Menzies increases European freight capacity with BUD Cargo City expansion

A 10,000sqm extension to Budapest Airport’s (BUD) Cargo City was officially opened on Tuesday 13 February, thanks in part to a multi-million-dollar investment by Menzies Aviation, the leading service partner to the world’s airports and airlines.

The expansion of the state-of-the-art air freight facility will see Menzies’ cargo capacity increase from 49,000 tons to 85,000 tons per year. New temperature controlled, animal and valuable cargo rooms will also enable Menzies to diversify and provide an even more secure cargo handling service to its customers. 

Menzies was one of the first occupants to lease space at BUD Cargo City when it was opened in 2019. Since then, the growth in cargo volumes has necessitated an upgrade to Menzies’ facilities, which includes a 3,000sqm warehouse expansion, a 1,500sqm maneuvering area for truck and ground support equipment (GSE) and a 300sqm office and social space. Following the expansion, the warehouse space available to Menzies has increased from 4,000sqm to 7,000sqm. 

The aviation services provider has invested significantly in the upgrade, which has been operational since December 2023. In total, the company has committed more than $1 million to the construction of the building itself and $6 million to the ongoing lease.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last Tuesday in Budapest to celebrate the opening, with Tibor Fazekas, Managing Director Cargo and Levente Varga (Quality & CEIV Manager) from Menzies Aviation joining key BUD stakeholders, including René Droese, Chief Development Officer and deputy CEO, Réka Sebestyén, Property Development Director and József Kossuth, Cargo Director.

Beau Paine, Global Head of Cargo, Menzies Aviation, said: “BUD Cargo City has established itself as a key gateway to Central and Eastern Europe, and this exciting expansion cements the facility’s position at the heart of the regional cargo network. The increased capacity provided by this extension forms an important part of Menzies’ ambitious cargo expansion strategy, which has seen us build strong partnerships across the world. We’re excited to expand our cargo footprint across Europe and beyond over the coming months and years.”

René Droese, Chief Development Officer and Deputy CEO of Budapest Airport, added: “Thanks to nearly a decade of dedicated work, BUD is now one of the most dynamic airports in cargo traffic development in the CEE region. One of the keys to our success is the cohesive cargo community we have consciously built up, which gives us the opportunity to think together with our partners and develop fully in line with their needs. An excellent example of this forward-looking collaboration is the newly expanded Cargo Handling Building, which we implemented in close cooperation with Menzies.”

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