Ground services and air cargo handling specialist Swissport International is significantly investing in the expansion of its air cargo handling capacity in Australia and New Zealand. Airline customers and freight forwarders will benefit from additional capacity at Swissport's three new locations.
“Swissport is ready to support the rapidly growing air cargo demand in Australia and New Zealand, enabling businesses to thrive,” said Joel Greig, general manager cargo for Australia, and New Zealand at Swissport. “Our new locations in Melbourne, Sydney and soon Auckland feature advanced temperature-controlled spaces, direct airside access, and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure safe and efficient operations. These capabilities empower our customers to deliver exceptional service quality across the supply chain.”
Temperature controlled spaces
Swissport’s new location at Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne, is strategically positioned as the closest facility with direct airside access, offering a significant competitive edge for freight forwarders, according to the company. Spanning 9,366m2, including almost 5,000m2 of warehouse floor space, the warehouse features temperature-controlled storage systems designed to handle perishables and pharmaceuticals, maintaining conditions of 2-8°C and 15-25°C where required.
Also at Sydney Airport, Swissport has expanded its footprint with a newly renovated facility, increasing its total handling area to over 4,500m2. The temperature-controlled air cargo center is equipped to handle a wide range of products, including perishables, pharmaceuticals, mail, express shipments, and general cargo, ensuring seamless operations for diverse customer needs. It is fully licensed to meet all customs, biosecurity, and screening requirements for regulated air cargo agents (RACA).
Additionally, dedicated express delivery transport trucks, capable of loading airside, will enable swift delivery to freight forwarders within just 45 minutes of an aircraft's arrival.
Swissport’s capacity expansion in Australia began just months ago, with Vietjet and Batik Air as its launch customers. Since then, its customer base has grown to include LATAM Airlines and a suite of freight forwarders.
Expanding into New Zealand
Alongside its expansion in Australia, Swissport is also marking its entry into the New Zealand air cargo market. Starting in late March 2025, its services will be available at Auckland Airport. The facility is equipped with the airport’s largest and most advanced X-ray machine, featuring high-penetration, dual-view technology and detection alerts for explosives and narcotics.
In Australia and New Zealand, Swissport has been offering airport ground services to 29 domestic and international airline customers at 18 airports. In 2024, the company served 10.16 million passengers and handled 226,358 flights. Swissport employs more than 3,600 aviation professionals across all business lines in Australia and New Zealand.
