Maastricht Airport runway extension to unlock new air cargo markets

Maastricht Aachen Airport ’s runway extension will open new, intercontinental air cargo markets to the Netherlands’ gateway as well as enhance its role as a secondary air cargo hub, according to a senior executive at the airport. [caption id="attachment_57135852" align="alignright" width="300"] MST is investing $38.9 million in a runway upgrade. (Photo/MST)[/caption] Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) recently completed upgrade work on the runway, which is to be extended from 2,500 to 2,750 meters by early 2025. It is part of an infrastructure investment plan totaling 100 million euros ($109.9 million) to be completed in the next few years. “The decision to extend the operational length of MST’s runway was driven by a strategic move to expand our freighter services,” MST Chief Executive Jos Roeven told Air Cargo Next . “A longer runway will allow carriers to operate on new routes over longer distances — Africa and North America being two examples. Also, the existing routes could be operated more efficiently because the load factor can increase. This is crucial for some of our clients.” MST expects to handle 57,000 tonnes of flown cargo this year and 16,000 tonnes of cargo trucked into the airport. The airport handled 110,000 tonnes of flown cargo in 2022 and 10,000 tonnes of trucked cargo. Roeven said the year-over-year shortfall in flown cargo was due to soft demand and the fact that the runway had been out of service for several weeks. The main air cargo players operating at MST are Turkish Airlines Cargo , Royal Jordanian Airlines , Emirates SkyCargo , Qatar Airways and Saudia Cargo , which use the airport as an online station in the European Union. MST is CEIV Pharma certified and a recognized entry point for flower imports to the Netherlands. MST aims to grow as air cargo hub Roeven said secondary air cargo hubs like MST will continue to play increased roles as alternatives to major gateways. “Here at Maastricht, we offer appealing advantages over larger hubs,” Roeven said. “The airport is free of slot restrictions, and we can provide flexibility and quality of service that can be hard to find elsewhere.” Roeven added that MST offers “full fifth freedom traffic rights,” which is the ability to carry passengers and cargo from one foreign country to another while en route to and from a carrier’s home country, and has its own maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities. “The air cargo industry has to be innovative and flexible as we navigate congestion challenges, and utilizing smaller hubs can be key to streamlining cargo flow through Europe,” Roeven said. Last month, Dutch airport management company Royal Schiphol Group completed its purchase of a 40% stake in MST for $4.5 million. The Dutch province of Limburg owns the remaining 60%. This deal opens channels for increased cooperation on cargo traffic between MST and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). “Both parties are committed to further developing Maastricht into a sustainable and future-proof airport for both passengers and cargo,” Roeven said. “Innovations in the areas of electrically powered flights and cargo handling are the main priorities of this partnership, and it will be of great benefit to both of our airports.” T ougher slot restrictions at AMS could lead cargo airlines and forwarders to transfer their operations to MST — about 130 miles by road. “I assume they would rather stay at Schiphol but if they have to move due to scarcity [of slots] the n we would expect some of them to move their operations to MST, ” Roeven said. Join Air Cargo Next for the second Air Cargo Tech Summit on Monday, Sept. 18, and Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place in Belgium. For more information on the summit and to register, click here .

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