SATS-owned Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) is celebrating the opening of the first new cargo terminal to be built at the airport in 30 years

With the opening of the new facility at the end of January, WFS’ warehouse footprint at John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) now exceeds one million square feet across eight facilities, reinforcing its position as the airport’s largest provider of cargo handling services. WFS currently serves 38 international and domestic airline customers at JFK.   

Mike Simpson, chief executive officer, gateway services, Americas at WFS, said: “WFS is proud of its 41 years of service to our customers at New York JFK. Building 260 marks a new era for WFS and air cargo at one of the main gateways to the United States. This cutting-edge facility reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence in our drive to serve customers better. Building 260 embodies our dedication to connecting the world through logistics and embraces new levels of digitalisation and sustainability that will act as a model for other new cargo operations around the world.”

 

Building 260

With 350,000 sq ft of floor space, Building 260 embraces cutting-edge technology, environmentally sustainable practices, and robust safety and security protocols. The opening of the facility increases WFS’ cargo capacity at New York JFK by a further 25% and establishes the first-ever dedicated on-airport handling facility for temperature-controlled pharmaceutical products and perishable cargo. Over 3,000 sq ft of cooler space enables the handling of perishable and pharmaceutical goods requiring variable temperature ranges of between 2-8°C or 15-25°C.

Adjacent to the new WFS cargo terminal is a ramp area that can accommodate up to three Boeing 747-400/777 or similar-sized wide body freighters and has already received its first arrival with Atlas Air.

Safety has been a prime consideration in the design of the facility and safety features include dock and polymer barriers to prevent accidental trailer movement, ensuring safe load-ing and unloading, as well as impact-resistant doors and column protection systems to minimise damage from forklifts and moving equipment, thus reducing downtime, WFS said.

This Atlas Air cargo flight was the first handled at the new facility
This Atlas Air cargo flight was the first handled at the new facility WFS

Designed to new standards of cargo operations, Building 260 is equipped with features such as the latest dock management system to drive efficiency and predictability for cargo pick-ups and drop-offs. This is expected to reduce truck dwell times by as much as 25% by generating pre-alerts to reduce air waybill processing time. According to WFS, customer experience will also be enhanced by the building’s slot booking system to manage traffic flow and provide clear visibility of shipment movements and availability, enabling the company to schedule truck appointments at the building’s 44 truck docks based on shipment volume and complexity.

The digital journey of cargo shipments in Building 260 is also driven by the latest technologies, from warehouse progress monitoring (WPM) to give customers real-time visibility, to auto dimensioning equipment for compliance with carrier requirements, and IATA dangerous goods (DG) autocheck for safety and security. The automated ETV (elevating transport vehicle) and unit load device (ULD) management systems have been designed to allow tracking by flight and automated staging for cargo buildup and breakdown, which helps to streamline operations by minimising forklift usage needed to move ULDs like aircraft containers and pallets.

Building 260 at JFK
Building 260 at JFK WFS