K&N begins weekly cargo flights from Stuttgart to Alabama
03 / 04 / 2023
Photo: K+N
Kuehne+Nagel (K+N) has begun operating weekly international cargo flights from Germany into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Alabama.
The logistics company said its first charter cargo flight into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth from Stuttgart, Germany took place on April 2, using a Boeing B747-8F operated by Atlas Air.
This milestone flight follows an agreement in February between K+N and the Birmingham Airport Authority to enable K&N to begin operating weekly international cargo flights into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth.
Starting this week, K+N will conduct two weekly flights with international cargo from Stuttgart to the US airport.
This is the first time K&N has established a presence at a secondary airport in North America.
The freight forwarder and the airport authority aim to expand the air cargo business in the southeastern corridor of the US.
K+N said the flights “will help the automotive, aviation, and pharmaceutical industries, among others who need faster recovery time than at the major hubs that are experiencing congestion due to heavy activity”.
The inaugural flight was also the first-ever cargo flight from Stuttgart to the eastern US, said K+N.
“As the number-one air freight forwarder worldwide, we are always looking for ways to contribute to the business success of our customers who trust us to manage their logistics,” said Greg Martin, senior vice president, air logistics at K+N.
“Our vision is to make Birmingham into a long-term gateway to and from the Southeastern Corridor of the U.S. and we’re pleased to be able to provide customers with alternative options that support their supply chain needs.”
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth is not the only regional US airport receiving air cargo investment.
In January, it was announced that Lincoln Airport in Nebraska, US will receive $65m investment that aims to turn it into an air cargo hub – with e-commerce expected to be a driving force.
Photo: K+N
