Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a SATS company, has signed a 20-year lease agreement for a new built-to-suit air cargo facility at London Heathrow Airport. The 11,000 sq m warehouse is expected to become fully operational in 2027.
The new facility will be located on Southampton Road within Heathrow’s main cargo area. WFS plans to install a four-level, 220-position Pallet Cargo Handling System, supported by two Elevating Transfer Vehicles, alongside other material handling system upgrades. Once operational, the terminal is expected to provide annual handling capacity in excess of 160,000 tonnes.
The long-term lease supports WFS’s growth strategy at Heathrow, where the company is the airport’s largest cargo handler. In 2024, Heathrow handled 1.58 million tonnes of cargo, representing a 10 per cent year-on-year increase, with goods valued at £215.6 billion. Cargo moving through the airport accounts for more than 72 per cent of the UK’s air freight by value.
WFS said its own operations at Heathrow have continued to expand, with cargo volumes increasing by 28 per cent in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The growth has been driven by new airline contracts and increased volumes from existing customers.
Chris Beale, Managing Director UK at WFS, said the new facility would provide the infrastructure required to support rising cargo volumes and reflects the company’s long-term commitment to Heathrow and its airline customers.
Across eight facilities at Heathrow, covering nearly 44,000 sq m, WFS currently handles more than 350,000 tonnes of cargo annually for 12 airlines, including Air India and Riyadh Air. The new terminal is expected to provide additional capacity to support both existing and future airline customers.
The Southampton Road facility will include dedicated areas for handling special cargo, including pharmaceuticals, perishables, valuables, express shipments, live animals and dangerous goods, as well as outsize cargo such as vehicles and aircraft engines. WFS expects the development to create up to 100 new jobs when it opens in 2027.
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