Cargo volumes at Brussels Airport fell in June with a major fall in full freighter traffic as airlines departed due to stricter noise standards.

The hub serving Belgium’s capital handled 42,375 tonnes in June, up 5.3 per cent on the 40,243 tonnes processed in the previous June though down 1.9 per cent on two years ago, when it was 43,187 tonnes.

Full freighter traffic declined 3.1 per cent year-on-year (YOY) to 11,524 tonnes and by 16 per cent compared to 2015, when it handled 13,726 tonnes, with Yangtze River Express and Air Cargo Global departing due to stricter noise standards.

Integrator traffic has remained strong, with a six per cent YOY increase to 19,191 tonnes and up 11.7 per cent on 2015.

Belly cargo is up 13.8 per cent to 11,660 tonnes compared to last year though down 5.1 per cent on 2015 due to Jet Airways leaving, though Brussels Airlines flights to Mumbai have partly compensated for the loss.

Cargo volumes have increased 16.4 per cent YOY in the first six months of 2017 to 268,316 tonnes, with 18.1 per cent full freighter growth and belly cargo up 11.7 per cent.