Lufthansa Cargo and the Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding are joining forces with the aim of jointly developing Leipzig/Halle Airport into one of the most efficient in Europe.
Frankfurt am Main/Leipzig/Halle – To that end, the two companies have signed agreement on strategic partnership. Among the key objectives of the agreement are plans to increase space at the airport conducive to the long-term strategic development of Lufthansa Cargo in Leipzig as well as joint efforts to raise efficiency, security and environmental protection at the Airport.
„Along with Frankfurt, Leipzig/Halle Airport is our most important freighter hub which we intend to expand gradually,“ said Lufthansa Cargo Board Member Operations Karl-Heinz Köpfle. „Our partnership with Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding is a milestone in that policy and it underlines our long-term strategy.“ The aim of the cooperation is not only to identify opportunities and advantages for the benefit of our joint customers, but also to position ourselves better against the competition through closer cooperation.
„At a time of immense, forthcoming challenges amid the current global economic situation, a long-term strategic alliance between strong and globally active partners is important to our Central German economic region. Following the establishment of a base here by DHL, one of the world’s biggest logistics companies, we are delighted that Lufthansa Cargo, the world’s leading cargo carrier is committing itself to the Leipzig/Halle location for the purpose of joining us in its evolution into one of the most efficient airfreight bases in Europe,“ observed Markus Kopp, CEO Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding.
Aside from Leipzig/Halle Airport, strategic partnership will also benefit its PortGround affiliate company. Dierk Näther, Managing Director of the two subsidiaries of Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding, notes: „Lufthansa Cargo ranks among the Airport’s most important customers. With its forthcoming move into the World Cargo Center, PortGround will additionally take over freight handling for the cargo carrier in Leipzig. That will strengthen and further expand the existing, successful cooperation between our companies.“
Under an intercontinental joint venture with DHL Express, Lufthansa Cargo has connected Leipzig/Halle Airport with logistics centres in Asia and the USA since 2007. In continuation of that cooperation, the Aerologic cargo carrier founded by the two joint-venture partners and based at Leipzig/Halle is scheduled to begin operations with new freighters of the Boeing 777-200LRF type in 2009, thereby raising the importance of the Airport as a global airfreight hub.