Airfreight volumes at European airports 2020

Frankfurt processed the most airfreight out of all airports in Europe. In 2020, the German airport handled over 1.8 million metric tons of cargo, which put it slightly ahead of Paris hub Charles de Gaulle.
Air cargo may be transported via passenger aircraft, specifically designed cargo aircraft or combi aircraft.

Frankfurt Airport at a glance

In 2020, Frankfurt Airport further established itself as one of the leading airports for airfreight. Already a hub for cargo and pharmaceuticals, the airport's importance in this area has only increased: Frankfurt Airport has a large temperature-controlled hangar and has been handling vaccines for years, further preparing itself for the transport of millions of COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, one of the Pfizer/BioNTech manufacturing plants is in Marburg, roughly 100 kilometers north of the airport.

Global air freight and the pandemic

While both air travel and cargo suffered from the impact of the pandemic, the overall airfreight volume decrease experienced in 2020 was not as sharp as the decrease in passenger traffic, and the worldwide revenue of cargo airlines surged. Not only that, but airfreight was also fundamental in tackling the pandemic, as it attended to the demand increase for pharmaceutical products and personal protective equipment. As the need for face masks and vaccines continues into 2021, air cargo also continues to be a cornerstone of mitigating the pandemic.