Leipzig/Halle Airport has become established as a central hub for logistics associated with shipping aid supplies during the pandemic. The world’s largest plane, the Antonov 225, took off from Leipzig/Halle Airport today flying relief items to Windhoek in Namibia. The aircraft is transporting medical equipment to enable the country to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cargo consisted of 530 pallets weighing approx. 70 tonnes. PortGround, a subsidiary of Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG, which specialises in handling aircraft and freight, was responsible for loading the AN 225 in conjunction with the German armed forces.
An important hub for medical goods
In addition to regular passenger and freight services, Leipzig/Halle Airport is acting as a hub for medical supplies and protective equipment. Alongside regular traffic, the airport already handled about 70 freight charter flights, which have been transporting millions of Covid-19 tests and protective equipment, during the first half of 2021, for example.
LEJ is one of the cargo airports with the most dynamic growth rates in the world and set a new record in 2020 after having handled more than 1.38 million tonnes of cargo.
As Europe’s fourth-largest cargo hub, the airport safeguards important logistical and supply chains for industry and the population. The airport is DHL’s largest hub anywhere in the world and is also Amazon Air’s first regional air freight centre in Europe.
This makes the airport one of the most significant hubs for express and e-commerce consignments.
Overall, about 60 cargo airlines fly to the airport and serve a network of routes, which covers more than 200 destinations around the globe.
More than 10,800 people are currently employed at Leipzig/Halle Airport and at companies and public authorities based there. They include 8,200 alone in the cargo handling, freight airlines, logistics and freight forwarding sectors.
