Leipzig/Halle Airport is on-track to hit record cargo volumes this year with freight traffic exceeding one million tonnes in the first eight months of the year.

The world's 20th busiest cargo hub processed 125,050 tonnes of cargo in August, representing a 15.1% increase to 125,050 tonnes year-on-year.

The German gateway handled just over one million tonnes in the first eight months of 2021, recording an 18.4% rise compared to the same period last year — putting it on-track to beating its last year’s record of 1.38 million tonnes.

“Freight charter flights have regularly been handled during the last few weeks and months – in addition to normal services – and many of them have been transporting millions of Covid-19 tests, for example,” Leipzig/Halle said.

The airport is home to DHL Express, the world's largest express airline, which has benefitted this year from a surge in e-commerce demand.

It is also Amazon Air's first regional airfreight hub in Europe.

More than 80 cargo airlines fly to the airport.