dnata has inaugurated its latest state-of-the-art cargo centre at London Heathrow airport (LHR).

The new 10,500-sqm facility (also known as ‘Phase II’) was designed to operate in conjunction with dnata City East’s existing 22,500-sqm cargo terminal, which opened in September 2019.

dnata said the expansion makes the City East cargo complex ‘comfortably the largest off-site cargo handling operation at Heathrow airport’.

The air side services provider will handle all air freight of Virgin Atlantic Cargo and Delta Cargo at dnata City East. Exports will remain at the Phase I facility, whilst the new Phase II facility will cater for all imports, the company noted.

dnata said consistent investment in infrastructure underlines the company’s long-term commitment to the UK’s air cargo industry. Over the past eight years, it has added seven facilities, including six new builds, and now operates 13 cargo centres at six airports in the UK, with eight of them at Heathrow.