The German air cargo terminal association Vacad recorded an increase in air cargo volumes of 1.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching 456.7 thousand tons. Compared to the same period in 2023, the figure increased by 0.4%. In total, 1.78 million tons of cargo were handled in 2024, which is 5.2% more than in 2023.
The number of employees in the industry remained virtually unchanged: 3,443 people worked at terminals in the fourth quarter, which is 1.8% more than in the third quarter and only 0.1% above the level of a year ago. At the same time, the shortage of personnel remains – companies in Vacad need to increase their staff by 5-10%.
“The situation for German air carriers is significantly worse than in neighboring EU countries,” said Vacad Chairman Claus Wagner. “We have often pointed out to politicians and authorities a number of inappropriate demands,” he added.