Lufthansa Cargo: Multimillion investments for Germany

At the beginning of May, Lufthansa Cargo ordered two Boeing 777 freighters. The advantage for the export economy and German consumers? The aircraft can transport up to 103 tons of cargo across 9,100 kilometres non-stop and connect Germany to the world market quickly and securely. And so the airline recently commenced operations to the Chinese city of Chengdu, where companies such as BASF, Bayer and Bosch as well as dozens of German medium-sized companies are active.

Lufthansa Cargo is also continuously improving its offers on the ground, not only in the air. For example, until 2022 the company will be investing an eight-figure sum in Frankfurt every year. In 2017 the cooling centre almost doubled in size to over 8,000 square metres. The centre mainly cools high-quality medicines – essential for Germany’s export-intensive pharmaceutical industry and patients around the world. In addition, AeroLogic, the joint venture company of Lufthansa Cargo and DHL, operates from Leipzig with ten Boeing 777F. AeroLogic is an essential part of Leipzig as a logistics hub.

Making Germany ready for the future as an air cargo location

For Germany to continue to be a successful air cargo location competitive framework conditions have to be in place:

• Security: The aviation security authorities and the aviation industry must develop security standards together. In addition, the specifications regarding security technologies and procedures and their implementation should be harmonised at EU level.

• Digitisation: Nowadays, efficient logistics requires digitisation and networking at every point in the process chain. Customs and security procedures must be in line with this. All stakeholders should reduce complexity and work together much more efficiently.

• Air traffic rights: Countries generally conduct bilateral negotiations on the frequency with which airlines are allowed to fly to which destinations. It is important to ensure that the airlines compete with each other fairly. If this is not the case, this can result in artificially created market distortions – which are to the detriment of German air cargo companies.