Lufthansa Cargo with a Different Year in Review 2024

3.15 meters by 3.72 meters – that’s how high and wide the loading door of a Lufthansa Cargo B777 freighter is, open for everything extraordinary, unique, and amazing that can be transported as cargo in the airline’s planes around the world. Whether urgent, important, or even life-saving goods, whether heavyweight turbines or tiny fishing worms – the fascination of air freight leaves nothing to be desired in terms of variety.

(Frankfurt/Main) A Lufthansa Cargo aircraft lands with cargo on board every seven minutes. Over 1,000 trucks operate daily under a Lufthansa Cargo flight number. On average, five live organs for transplants are transported every day. With 18 Boeing 777 freighters, Lufthansa Cargo operates the largest exclusive 777 freighter fleet in the world. With the highest loading capacity among all twin-engine freighters and a range of 9,000 kilometers – equivalent to the distance from Frankfurt to Hong Kong – it is currently the most modern and efficient freighter in the world. The route network of Lufthansa Cargo spans around 300 destinations in over 100 countries worldwide. Join us as we look back at the most unusual transports of 2024:

Heavyweights on Board

One of the heaviest highlights of 2024 was a shipment weighing 65 tons – one of the heaviest loads Lufthansa Cargo has ever transported. This impressive heavy cargo for the automotive industry flew from Viracopos in Brazil to Frankfurt and then on to Malmö, Sweden, and had to be split across several flights.

Over 5 meters long, 3 meters high, and weighing 12 tons was the General Electric aircraft turbine that Lufthansa Cargo transported from Beijing to Frankfurt in November 2024. As always, the quick transport was crucial to equip an aircraft with the engine and avoid long ground times. Flight cancellations or delays can incur high follow-up costs. The journey of the aircraft turbine with Lufthansa Cargo started at Beijing Capital International Airport. The efficient handling of this exceptionally large and sensitive cargo required a high level of organization. Only one hour was available for the entire loading of the Boeing 777 freighter, and besides the engine, additional cargo had to be loaded beforehand. Everything had to proceed quickly and safely at the same time. This was the task of specially trained Lufthansa Cargo loadmasters for “AC Engine Movements,” who fly around the globe to accompany special transports during loading and unloading and ensure a smooth process. Due to the dimensions of the General Electric aircraft turbine and the limited space in the cargo hold, millimeter precision and careful coordination were required, especially during loading through the cargo door. About 50 tie-down straps secured the turbine directly to the aircraft structure during the flight to protect the million-dollar turbine from vibrations and movements and ultimately fly it safely to its destination.

From Big Cats, Dwarf Hippos, and Rare Pandas

But Lufthansa Cargo can transport not only heavy machinery. In the Lufthansa Cargo Animal Lounge alone, more than 80 million animals were hosted in 2024, including 2,800 horses, 14,000 pets, and 200 zoo animals. Among them, Lufthansa Cargo had the honor last year to accompany two Siberian tigers on their way to freedom. The two noble big cats were flown in September 2024 with a Lufthansa Cargo freighter from Frankfurt to Almaty to be released into the wild in Kazakhstan – all under the auspices of WWF, which accompanied the tigers during their acclimatization in the national park.

Other extraordinary passengers included the zoo-to-zoo transport of two dwarf hippos, which were transported from Madrid, Spain, to Frankfurt and then on to Mumbai, India, in April of last year. To ensure the hippo pair felt comfortable, special wooden boxes with hay and water buckets were used, and the animal keepers had to adhere to special dietary requirements.

The rarest animal that Lufthansa Cargo hosted last year was the critically endangered red panda, which has gained some fame since the Disney movie “Red.” This zoo-to-zoo transport in May 2024 also required some special arrangements. The nocturnal animal was housed in a separate climate chamber that provided the panda with comfortable temperatures and enough rest. Additionally, a specially designed box with two levels for lying down was provided, ensuring enough space for the agile climber.

Whether pets or exotics: With Lufthansa, animals always travel comfortably and with minimal stress – thanks to species-appropriate housing and care throughout the transport route, quick transit times, and 24/7 support from trained animal keepers in the Frankfurt Animal Lounge. The transport of live animals is always given the highest priority and speed by Lufthansa Cargo.

Masterpieces on the Move

In March 2024, a very special exhibition traveled from Chicago, USA, to Frankfurt: the Hip Hop exhibition THE CULTURE was organized by the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Saint Louis Art Museum and presented in collaboration with the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt. A total of 62 packages and 14,640 kg of art were transported by the Lufthansa Cargo B777F from Chicago, the logistical heart of the USA, to its home airport Frankfurt in the heart of Europe. The special aspect was that CO₂ emissions during transport were reduced through the add-on service “Sustainable Choice” by using sustainable aviation fuel, combined with a contribution to high-quality climate protection projects. Art was thus transported around the world in a more sustainable manner. However, a transport of this size is not standard. The additional challenge with art is that it involves the transportation of unique, irreplaceable cultural assets. Therefore, the artworks must be handled and protected with the utmost care. The ARTcube in the Lufthansa Cargo Center in Frankfurt is the perfect storage location for this purpose. It is specifically tailored to the climatic and security requirements. After the flight, the artworks spent several days in the ARTcube in the Lufthansa Cargo Center in Frankfurt before being transported to the Schirn Kunsthalle, where they then had their grand debut.

The Berggruen exhibition, a significant art collection featuring works by Picasso, Klee, Giacometti, and Matisse, was hosted on its world tour by Lufthansa Cargo in August 2024. The collection once belonged to Heinz Berggruen, one of the most important art dealers and collectors of the 20th century. After his death in 2007, his family provided the Berggruen Museum in Berlin with additional works as long-term loans and continued to support the museum. It has been undergoing extensive renovations since September 2022. A large part of the exhibition has been traveling since then – from Germany to Japan and then back to Europe from Beijing, the exhibition flew with Lufthansa Cargo. A total of 91 artworks in 42 specially made climate boxes were transported on five flights. The largest works were accommodated on board the B777 freighter. Other artworks flew in the bellies of Lufthansa passenger aircraft from Beijing. The transport benefited from the extensive network capabilities and the experienced handling of these irreplaceable values by Lufthansa Cargo.

Life-Saving Vaccinations

The Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding countries highlights the unequal access to vaccines worldwide. Therefore, the successful Lufthansa Cargo transport in mid-November 2024 of 100,000 Mpox vaccines with flight SN357 from Brussels to Kinshasa was all the more important – a mission made possible through seamless collaboration with key stakeholders. The arrival of the shipment in Kinshasa marked an important step in containing the Mpox outbreak and protecting public health in the region. This shipment was the result of a joint effort by the European Commission for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid, the German Embassy in Brussels, Brussels Airport, Swissport, and World Courier, and underscores Lufthansa Cargo’s commitment to global health and its role in supporting vital humanitarian aid efforts.

Any Type of Cargo Delivered on Time and as Needed

So it doesn’t matter what is loaded through the loading door of the cargo airline’s aircraft, whether tigers or turbines, vaccines or art, roses or racing cars, Lufthansa Cargo delivers every type of cargo on time and as needed, thanks to its extensive expertise and many years of experience in the handling and transport of goods – true to the motto “Enabling Global Business.”

Photo: © Lufthansa Cargo