Brussels Airport saw air cargo volumes rise sharply by 41% in March versus the same month in 2020, reaching 74,000 tonnes, while passenger numbers were down by 91%.
The growth in March volumes was achieved despite the sharp drop in volumes on passenger flights (-41%). Full cargo traffic grew strongly again (+73%), and this growth could be observed for all existing airlines.
The growth in express services (+65%) was due to the effect observed in 2021 of the extra routes added by DHL Express in 2020 and the increase in demand for e-commerce shipments. Trucked freight was also up, by 43%.
Import and export volumes increased, especially for the Asian and North American regions. Brussels Airport also remains an important hub for the import and export of Covid vaccines.
The total number of flight movements fell by 71% in March 2021 compared to the pre-crisis period (2019), adding up to 5,177 movements (compared with 18,126 in March 2019). The number of passenger flights fell by 86%. Each flight carried an average of 89 passengers.
The number of cargo flights was up by 46% compared to last year (2020) mainly due to the large number of flights operated using passenger aircraft that are used only for cargo.
Several airlines use this type of aircraft to offer additional cargo capacity and thus partially compensate for the loss of many traditional passenger flights. The increase in cargo flights was mainly in daytime flights.
“The last twelve months have been particularly difficult for the airline industry; the few periods of cautious recovery have always been short-lived, and now we are always faced with a ban on non-essential travel,” explains Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company.
“The 19th of April will therefore be a crucial date for the sector, the long-awaited start of the gradual recovery that we hope can now be rolled out for the duration. It is therefore important that, from that moment on, travel to countries where the health situation is comparable to or better than in Belgium, is made possible, provided that Covid tests are carried out on departure and/or arrival.
“This will not immediately lead to mass travel, but it will be an important first step towards the recovery of a sector that has been hard hit by this crisis for over a year. Vaccination and the digital green certificate remain the only essential means to return to normal activity.”
