Significant growth in belly freight: Vienna Airport continues upward trend in cargo handling

The positive cargo development of the current year continues: From January to September, a total of 216,360 tons of cargo were handled at Vienna Airport. This is 20 percent more than in the same period last year. Vienna Airport recorded growth in both flown and trucked airfreight. In the first nine months of the year, belly cargo on passenger aircraft increased by 45 percent to 90,692 tons compared to the same period last year.

The current and recent strong market demand for airfreight is leading to an increase in tonnage at Vienna Airport. In the third quarter from July to September, cargo volume rose to 75,242 tons, an increase of more than 25 percent over the previous year. A further significant increase was recorded in September. In September 18,094 tons of airfreight were handled at the airport, an increase of 25 percent over the same period last year. This growth is also being driven by additional flights and the resulting increase in capacity. Qatar Airways Cargo, for example, has been operating a weekly service between Vienna and its hub in Doha since September. The Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines also returned to Vienna at the end of May.

“Vienna Airport continues to expand its position as a central cargo hub: With our modern infrastructure and high service quality, we are creating optimal conditions for fast and efficient cargo handling. The increasing number of airlines that have chosen us as a reliable cargo location, and in particular the 45 percent growth in belly freight, confirm our importance as a key logistics hub between Europe and Asia,” comments Julian Jäger, joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport.

“It is very pleasing that we were able to record growth in September for both freight-only flights and belly freight on passenger aircraft as well as trucking. The expansion of connectivity through new flight connections and additional cargo flights demonstrates the importance of the airport as a strategic hub in the region. The strong growth shows that we can respond to the needs of international logistics in a dynamic market environment and act as a reliable partner for cargo customers,” explains Michael Zach, Senior Vice President Ground Handling & Cargo Operations of Vienna Airport.

About Vienna Airport as a cargo hub
Thanks to its geographically favourable location in Europe, Vienna Airport has positioned itself as an important global cargo hub for Central and Eastern Europe. Vienna Airport is used by leading cargo airlines, especially for intercontinental transport. The airport offers rapid transshipment times based on its 24/7 operational readiness. Ten Category F aircraft parking bays (Boeing 747, Antonov 124) in close proximity to the terminal buildings are available for air cargo. Vienna Airport is firmly anchored in the European network of air cargo road feeder services. The most important consumer and business centres in Central and Eastern Europe are accessed within 24 or 48 hours. Flughafen Wien AG, which is publicly traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange, is one of the biggest employers in the region, featuring a workforce of more than 5,400 people.