An aircraft turbine, a red panda and unique artwork were amongst the most unusual shipments transported by Lufthansa Cargo in 2024.
Among the heaviest highlights of 2024 was a shipment weighing 65 tons, which was also one of the heaviest shipments Lufthansa Cargo has ever transported. This load for the automotive industry flew from Viracopos, Brazil, to Frankfurt and then on to Malmö, Sweden, and had to be split across several flights.
Meanwhile, the General Electric aircraft turbine that Lufthansa Cargo transported from Beijing, China to Frankfurt in November 2024 was over 5 m long, 3 m high and weighed 12 tons.
The journey of the aircraft turbine started at Beijing Capital International Airport.
Only one hour was available for the entire loading of the Boeing 777 freighter and, in addition to the engine, further freight had to be loaded beforehand. Everything had to be done quickly and safely at the same time.
This was the task of specially trained Lufthansa Cargo loadmasters for “AC Engine Movements”. Due to the dimensions of the General Electric aircraft turbine and the limited space in the cargo compartment, careful coordination was required, especially when loading through the cargo door.
Around 50 tension belts secured the turbine directly to the aircraft structure during the flight in order to protect the multi-million turbine from vibrations and movements and ultimately to fly it safely to its destination.
Panda package
Animals also form a major part of Lufthansa Cargo’s business. In 2024 alone, the Lufthansa Cargo Animal Lounge at Frankfurt Airport hosted more than 80m animals, including 2,800 horses, 14,000 pets and 200 zoo animals. Among these, Lufthansa Cargo accompanied two Siberian tigers on their way to freedom last year.
The two big cats were flown from Frankfurt to Almaty on a Lufthansa Cargo freighter in September 2024 to be released into the wild in Kazakhstan – all under the patronage of the WWF, which accompanied the tigers during their acclimatization in the national park.
Other unusual passengers included the zoo-to-zoo transport of two pygmy hippos, which were transported from Madrid, Spain, to Frankfurt and then to Mumbai, India, in April last year. Special wooden boxes with hay and water buckets were used to ensure that the pair of hippos felt comfortable, and the zookeepers also had to comply with special dietary requirements.
The rarest animal that Lufthansa Cargo hosted last year was the highly endangered red panda. This zoo-to-zoo transport in May 2024 also required some special features. The nocturnal animal was housed in a separate climate chamber, which offered the panda pleasant temperatures and sufficient peace and quiet. In addition, a special box with two levels for lying down was provided, giving the agile climber plenty of space.
Art by air
In March 2024, the hip hop exhibition THE CULTURE, organised by the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Saint Louis Art Museum and presented in cooperation with the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, travelled from Chicago, US, to Frankfurt. A Lufthansa Cargo 777F transported a total of 62 packages and 14,640 kg of art.
After the flight, the works of art spent several days in the ARTcube, tailored to climatic and security requirements. at the Lufthansa Cargo Center in Frankfurt until they were transported to the Schirn Kunsthalle.
Furthermore, the Berggruen exhibition, an important art collection with works by Picasso, Klee, Giacometti and Matisse, was transported by Lufthansa Cargo on its world tour in August 2024.
The exhibition flew from Germany to Japan and then from Beijing back to Europe with Lufthansa Cargo. A total of 91 works of art in 42 bespoke climate-controlled crates were transported on five flights.
The largest works found space on board the 777F. Other works of art flew in the bellies of Lufthansa passenger aircraft from Beijing.
Additionally, the Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding countries resulted in Lufthansa Cargo transporting 100,000 Mpox vaccines from Brussels to Kinshasa in mid-November 2024.
This shipment was the result of a joint effort involving the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, the German Embassy in Brussels, Brussels Airport, Swissport and World Courier.
