Korean Air partners with Swissport for cargo operations at JFK

Korean Air has partnered with Swissport to manage its air cargo facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. The five-year agreement, effective from September 1, 2025, gives Swissport full responsibility to operate, modernise and sublease Cargo Building 9, a 232,500-square-foot freight terminal.

The partnership will see Swissport invest in automation, eco-tech infrastructure, and temperature-controlled storage, with plans to increase the site’s annual throughput capacity from 200,000 to 295,500 tonnes. Operations will start with about 80 staff and grow to more than 390 plus employees as the facility reaches full capacity.

Nelson Camacho, CEO of Swissport North America and Canada, said, “We are delighted to partner with Korean Air Cargo on this historic contract, marking our first large-scale collaboration at a single location. We are aligned in our mission to provide operational excellence to Korean Air Cargo’s customers.”

Jaedong Eum, Executive Vice President and Head of the Cargo Business Division at Korean Air, said, “Swissport has demonstrated that it shares our values of professionalism, excellence and sustainability, and our vision for the future of our JFK hub. Together with Swissport, we will establish a blueprint at JFK for a highly successful Cargo Path Forward over the coming years.”

As part of the modernisation, Swissport will introduce an all-electric ground support equipment (GSE) fleet for freighter operations at JFK, supported by new charging infrastructure. The company will also roll out biodegradable products across its North America network to reduce plastic waste in cargo handling.

Ajay Barolia, Executive Vice President of Cargo at Swissport North America, said the strategy is built on “Safety, Consistent Service Quality, and Full Transparency,” adding that new technologies such as automation and high-density racking systems will prepare Cargo Building 9 for future growth.