Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, has recently inaugurated its air cargo terminal and cold chain facility at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport) in India.

Following the award of a 15-year license in June 2022, WFS partnered with Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of BLR Airport, to operate the international cargo terminal and cold chain facility.

The announcement said WFS will assume responsibility for the development, operation, management, and maintenance of the international cargo terminal, as well as being the exclusive operator of the dedicated cold chain facility at BLR Airport.

There are plans underway to double the terminal's annual throughput to over 250,000 metric tons (MT). Additionally, WFS and BIAL intend to expand the airport's cold chain facility capacity to 80,000 MT and 150,000 MT per year in two phases.

"WFS has a wealth of experience creating and operating specialist pharma hubs at major airports across our network in Europe, North America and Asia. India is the sixth-largest global economy and the single-largest provider of generic drugs globally. We are confident that we can add value to the Indian air cargo industry by introducing world-class practices, safety and security standards, sustainable practices and operational excellence to drive productivity improvements and achieve greater efficiency to enhance the Government of India's National Air Cargo Policy and achieve related ambitions,” said John Batten, CEO of Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia (EMEAA), WFS.

With the addition of Bengaluru, the SATS and WFS global network expands, offering air cargo logistics, ground handling, and technical services in over 200 locations across more than 20 countries.

SATS Group, which recently acquired WFS, already operates the air cargo terminal in Mumbai. The establishment of the air cargo terminal and cold chain facility at BLR Airport will enhance connectivity within SATS and WFS's customer network, facilitating value-added and end-to-end air cargo services on a global scale.