News Content
Brussels April air cargo up 12pc to 46,000 tons despite noise rules
BELGIUM's Brussels Airport's air freight volume in April rose 11.9 per cent year on year to 46,000 tons, making it the strongest April in eight years.
Airport authorities attributed the increase to 32.9 per cent growth in the full-cargo segment via Ethiopian Cargo, and the 5.4 per cent rise in express services compared to April 2015. Belly cargo remained stable, reported American Shipper.
The growth in air freight volumes comes despite stricter noise restrictions in the city imposed by the government earlier this year. Those limitations, as well as the fines for breaking the new rules, have caused several large air freight carriers to take their business elsewhere, according to the airport.
Of the six full-freighter carriers that operated out of Brussels Airport with Boeing 747 aircraft, only four remain, while cargo carrier Magma Aviation is threatening to exit, it said.
Chinese airline Yangtze River Express left in February, and Air Cargo Global left in May due to legal insecurity and financial risks caused by a reluctance to absorb noise pollution fines.
"The need for a stable legal framework and a permanent solution is more urgent than ever. Just like we argued at the end of April, the decision by the Brussels government to postpone the actual collection of the fines is no solution," said Brussels Airport CEO Arnaud Feist.
"This decision may have been made with good intentions, it actually creates a period of uncertainty of one and a half to two years," he added.
"The carriers make their decision based on the tickets they receive today, not on the basis of the fines the Brussels' government makes known two years later.
This is what makes airlines decide to relocate their operations abroad which for Belgium results in a loss of jobs and economic value.
"I call on all political parties concerned to halt the downward spiral that destroys the local and regional economic fabric in Belgium and reach a solution as soon as possible," Mr Feist said.
Airport authorities attributed the increase to 32.9 per cent growth in the full-cargo segment via Ethiopian Cargo, and the 5.4 per cent rise in express services compared to April 2015. Belly cargo remained stable, reported American Shipper.
The growth in air freight volumes comes despite stricter noise restrictions in the city imposed by the government earlier this year. Those limitations, as well as the fines for breaking the new rules, have caused several large air freight carriers to take their business elsewhere, according to the airport.
Of the six full-freighter carriers that operated out of Brussels Airport with Boeing 747 aircraft, only four remain, while cargo carrier Magma Aviation is threatening to exit, it said.
Chinese airline Yangtze River Express left in February, and Air Cargo Global left in May due to legal insecurity and financial risks caused by a reluctance to absorb noise pollution fines.
"The need for a stable legal framework and a permanent solution is more urgent than ever. Just like we argued at the end of April, the decision by the Brussels government to postpone the actual collection of the fines is no solution," said Brussels Airport CEO Arnaud Feist.
"This decision may have been made with good intentions, it actually creates a period of uncertainty of one and a half to two years," he added.
"The carriers make their decision based on the tickets they receive today, not on the basis of the fines the Brussels' government makes known two years later.
This is what makes airlines decide to relocate their operations abroad which for Belgium results in a loss of jobs and economic value.
"I call on all political parties concerned to halt the downward spiral that destroys the local and regional economic fabric in Belgium and reach a solution as soon as possible," Mr Feist said.
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