Bangkok joins WFS' growing international network of certified pharma handling facilities

Bangkok joins WFS’ growing international network of certified pharma handling facilities

February 22, 2024

Bangkok Flight Services (BFS), the joint venture between Bangkok Airways and Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, has achieved Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certification for its dedicated pharma handling facility at the city’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

This award takes the number of GDP or IATA CEIV Pharma certified facilities available to WFS customers globally to 27, with two further locations in North America aiming for certification in Q2 and Q3 2024.

In addition to Bangkok, WFS, and other subsidiaries of the SATS Group, now operate certified pharma handling facilities in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bangalore, Beijing PEK & PKX, Brussels, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dallas Fort Worth, Dammam, Dublin, Frankfurt, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London LHR & LGW, Madrid, Miami, Mumbai, Muscat, New York JFK, Paris CDG, Philadelphia.

“BFS, WFS and SATS have a shared commitment to ensuring the safe and secure handling of temperature-controlled, life-enhancing pharma cargoes. This is evident by our investments in best-in-class pharma centres in Europe, Scandinavia, North America, the Middle East, India and Asia, and more certified facilities will join this network in 2024. These operations are vital to maintaining the integrity and compliance of pharma shipments as well as to supporting premium and special cargo products offered by our customers,” said Stewart Sinclair, Managing Director of BFS.

BFS received its GDP certification from independent audit body Escem/TüV Rheinland following a stringent two-day assessment of the pharma facility by Global Pharma Solutions LLC. This confirms the operation’s compliance with EC Guidelines on Good Distribution Practice of medicinal products for human use, and the World Health Organization’s WHO TRS 1025 – Annex 7 for Good Storage & Distribution Practices for medical products.

Located inside the main BFS cargo terminal, the pharma facility consists of 3 zones offering some 120m² of capacity. This includes over 215 storage positions within controlled temperature ranges of 15-25°C and 2-8°C. The facility also incorporates charging stations for ‘active’ cargo containers used for the transportation of temperature-controlled pharma products. The facility is operated by a specially trained team and protected by comprehensive security measures.

In 2024, BFS is investing to increase the capacity of its pharma storage to support growing customer volumes. Over 20 of the 80 airlines handled by BFS in Bangkok now regularly ship pharma cargoes.

James Graham

James Graham is an award-winning transport media journalist with a long background in the commercial freight sector, including commercial aviation and the aviation supply chain. He was the initial Air Cargo Week journalist and retuned later for a stint as editor. He continues his association as editor of the monthly supplements. He has reported for the newspaper from global locations as well as the UK.