Freight volumes handled at Europe’s fifth-largest air cargo hub, Leipzig/Halle Airport, grew significantly again in August. Compared to the same month in the previous year, the volume of air freight rose by 12.7% to a figure of approximately 109,048 tonnes. This meant that the volume of cargo handled during the first eight months of the year increased by 6.8% to about 865,631 tonnes. Leipzig/Halle Airport is therefore continuing to develop in stark contrast to the negative trend elsewhere in Germany.
The positive development in the current year is reflected in both scheduled freight services and charter cargo traffic.
Shipments of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical goods have also contributed to this growth process. The airport has enjoyed CEIV Pharma certification since the beginning of 2020. The refrigerated warehouse at the airport is located in the World Cargo Center (WCC). Direct access to the apron area guarantees short transport routes for temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products and safe supply chains to and from aircraft and to trucks. Leipzig/Halle is therefore in a position to handle urgent and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments round the clock. They also included an aid flight for a UN organisation, which transported about 30 tonnes of vaccinations and pharmaceuticals from Leipzig/Halle to Turkmenistan in August.
The airport has also served as a European hub for transporting medical equipment to curb the Covid-19 pandemic during the last few months. More than 50 freight charter flights, including some involving Antonov 225, Antonov 124, Boeing 777, 747F and 787-9 and Airbus A350 aircraft, have also been handled in addition to the regular cargo traffic.
