Cargo-only transports in passenger aircraft continue to ensure system-relevant supply chains
Since last year, Lufthansa Cargo has already been offering its customers’ transport options in so-called preighters – passenger aircraft used for transporting cargo only. Recently, the 50th preighter connection from Frankfurt to Chicago was operated for the forwarding company EgeTrans Internationale Spedition GmbH based in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Since last December, important spare and production parts, especially for the agricultural and utility vehicle industry, have been transported onboard the A340 and A350 aircraft. The carrier is thus once again demonstrating the importance of fast and reliable transports by air. By supplying factories with essential goods, they can continue production during the pandemic and strengthen the global economy.
“It makes us proud that we are able to offer such a tailor-made service to our longtime partner EgeTrans. The wide-ranging expertise within the Lufthansa Group enables us to find quick solutions for our customers and to react to the constantly changing requirements,” explains Achim Martinka, Vice President Germany at Lufthansa Cargo.
“The Lufthansa Cargo preighters fly like clockwork – the airline’s reliability and the customer-oriented support from the Stuttgart sales department are a real added value for us,” adds Florian Naujocks, Air Freight Manager at EgeTrans, who is primarily responsible for and initiated the preighter project.
Due to the shortage of loading capacities in the bellies of passenger aircraft, Lufthansa Cargo has been regularly operating cargo-only transports in specially equipped passenger aircraft since last year. Since March 2020, the cargo airline has operated about 1,500 such flights worldwide. This made it possible to maintain global supply chains even during the pandemic and to ensure the transport of urgently needed goods, such as medications or medical equipment.
