Emirates SkyCargo is the launch customer in Johannesburg and Cape Town of Africa Flight Services (South Africa) Pty, a new joint venture partnership between the world’s largest provider of cargo handling services, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), and the South African airline, SA Airlink.
AFS (South Africa) has opened a 3,000 square metre cargo handling warehouse facility at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and a 2,340 square metre freight centre at Cape Town International Airport. AFS (South Africa) currently employs 64 fully trained and highly experienced cargo handling staff in Johannesburg and a further 42 employees in Cape Town.
Malcolm Tonkin has been appointed General Manager of the new joint venture company. He joins AFS from Bidvest Panalpina Logistics and previously held the post of General Manager – Cargo (South Africa) at Menzies Aviation. During his 21-year career, he has also worked for Airline Cargo Resources, International Cargo Gateway, Grindrod Perishable Cargo Agents, Air France Cargo and UTA French Airlines.
Both airport facilities have been fully refurbished and equipped with new pallet handling systems with integral weigh beds, a fleet of new forklift trucks, a pallet master and new dual view x-ray screening machines.
Barry Nassberg, Group Chief Operating Officer of Worldwide Flight Services, said: “Africa Flight Services (AFS) is a new brand for our expansion plans in Africa. This is an important and growing market for us and we want to give it a dedicated focus but with the ability to draw on all the expertise and resources of the WFS global network. AFS will enable us to enter into local partnerships and joint ventures, and to customise services and tailor resources to the needs of customers in this dynamic and rapidly growing market.
“We are proud to announce Emirates SkyCargo as our launch customer in Johannesburg and Cape Town and we are extremely appreciative of the airline’s support of our new partnership with SA Airlink. AFS is the start of an exciting new venture that will see us open additional stations in South Africa and southern Africa as well as expanding into other areas of activity.”
About WFS
Founded in 1983, WFS has established itself as a leader throughout the aviation industry by providing a broad array of quality and reliable Ground Services. WFS now serves over 120 of the world’s major airports and is an industry leading, independent provider of quality airport services including the full range of Cargo Handling, Passen¬ger Baggage Handling, Passenger Services, Ramp Services, Equipment Maintenance/Repair and a full range of Technical Ser¬vices to the Aviation Industry. Each year, WFS’ 14,000 dedicated employees handle more than four million tonnes of cargo and serve 50 million passengers for over 300 airline customers throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and now Africa. With the competitiveness of the airline industry, WFS has answered the increasing demand for responsive top-quality services tailored to individual customer needs. With recent expansions in Europe, the USA and Asia, WFS is now the largest Air Cargo Handler in the world and turns over in excess of Euro one billion per annum.
About Airlink
Formed in 1992, Airlink is the largest independent Regional airline in Southern Africa linking passengers to more of the smaller towns, cities and regional centres.
Airlink is proud to be a South African Airways franchisee and a component of a large composite branded airline network system, providing convenient connections through our alliance with SAA and the Star Alliance carrier’s global networks, throughout Southern Africa and the world. Airlink currently offers about 1,550,000 seats to the market annually and carries more than 1,000,000 passengers on more than 30 routes by way of 35,000 flight missions annually. Visit www.flyairlink.com