Freighter traffic drives Brussels Airport growth

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Brussels Airport


Brussels Airport has seen cargo volumes increase by 8.2 per cent year-on-year in August to 37,387 tonnes because of a big rise in freighter traffic despite a fall in bellyhold.

Total cargo traffic rose by 14.9 per cent in August to 26,036 tonnes, with freighter volumes increasing by 34.9 per cent to 11,138 tonnes. Integrator tonnage increased by 3.4 per cent to 14,898 tonnes while bellyhold cargo fell by 4.4 per cent to 11,351 tonnes. The airport says it has been helped by Ethiopian Airlines starting four times a week freighter services to Brussels from Addis Ababa in January.

Brussels Airport says: “Cargo transport at Brussels Airport displayed healthy growth of 8.2 per cent in August. The transport of cargo on board passenger planes fell slightly by 4.4 per cent. Cargo transport in passenger planes is extremely sensitive to economic fluctuations.”

Between January and August, cargo volumes increased by 10.6 per cent to 325,868 tonnes, with freighter tonnage increasing by 14.6 per cent to 229,859 tonnes. Freighter aircraft tonnage increased by 25.5 per cent to 98,234 tonnes and integrator volumes were up by 7.6 per cent to 131,535 tonnes. Bellyhold cargo was up by two per cent to 96,009 tonnes.

Cargo flights were up by 12 per cent from January to August to 8,515. In August they were up by 13.3 per cent to 977.