Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has signed a 20-year lease for a new air cargo terminal at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) in France, aiming to meet growing demand for pharmaceutical and perishable goods logistics.
The facility, set to open in summer 2026, will become a strategic hub for WFS in France by consolidating operations currently spread across multiple locations. Situated directly next to the runway at the airport’s DC1 site, the terminal will feature over 19,000 sq m of warehouse space and more than 2,000 sq m of canopy.
A key highlight of the development is 4,400 sq m of temperature-controlled storage, designed to meet Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards. This space will be dedicated to handling sensitive pharmaceutical products and perishables requiring storage between +2°C and +25°C.
The building will be equipped with 36 dock doors, including five specially configured to accommodate aircraft pallets.
Designed with sustainability in mind, the terminal is targeting BREEAM certification. Features include a photovoltaic roof system, LED lighting, and on-site electric vehicle charging stations. Energy generated on-site will power WFS operations, with any excess electricity fed into the local grid.
The project is being developed in collaboration with Groupe em2c, Prologis, and Lyon Airport Authority. Once operational, the facility is expected to bolster the economic development of the Rhône-Alpes region by supporting local exporters, importers, and industrial businesses.
Laurent Bernard, vice-president of WFS France, said:
“Lyon DC1 will become our second-largest hub in France after Paris Charles de Gaulle. Its strategic location and design will enable us to streamline cargo handling, particularly for pharmaceutical shipments in one of the world’s leading vaccine-producing regions.
“The terminal will reduce turnaround times, increase capacity in one of France’s key logistics corridors, and lower our carbon footprint thanks to its modern and sustainable design, which has achieved a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ classification.”
Earlier this year, WFS also launched operations at its new facility at New York JFK – the first purpose-built cargo terminal at the airport in three decades.