Vienna Airport ended 2024 with new records for air cargo volumes: a total of 297,945 tons of cargo were handled, representing a significant increase of 22 percent compared to the previous year, as well as a 5 percent increase compared to the pre-crisis year 2019. In particular, the positive development Long-haul services will boost cargo results at the airport, as there has been strong demand for additional capacity on passenger aircraft. With a total of 4,238 tons in 2024, the airport also achieved a new all-time high in pharmaceutical handling (up 15.3 percent).
“With the best cargo results in the history of Vienna Airport, we are strengthening our position as a central hub for air cargo services in Central and Eastern Europe. This record clearly proves our first-class infrastructure and high quality of service, which convinces customers all over the world. The strong growth is evident In both imported goods and global exports, the track record in handling pharmaceuticals is particularly impressive: Vienna Airport is thus establishing itself even more firmly as a leading logistics expert for pharmaceutical shipments,” says Julian Jäger, Joint CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Vienna Airport. Vienna Airport.
“The record result for 2024 represents an impressive achievement for our cargo handling team. At the same time, we have set the course for further positive development. With the extension of the handling contract with Lufthansa Cargo and the IATA certification,” added Michael Zak, Senior Vice President, Ground Handling and Cargo Operations in Vienna. To address lithium batteries, we have already taken the following steps to maintain a sustainable growth path.” Airport.
Record cargo handling numbers in Vienna – return of major Asian airlines boosts growth
The return of major airlines from Asia such as Hainan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA) to Vienna has provided attractive additional capacity between Vienna, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Tokyo. At the same time, airlines such as Qatar Airways have increased their flights to Vienna. The additional cargo space resulted in a significant 44% increase in the volume of cargo transported on passenger aircraft, reaching 125,103 tons. With 82,610 tons, freight-only cargo remained almost at the previous year’s level (minus three percent). In 2024, truck volumes increased by 24 percent to 90,199 tons, which contributed significantly to setting a new freight record. 163,026 tons of imported goods arrived at Vienna Airport in 2024 and were distributed from here within Austria and to several neighboring markets in Central and Eastern Europe. Growing e-commerce volumes from Asia also contributed to this significant 20% increase in import volumes. Exports from Vienna amounted to a total of 134,918 tons of goods. This number also increased significantly by 23 percent compared to the previous year. The most important markets here are also Asia and the USA.
A new record at the Competence Center for Pharmaceutical Handling at Vienna Airport
Vienna Airport’s Pharmaceutical Handling Centre, which is available to all airlines at Vienna Airport to handle temperature-sensitive cargo, continues to grow strongly. The previous record of 2023 was surpassed again in 2024 with 4,238 tons, an increase of 15.3 percent. Vienna Airport is one of the few airports in the Central and Eastern Europe region to have its own competence center for pharmaceutical handling, with an uninterrupted cold chain for highly efficient handling of pharmaceutical goods.
