Expanding capacities and growing cargo traffic at Budapest Airport

Airport of the Hungarian capital is working hard to develop a leading air cargo hub in the CEE region; launch of Air China service to Beijing

Air cargo volumes have been growing dynamically at Budapest Airport since the beginning of the year, as airlines keep offering new cargo capacities. Following a time of stagnation, the  economic upturn has also lifted the cargo business, although Ferenc Liszt International Airport does not only serve the cargo needs of the Hungarian economy but other countries in the region too.

Air cargo  traffic in March 2015 at Budapest Airport was no less than 10% higher than during  the same period last year. In absolute terms as well, the figures evidence a path of development; the 8,300 tons of cargo handled in March is a record when compared to the past three years.

Budapest Airport has all the required attributes of an ideal cargo hub; significant development potential, excellent road and rail connections, with 20 European countries accessible by road within the 1,000 kilometre cargo catchment area of the airport.

One of the factors contributing to the growth in cargo traffic is the numerous new airlines on hand for cargo transportation. For example, demand for the cargo aircraft of Silk Way West has increased so significantly since last March that the Azeri airline has been using the latest Boeing 747-8F instead of Boeing 767-300s on the Budapest-Baku route. The daily Emirates flight is able to carry up to 12 tons of belly cargo.

Turkish Cargo increased the frequency of its flights to Budapest from 2 to 3 a week, usually flown with Airbus A 310 or A 330-200s. The Air China service commuting between Beijing and Budapest four times a week as of 1 May 2015 is another significant boost for cargo, as it is able to transport up to 10 tons per flight.

“We are working hard to make sure that more and more cargo airlines choose Budapest, as the large Western European airports are overcrowded, and it is increasingly difficult to find  free capacities there,” says René Droese, Property Director, Budapest Airport:“

“At Budapest Airport, all the conditions are in place to develop a leading air cargo hub in the CEE region, as an increased number of cargo aircraft from the Far East are landing here, and transporting Hungarian products from the electronics, pharmaceutical, mechanical engineering and other industries on the return leg. The economic routes of the government’s ‘opening to the East’ policy lead through Budapest Airport,” he adds.

www.bud.hu

Quelle: LogEastics
Portal: www.logistik-express.com