need for fast and efficient handling services to meet the airline’s requirements. This new three-year contract reflects the airline’s trust in WFS and the operational excellence our team in Madrid are consistently delivering.”
In the first quarter of this year, WFS will open a fifth cargo handling facility in Madrid to further support the growth of its 40 airline customers. Construction of the new 6,500 m2 terminal is advancing and the additional 6,500 m2 warehouse will increase WFS’ total cargo footprint in Madrid to 17,000 m₂.
WFS has signed a 30-year lease on the new building, located on a 12,500 m2 plot connected to the airport tarmac, increasing its handling capacity by 60%.
In support of the airport’s development and sustainability, and as part of its long-term commitment to the local airline community, the new WFS cargo terminal will be powered by 100% renewable energy and incorporate dedicated temperature-controlled cool rooms for pharma and perishables shipments, as well as dedicated areas for other premium and special cargos.
