Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), part of the SATS Group, has been awarded a cargo handling licence at Oslo Airport, marking the group’s entry into Norway and adding a third cargo handling provider at the country’s largest international airport.
The licence, which remains subject to the fulfilment of conditions, is part of airport operator Avinor’s efforts to expand cargo handling capacity and competition at Oslo Airport. Avinor operates 43 airports across Norway.
WFS will join Menzies Aviation and Scan GSE as cargo handling providers at Oslo Airport. Avinor said the addition of another operator will increase capacity and provide airlines, freight forwarders and cargo owners with greater choice.
“This is very good news for Oslo Airport and the cargo community,” said Eva Beate Lande, head of cargo at Avinor. “We have never previously had three cargo handlers at the airport, and a third operator will increase capacity, and provide an even better offering for airlines, freight forwarders and cargo owners.”
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The move comes as demand for cargo services at Oslo continues to rise. Avinor said the new operator will help strengthen the resilience of the cargo supply chain while supporting growth in both Norwegian and international air freight.
The development also forms part of Avinor’s longer-term plans for Cargo West, an area earmarked for further cargo development at Oslo Airport.
Oslo Airport, located at Gardermoen, has established itself as a major full-freighter hub in Northern Europe and is an important gateway for time-critical and temperature-sensitive exports, including Norway’s substantial seafood trade.
For WFS, the new licence represents another step in the expansion of its international cargo handling network. WFS and SATS currently provide cargo handling services at more than 225 stations across 27 countries, with the combined network covering trade routes that account for more than half of global air cargo volumes.
John Batten, chief executive officer, Gateway Services Europe, Middle East and Africa at WFS, said the company welcomed the opportunity to extend the WFS and SATS network into Norway.
“Norway is an exciting market for air cargo,” Batten said. “We look forward to working with Avinor and the airport community to develop a competitive and customer-focused service offering, which will be linked to SATS’ global air cargo network across 27 countries.”
The addition of WFS is expected to broaden the range of cargo handling options available to airlines and logistics companies operating through Oslo, while supporting the airport’s ambitions to accommodate future growth in international freight.For Oslo Airport, the move comes as cargo demand continues to develop across key Norwegian export sectors and as the airport seeks to strengthen its role as a regional logistics gateway.
