Leipzig/Halle Airport handled record air cargo volumes last year and it is expecting further growth in 2021.
The German airport saw its cargo volumes increase by 11.7% year on year to a record 1.4m tonnes. Growth was particularly significant during the fourth quarter; in December, the amount of freight handled increased by 35% to 140,940 tonnes.
Götz Ahmelmann, the chief executive of airport operator Mitteldeutsche Flughafen, said: “We can count ourselves lucky that we’re continuing to attract stable business to the whole corporate group, primarily through our air freight operations. We’re expecting further growth in freight in 2021 and also a gradual recovery in passenger numbers, as soon as the travel restrictions are eased."
Looking ahead, the airport said the outlook for current year is encouraging.
"Both the scheduled and freight charter business are developing in a positive manner," it said. "Shipments of medical goods and protective equipment will also play an important role. This includes the possibility of handling vaccines at Leipzig/Halle."
The airport operates the largest DHL hub in the world and it is the first regional airfreight centre for Amazon Air in Europe.
Overall, about 60 cargo airlines fly to the airport and serve a network of routes that includes more than 280 destinations around the globe.
