The prospects for Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH, which is based at Dresden Airport, are excellent. A highly promising potential order from the Qatar Airways Group to convert ten Airbus 330 passenger planes into freight aircraft is in the pipeline. Efforts are also being made to link the Gulf region with the hub at Leipzig/Halle in the logistics field. “The airport provides the best facilities to dovetail with the logistics hubs on the Arabian Peninsula,” Markus Kopp said during the course of the trip by the delegation from the Free State of Saxony to Qatar and Abu Dhabi in the Gulf region. Regular talks have been held for some time to attract Qatar Airways, Etihad Crystal Cargo or Emirates Cargo to the airport as customers.   

“The Free State of Saxony has created the basis for international cooperation arrangements as a result of its outstanding air traffic infrastructure, particularly at Leipzig/Halle Airport, during the last 20 years. Similar developments have taken place in the Gulf region. Logistics bases have been created there too in recent times and they are making a significant contribution to the overall economic significance of the region. I am delighted that we have been able to underline the close and successful partnership between the worlds of business and politics during the talks that we have held with many people from the air traffic sector during our visit to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates,” said Johannes Beermann, Head of the Saxon State Chancellery.  

Leipzig/Halle Airport could also benefit from the Etihad Airways decision to establish a fleet of freight aircraft. The outstanding intermodal network system and authorization for cargo airlines to operate 24 hours a day could also prove to be the critical factors in opening up the markets in Central and Eastern Europe, which are developing in such a dynamic way.

“The Gulf region, the Far East and the Indian subcontinent have been part of an internationalization strategy that we at the Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding have been pursuing for the last few years,” said Markus Kopp. “If the main focus of passenger services in on linking major European cities, the priority in the logistics sphere is to incorporate the advantages of the location in the value added chain of global flows of goods.”

Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding is the overall trade name used by Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG, a company operated by the public sector. The group has several subsidiary companies: Leipzig/Halle Airport, Dresden International, PortGround and EasternAirCargo. 

The group handled 94,948 aircraft movements, 4.14 million passengers and 524,587 tonnes of freight in 2009. The group directly employs 978 members of staff and 38 trainees. 7,396 people are employed at the Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG business sites in various companies and public authorities.