Leipzig/Halle Airport as a Global Cargo Hub
📌 Leipzig Airport has become Europe's fourth-largest cargo hub, handling approximately 1.6 million metric tons of cargo annually shared among major logistics companies like DHL.
🌙 The absence of night flight bans is crucial, enabling overnight cargo operations where about 500,000 parcels leave nightly to facilitate global delivery within 24 hours.
✈️ The airport's location near major highways (A14/A9 junction) makes it strategically vital for global logistics airlines, with up to 200 large cargo planes landing daily.

Cargo Handling and Operations (PortGround)
⏱️ Ground crews work around the clock, often achieving a turnaround time of just 2.5 hours for aircraft like the Boeing 747, which can carry up to 139 metric tons of cargo.
🏋️ Handling heavy pallets (averaging 1.5 to 5 metric tons) requires significant muscle power, utilizing specialized equipment like high loaders capable of moving up to 20 metric tons.
⚠️ Safety is the highest priority during unloading, following strict procedures like unloading from the back first to prevent the aircraft from tipping over, especially with heavy loads.

DHL Hub Operations and Coordination
🌃 DHL's European hub at Leipzig kicks off intensive operations after dark, where the Hub Control Center coordinates over 23,000 flights annually serving 220 countries and regions.
📦 The sorting center processes more than 150,000 packages hourly, aiming for next-day global delivery, with peak periods forecasting up to 730,000 shipments in a single night.
⛈️ Operations are highly sensitive to real-time data, especially weather information, as regulations mandate an immediate halt to all loading and flight operations if a thunderstorm passes within a defined radius (e.g., 10 kilometers).

Advanced Sorting and Special Cargo
📏 The Large Automatic Conveying System (LAC) handles bulky goods (up to 170 kg per item, dimensions $1 \text{m} \times 1 \text{m} \times 2 \text{m}$), reducing average transport time across terminals from nearly 30 minutes down to 9 minutes.
👁️ Automatic reading systems use cameras scanning consignments from five different angles to ensure correct routing regardless of barcode placement.
🩺 The Veterinary Border Inspection Post handles living cargo, including horses and cattle, which are checked medically and for correct documentation before being flown on standard cargo planes.

Aircraft Maintenance and Specialized Freighters
💪 The Antonov An-124 freighter, a robust military-derived transport, undergoes heavy maintenance every two years, involving the removal of its 4-ton engines (D-18T), each generating 24 tons of thrust.
🏗️ Specialized tractors, like the Goldhofer AST-1F-600 with 600 horsepower, are used for "pushback," maneuvering giants like the Boeing 747-8F (up to 447 metric tons fully loaded).
🛑 For safety, load controllers meticulously plan cargo placement (like a game of Tetris), especially concerning hazardous materials like Class 7 radioactive goods (ROI), ensuring they are accessible but kept away from the cockpit.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Leipzig’s success hinges on 24/7 operations and precise coordination between ground crews and the central control hub to meet tight global delivery schedules.
➡️ Safety protocols regarding cargo securing (preventing slipping) and weather adherence are non-negotiable, even when they cause minor delays in the global supply chain.
➡️ Advanced automation, like the LAC system, is crucial for maintaining efficiency while handling increasing volumes, significantly reducing internal transport times for heavy items.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 28, 2025, 01:24 UTC