Budapest Airport among exhibitors at one of the world’s largest cargo forums

“Connect differently!” – this is the motto of the joint cargo strategy with which Budapest, Düsseldorf and Hamburg Airport have been appearing jointly for more than a year now at international air cargo forums, also because these three airports belong to the same shareholder group, the AviAlliance. This week, the representatives of Budapest Airport’s Business Unit Property and Cargo are participating at the Air Cargo Forum organized by The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) in Toronto, Canada, the largest airfreight meeting with over 300 exhibitors and over 4 000 top managers and executives from all over the world, Budapest Airport press release said.

In less than a year, a modern, 20 000-square-meter cargo hub and warehouse will be handed over to cargo carriers at Budapest Airport, with construction getting underway since mid of September. (Read details HERE.)The execution of the Cargo City is the most important message from Hungary at the Toronto forum, where Budapest Airport is exhibiting jointly, with fellow cargo experts from Düsseldorf and Hamburg. All three airports are focusing on developing the cargo business, primarily because there are significant market opportunities in new cargo bases, where large capacities are available, unlike at traditional European hubs. The construction of the Cargo City at Budapest Airport is part of this strategy, as Hungary offers ideal conditions to become a large cargo hub for Central Eastern Europe.

Cargo traffic has increased by no less than 39 percent at Budapest Airport during the past two years, reaching 127 000 tons last year, with as much as 150 000 tons possible this year.

This is the growth in demand that the Cargo City is intended to satisfy, complemented with the construction of a 36 000-square-meter concrete apron, enabling the concurrent handling of two giant cargo aircraft (so-called code F, i.e. Boeing B747-8F, with a payload of 100 tons).

Budapest Airport is spending 32.6 million euros (approximately 10 billion HUF) from its BUD 2020 airport development program on the new Cargo City. As part of the same scheme, two logistics centers totaling 16 000 square meters were handed over to TNT and DHL Express last year, due to increased demand for the handling of small express parcels and e-commerce.

“Budapest is emerging as the leading Central European cargo hub, within reach of almost 20 countries,”

said René Droese, director property and cargo for Budapest Airport. “Cargo-friendly airports, and particularly regional hubs, which often enjoy less congestion and more flexibility, have an important role to play in airfreight’s future. Our 24/7 operations allow us to cater for business all over the globe, and our continuous expansion means more businesses view us as the ideal location, with world-class facilities, able to capitalize on this growth.”

Parallel to the international exhibition the Consulate General of Hungary in Toronto, Budapest Airport and Air Canada Cargo have held a workshop for all major Canadian airfreight logistics companies. At the meeting Budapest Airport representatives have outlined the long-term development plans, the prospects of creating a new Central European cargo hub in Budapest and Air Canada has shared its strategic vision about the Hungarian market.

Photo: bud.hu

Source: bud.hu