Belgian freighter hub Liege Airport reported another month of increasing cargo volumes in May.
The airport said that cargo tonnages for the month increased by 13.4% year on year to 95,905 tonnes.
The airport said the increase is ahead of the general cargo market, which is estimated by DHL to have increased by 9% in May, although Xentea puts the figure at 12%.
“Increased demand for e-commerce and the modal shift from sea freight to air freight due to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East continue to drive air volumes,” the airport said in a press release.
Liege said that compared with pre-pandemic 2019 levels, cargo volumes in May were up by 30.4%.
During the month the number of cargo aircraft movements rose by 11.3% compared with the same month in 2023 (2,256 vs 2,026).
In mid-May, the airport benefitted from the launch of a new Challenge Group service from Liege to Dubai operating with a Boeing 747 freighter.
The airport’s performance this year follows a difficult 2023 when volumes declined by 11.8% year on year due to weak economic conditions and the restructuring of FedEx’s network with flights switching from Belgium to Paris.
The airport also lost AirBridgeCargo due to restrictions following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in the first quarter of 2022.
Liege Airport cargo volumes bounce back after tough 2023
Challenge Group launches Dubai-Liège freighter flights
