Each week, CargoForwarder Global shines its ‘Spotlight On…’ a different area of the air cargo industry to illustrate the huge variety of career opportunities it offers. Cargo handlers are a critical factor in the industry, since they serve as the operational backbone, enabling the safe, efficient and on-time movement of goods through global supply chains. One such cargo handler is LUG aircargo handling GmbH which is Germany’s oldest independent ground service company, founded in 1966, thus turning 60 this year. This week, Elke Stöber (ES), Assistant to the Management and Marketing responsible at LUG aircargo handling GmbH, tells us about her job, and shares her views and advice to anyone considering a career in air cargo.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
ES: I’m the Assistant to the Management and responsible for Marketing at LUG aircargo handling GmbH (LUG). We provide air cargo handling and a wide range of services to airlines in Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg. I’m based in Frankfurt, our largest station, with roughly 350 operational staff and about 50 in administration. My responsibilities range from keeping our management organized (the toughest task of all [she smiles]) to marketing activities, presentations, event planning, business travel coordination, and internal and external communications. In addition, I manage our internal training platform for employees and coordinate our trade show activities, including our booth at transport logistic/Air Cargo Europe in Munich.
Since the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt was founded 12 years ago, with LUG as a founding member, I’ve also supported the competence team in marketing and communications. The Community is a cross-industry platform that brings together airlines, handlers, forwarders, and institutions to strengthen Frankfurt’s cargo hub through collaboration and innovation.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
ES: There’s absolutely no such thing as a ‘normal’ day, and that’s exactly how I like it. I usually start by scanning my inbox and prioritizing tasks, but urgent requests often reshape the plan: a last minute presentation, travel arrangements, or meeting coordination. I also prepare our quarterly internal newsletter and manage our LinkedIn posts as well as many other tasks that require agility for unplanned opportunities.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
ES: I’ve been in air cargo for exactly 20 years. I began my career as a freight forwarding agent focused on road transport, so my affinity for logistics started early. After several years in international transport, I moved to a well-known electronics manufacturer where I handled international claims. I entered air cargo by chance when I joined LUG for what was meant to be a two-month temporary assignment as an assistant after parental leave with my second daughter. Twenty years later, I’m still here and wouldn’t have it any other way.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
ES: The variety. I love the scope of air cargo handling and the insight it gives me into how the business truly works. Understanding the operational realities helps me do my job better. I prefer a full, challenging day to routine, and I actually perform best with a healthy level of pressure. Through my work at LUG and within the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt, I’ve met so many industry colleagues and some have become friends over the years. It’s a people business and feels like a big family.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?
ES: Digitization remains a key challenge; the pace of change is still too slow. As an industry, air cargo isn’t at the front of the line when it comes to rethinking processes and adopting new standards. On top of that, international trade is shaped by economic and geopolitical dynamics, which makes forecasting difficult and keeps air cargo inherently volatile.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry?
ES: Air cargo is a fascinating field with many paths for growth, whether you’re drawn to operations, analytics, or sales. Never stop learning, stay curious, and embrace daily challenges. It’s a people business on a truly international stage, so build your network and learn from experienced colleagues. Initiatives like the Young Air Cargo Executive (YACE) Team of the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt help newcomers in the industry to connect and get deeper insights into the different working fields. Such initiatives are absolutely worth considering.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
ES: ‘How to move the world before breakfast…’
Many thanks, Elke!
If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.
