Four years is not just a U.S. presidential term, but also the length of the extended handling contract signed between Lufthansa Cargo and Vienna Airport last week. The airport will continue to provide cargo handling services for the airline until the end of 2028 and looks back to fruitful collaboration since 2010, covering all types of products from general cargo and mail, to temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments and dangerous goods. Good for Vienna Airport, since Lufthansa Cargo is amongst its largest customers – not just of the airport’s cargo handling services, but also of the Vienna Airport Pharma Handling Center. Apparently, Vienna Airport holds the accolade of being the most punctual hub in the Lufthansa network, though it has to be said that much of the cargo travelling into and out of Vienna is via road feeder service, complementing belly capacities on Austrian Airlines flights.
Julian Jäger, Joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport, declared: “Vienna Airport offers a high level of quality not only in passenger and baggage services, but also in cargo handling. We are therefore pleased that we can gain the trust of Lufthansa Cargo and continue our good cooperation for the next five years. With efficient handling processes, fast turnaround times and a broad range of services, we are well positioned in the cargo sector and see high growth potential, especially with our Pharma Handling Center.”
Theresa Schlederer, Director Austria at Lufthansa Cargo AG, commented: “Vienna Airport is an efficient east-west hub with fast turnaround times. This makes it one of our most important hubs in Europe. The handling service includes 24/7 customer service, monitoring, and weekly quality checks. Thanks to this reliable and close cooperation, we can offer our customers fast and easy access to the freight markets, primarily in Southeast Asia. The airport’s Pharma Handling Center also provides ideal conditions for our growing tonnages in the pharmaceutical sector.”
Michael Zach, Head of Handling Services at Flughafen Wien AG, stated: “With a tonnage share of almost 40% in 2023, Lufthansa Cargo is Vienna Airport’s largest customer. The contract extension is therefore of great importance and, together with the top results for handling speed and efficiency, is a confirmation of our quality and a clear signal to the market. We are very grateful for the trust placed in us and will continue to do our utmost to further develop our services with a focus on our customers.”
