Economic Growth and Sustainability in Air Freight
Even after the pandemic, air cargo is expected to grow steadily in the long term. The air cargo & logistics business is not only an important trade and economic factor, but also offers a wide range of interesting jobs.
With more than 81,000 jobs, Frankfurt Airport and the companies located there represent the largest workplace in Germany. Accordingly, Europe’s largest air cargo hub not only stands for high attractiveness of the logistics sector, but also for diverse projects and measures in the areas of sustainability and climate protection.
In the context of the 5th Air Cargo Regional Dialog, which took place at Frankfurt Airport on March 30, 2023, the board of the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt e.V. (ACCF)— including BARIG Executive Director Michael Hoppe— exchanged views with politicians from the region, representatives of the authorities as well as many stakeholders of the Air Cargo & Logistics industry.
“How can we reconcile economy and sustainability in the air cargo and logistics sector?” This question was primarily focused on in the central panel discussion by Dietmar Focke (Board Member Lufthansa Cargo, COO & CHRO), Michael Hoppe (BARIG Executive Director), Susanne Klingler-Werner (President UPS Supply Chain Solutions Europe), Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm (Executive Director Aviation and Infrastructure Fraport AG), Dr. Tobias Riege (CEO Riege Software) und Stephanie Wüst (Department for Economy, Law, and Reforms Frankfurt).
As representative for the airlines, Michael Hoppe emphasized the importance of Frankfurt Airport’s hub function for air freight. Particularly, maximum operating hours, high connectivity, optimized supply chains and processes, as well as qualified staff are substantial prerequisites for an efficient and sustainably oriented economic cargo business. Furthermore, the air cargo companies at the airports are already working intensively on many topics related to the 17 global goals for sustainable development defined by the United Nations for a better future.
