Air services provider dnata will invest over €25m to develop a cargo facility at Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP) through its wholly-owned local subsidiary, Airport Handling.
The investment will be led by Airport Handling, which will begin handling cargo for the first time, and follows a tender process by the SEA Group, the operator of Linate and Malpensa airports.
Scheduled to become operational in September 2027, the new facility will be located in the Cargo City area of MXP and will span 10,000 sq m, with an annual handling capacity of over 100,000 tonnes.
The facility will support the handling of all cargo types, including perishables, pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, live animals, aircraft engines, and vehicles.
The facility will feature photovoltaic panels for renewable energy, thermal insulation, and high-efficiency LED lighting.
Both the warehouse and office spaces are planned to maximise natural light and will be supported by low-consumption heating and cooling systems, said dnata. The site will also be equipped with infrastructure to enable low-emission ground operations.
Airport Handling currently supports over 60 airlines with ramp and passenger handling, managing 80,000 flights annually across Milan’s two airports. With recent expansion into Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, Airport Handling continues to grow its footprint in Italy.
Alberto Morosi, chief executive of Airport Handling, commented: “Our expansion into cargo is a defining investment for Airport Handling and a clear signal of our long-term commitment to Italy.
“Milan is a regional hub for aviation and trade, and we see strong fundamentals for sustained cargo growth driven by cross-border e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and perishables. Our extensive experience in ramp and passenger services provides a solid operational foundation – adding cargo services to our portfolio is a natural evolution.”
Clive Sauvé-Hopkins, chief executive of dnata Airport Operations, added: “Europe remains a cornerstone of our global expansion strategy, and this project allows us to build future-ready cargo capacity in a high-potential market.”
Ground handling and cargo services are provided by dnata at more than 90 airports across 16 countries. In the financial year 2024–25, dnata’s teams handled 3.1m tonnes of cargo globally, marking a 9% year-over-year growth.
Aside from this latest expansion at MXP, dnata’s other investments this year have included a a dedicated animal handling centre at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) as well as a joint venture agreement with Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Group to establish ground handling and cargo operations at Alat International Airport in Baku.