WFS reduces truck waiting times in Milan

Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has significantly reduced the average waiting times for trucks at its cargo terminal at Milan-Malpensa Airport (MXP). This was achieved through an SMS-based system for assigning warehouse gates, developed by the local cargo handling team.

At MXP, Italy’s largest air freight hub with a market share of approximately 65%, around 28,000 trucks are processed annually. To optimize the loading and unloading processes for import and export cargo, a strategic redesign and investment in the front of the warehouse were made, including the creation of truck parking spaces. The new SMS system enables clear and timely communication with drivers to assign trucks to the appropriate warehouse gates, resulting in measurable improvements in workflow.

A recent performance analysis shows that the average processing time for a truck at the Milan cargo facility is now 48 minutes. Only 10% of all operations exceed the established airport KPIs during peak times. Furthermore, it has been found that 45% of all truck visits to WFS are now completed within 30 minutes, while 75% of visits are completed within one hour.

WFS continuously promotes the technology of the „CargoKiosk“ to simplify and digitize the processing of trucks and drivers. The improved SMS solution accelerates document processing, saving valuable time for drivers and increasing vehicle productivity for freight and logistics companies.

Luigi Pellino, Operations Director at WFS, stated: „Continuous performance monitoring through daily reports is a central focus of WFS and ensures ongoing improvement of services as well as operational transparency. This innovation in truck processing provides the opportunity to increase throughput and enhance customer satisfaction by offering a consistent and timely service while unlocking higher efficiency and value creation. We invite all customers to actively utilize all digital solutions provided by WFS as a handler and by the airport to facilitate the acceptance and delivery process.“

In 2026, WFS also introduced a dock coordination office at Malpensa Airport and will continue to invest in this area to support a restructuring of vehicle flow and a dedicated acceptance office at the dock level in collaboration with SEA, the airport authority.

At MXP, WFS currently handles all types of cargo for eleven online and five offline airlines.

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