Vienna Airport records highest air cargo volumes in history with significant pharma growth in 2024

Vienna Airport (VIE) achieved record air cargo volumes in 2024, handling 297,945 tons, a 22% increase from the previous year and 5% higher than pre-crisis 2019. Strong growth in long-haul services and demand for belly cargo capacity in passenger flights contributed to the surge. Pharma handling reached a new high of 4,238 tons, up 15.3% compared to 2023.
 
“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, convincing customers worldwide. The strong growth is evident in both imported goods and global exports. The record regarding pharmaceutical handling is particularly pleasing: Vienna Airport is thus establishing itself even more strongly as a leading logistics expert for pharmaceutical shipments”, says Julian Jäger, joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport.

 
Why are there record figures for cargo handling in Vienna Airport?

The return of major airlines from Asia such as Hainan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA) to Vienna provided additional attractive belly capacities between Vienna and Shenzhen, Chengdu and Tokyo. Simultaneously, airlines such as Qatar Airways increased their frequencies to Vienna. The additional cargo space led to a significant increase of 44% in the cargo transported on passenger aircraft to 125,103 tons. With 82,610 tons, freighter-only cargo remained approximately at the previous year’s level, (minus three percent). In 2024, trucked volumes increased by 24% to 90,199 tons, making a significant contribution to the new freight record. 163,026 tons of import cargo arrived at Vienna Airport in 2024 and was distributed from here within Austria and to many neighbouring markets in Central and Eastern Europe. The 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 cargo. This figure also rose significantly by 23% compared to the previous year. The most important markets here are also Asia and the USA.
 

New record at the competence centre for pharma handling at VIE

The Vienna Airport Pharma Handling Center, which is available to all airlines at Vienna Airport for the handling of temperature-sensitive goods, continued to grow strongly. The previous record year 2023 was surpassed again in 2024 with 4,238 tons, an increase of 15.3%. Vienna Airport is one of only a few airports in the CEE region to have its own competence centre for pharmaceutical handling, with an interruption-free cold chain for the highly competent handling of pharmaceutical goods.