Etihad Airways
03/14/2012
Etihad Airways awards three-year cargo handling contract to Worldwide Flight Services at London Heathrow
Etihad Airways has awarded its cargo handling contract at London’s Heathrow Airport to Worldwide Flight Services (WFS).
The three-year agreement commences in March 2012 and will see WFS handle an estimated 33,000 tons of air cargo a year for Etihad. WFS also handle cargo for the airline in Paris CDG.
Etihad currently operates 21 Airbus A300-600 and A330-300 passenger and cargo flights a week from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi, carrying up to 15 tons of freight on each sector.
Cliff McKrell, Operations Director for WFS in the UK, said: “This is a substantial new contract for us and follows our success in gaining new agreements with Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and Vietnam Airlines last year. All of our airline customers require the highest service levels and we are committed to delivering these consistently with our growing team and facilities at Heathrow. We look forward to continuing to support the growth of all of the airlines we represent.”
WFS will manage Etihad’s freight handling in its Building 551 cargo terminal in the World Cargocentre at Heathrow. It acquired the lease on the 60,000 tons capacity facility in 2011, reinforcing its position as the largest independent cargo handler at the airport. WFS operate in excess of 250,000 square feet of cargo facilities at Heathrow.
Last year also saw WFS open its own cargo handling terminal at London Gatwick when it took over the lease of the former Aviance facility at the airport. This 22,000 square foot unit can handle some 40,000 tonnes a year. WFS now serve Delta Air Lines, Leisure Cargo and Vietnam Airlines at Gatwick.
