German airfreight sector warns of cost pressure
Germany’s airfreight industry is losing cargo to rival hubs due to high costs and bureaucracy, the BDL – the German Aviation Association representing the country’s airlines and airports – warned at a meeting of the Aircargo Club Deutschland (ACD) in Frankfurt.
"It’s becoming too expensive to handle air cargo in Germany," said BDL managing director Joachim Lang (second from the left). He was joined by ACD president Prof. Christopher W. Stoller (second from the right), who stressed: "Airfreight is vital for Germany’s export strength – we must make our locations more competitive." The shift is already measurable: in 2023 Germany lost around 62,000 t of airfreight to foreign hubs – a stark contrast to the 206,000 t gain recorded before 2019.
One-third of German forwarders now use airports abroad, with navigation charges of about EUR 1,500 per flight in Frankfurt compared to EUR 72 in Istanbul and none in Liège. The BDL calls for lower taxes, reduced fees and faster digitalisation to stop further cargo migration. (ah)