As larger hubs grapple with congestion and complexity, Châlons Vatry Airport is quietly becoming a preferred choice for e-commerce, perishables and last-minute charters.

Amid rising demand for flexible, no-frills cargo handling, Châlons Vatry Airport (XCR) is making a case for regional specialisation done right. XCR is positioning itself as more than just an alternative to France’s congested primary gateways.

“We don’t want to be the last option,” says managing director Fabrice Pauquet. “We want to be the preferred option.”

XCR’s strategic direction centres on operational simplicity and flexibility. The airport is one of the few in France offering round-the-clock operations, seven days a week. More notably, it has no noise restrictions—a rare advantage in Europe that offers charter operators and integrators far greater scheduling freedom.

“XCR Airport is able to handle all types of cargo,” says Pauquet. “The main objectives are to become the first choice of carriers for e-commerce and charter operations for France-destined shipments.”

While most airports split services between multiple third-party providers, XCR’s model is vertically integrated. “We are the airport operator, the ramp handler and the ground agent,” Pauquet explains. “This all-in-one package is unique in offering a single point of contact.”

That structure enables the airport to respond quickly to operator demands, especially on pricing and flight planning. “We are adapting the rates in order to provide the best rates,” Pauquet says. “The goal is to reduce the DOC [direct operating cost] for the carriers.”

e-commerce anchors growth

The airport has seen a steady uptick in e-commerce volumes, which remain its primary growth engine. However, geopolitical friction—particularly between the US and China—has introduced a layer of unpredictability.

“e-commerce remains strong, even if the diplomatic issue between the US and China leads to unknown predictions,” Pauquet notes. “The Chinese customers seem to be cautious on new route openings.”

Yet XCR’s operating profile plays to e-commerce’s demand for speed, scale and flexibility. “Our infrastructure is an advantage due to the size and the ‘no congestion’ status,” he adds.

With space to grow and minimal operational bottlenecks, the airport positions itself as a relief valve for e-commerce capacity across France—especially when larger hubs are overburdened or constrained by curfews.

In 2025, XCR will break up its existing 4,200 sq m warehouse to offer expanded temperature-controlled storage with a constant +15°C to +25°C range—ideal for high-value perishables, pharma and sensitive electronics.

“The investment will be in the capacity to have a +15/+25 structure available all year round,” Pauquet confirms.

This comes as XCR steps up efforts to become a gateway for perishable imports, particularly from Africa. Following the ACW Africa conference, the airport established several new contacts and sees itself well positioned to attract regional flows.

“The perishable market is one of the targeted lanes for growth,” Pauquet says. “After the last ACW Africa, many contacts were made and there is room for XCR Airport to play a leading role in the French market.”

While the physical infrastructure will be visible, Pauquet stresses the importance of behind-the-scenes upgrades as well.

“We will also have some ‘invisible’ investments from 2025 onwards, where we expect to go for ISO and CEIV certifications,” he adds, referring to quality and pharma compliance standards increasingly required by global forwarders.

XCR’s model is built around flexibility. The airport doesn’t just handle scheduled flights; it accommodates short-notice charters and one-off freight movements that often fall outside the operational comfort zone of major hubs.

“To be honest, the cooperation is pretty good for all kinds of requests,” says Pauquet. “We have the flexibility in terms of resources when the flight is scheduled.”

That capability makes the airport especially attractive to ad hoc operators and smaller carriers seeking tailor-made solutions without the rigid time slots, queuing, or multi-layered bureaucracy of larger platforms.

“We are doing our best to provide tailor-made service even for last-minute charters,” Pauquet says.

Digital strategy

In a sector buzzing with buzzwords—AI, blockchain, predictive logistics—XCR’s digital transformation efforts are refreshingly grounded in pragmatism.

“Digitalisation will be the step for 2025–2026,” Pauquet says. “We will work with a French company to monitor our ground operations.”

The focus isn’t on tech for tech’s sake, but on delivering live timings and accurate operational performance data to customers.

“This will also be a tool for customers to have live timings and correct data on the performance of the airport team,” he explains.

For cargo management, XCR currently uses CargoSpot, one of the industry’s standard platforms. “Let’s see what the next upgrade will be,” Pauquet says, hinting that further enhancement may come as digital tracking expectations rise. “The objective is to provide real-time status on shipments.”

Quiet but intentional

Pauquet is keen to stress XCR’s move towards greener operations, even if the airport hasn’t launched a high-profile net-zero campaign.

“All our forklifts are now electric,” he says. “In 2025, we decided to invest in green GSE for crew transport and ramp operations, at least for our PAX flights.”

Looking further ahead, photovoltaic projects are on the agenda. “For 2026 and beyond, we have several photovoltaic projects to power buildings, warehouses and electrify aircraft gates,” he says.

The airport will continue converting equipment to electric or hydrogen, depending on market maturity. “We will continue to convert equipment to electric or hydrogen, depending on market availability,” Pauquet notes.

“We all know that there are big players—LGG, FRA, CDG, AMS—with which we cannot compete,” Pauquet says. “But there is also room for regional airports in Europe for dedicated trade lanes.”

His pitch is simple: tailored service, faster turnarounds and smarter pricing.

“The big advantage for the regional airport is to target the right market and offer ‘premium’ tailor-made service combined with optimal rates to gain customer loyalty,” he adds.

With an eye on intermodal connectivity, XCR is exploring how to expand its road feeder services (RFS) and improve cargo access into and out of France.

While Pauquet stays tight-lipped, he hints that a major announcement could land soon. “Let’s hope that we will be able to announce very good news on the RFS side!” he says.

“We are still in negotiation phases,” he says. “Fingers crossed!”