VACAD member companies handled 454,191 tonnes of air cargo in Germany in the second quarter of 2026, lifting volume 2.4% from the first quarter and 1.7% from a year earlier. Employment also improved, with 3,297 people working across the member firms, up 2.4% quarter on quarter and 4.8% year on year.
The figures point to a modest recovery in German air cargo handling after a softer start to the year. They also indicate firmer labour demand across the sector, even as VACAD continues to highlight staffing pressure as a constraint. The association represents air cargo handling companies active at airports across Germany, making the quarterly data a useful gauge of freight-flow trends rather than a snapshot of a single airport.
The second-quarter performance followed a first quarter in which VACAD members handled 443,364 tonnes and employed 3,144 people. Against that base, the latest update shows both throughput and staffing moving in the same direction, with cargo growth slightly outpacing employment gains. The numbers offer a steady sign of demand in Germany’s air cargo segment during the period.