Phase one of BUD Cargo City completed and opened at Budapest Airport

The new €50 million BUD Cargo City facility has put the airport onto the global stage as a Central and Eastern Europe cargo hub.

The first phase of Budapest Airport‘s (BUD) new air freight facility, BUD Cargo City, has been completed and officially opened, with all warehouse and office space leased to tenants – including Celebi Aviation Holding and Menzies Aviation, two international ground and cargo handling companies.

Chief Property and Cargo Officer at Budapest Airport, Rene Droese, said: “BUD Cargo City is a significant milestone in BUD’s growth strategy, and establishes the airport as the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)’s air cargo hub and gateway to the world. BUD Cargo City provides a state-of-the-art, efficient, linear and rapid logistics environment for our air cargo community and opens up a world of potential for our partners with high quality increased capacity to build new connections to all continents, especially Asia and North America.”

The €50 million space is a 21,600m² modern cargo handling facility, and is part of Budapest Airport’s Development Programme. The complex includes an 11,200m² forwarder building, 21,600m² of warehousing space and a 32,000m² cargo apron able to service two Boeing 747 freighters simultaneously.

The completion of the first phase of the facility has increased annual capacity to 250,000 tonnes. Phase two will see the forwarder building handed over in January 2020 for market-leading freight forwarders.

Atilla Korkmazoglu, President of Ground Handling and Cargo at Celebi Aviation Holding, said: “BUD’s location is very attractive with its catchment area that expands both into Eastern and Western Europe. We have implemented a two-phase construction plan in order to meet growing air cargo volumes at BUD, and phase one is already underway with a 22,000m² area that includes 12,000m² warehouse space, 1,600m² office and social areas, and 8,000m² manoeuvring and equipment parking areas. We will install a brand new ETV to increase the capacity for phase two. At Celebi Ground Handling Hungary we are proud be part of the highly committed and professional environment of Budapest Airport.”