Korean Air Cargo and Vienna airport mark 20 years of cargo service

Korean Air Cargo and Vienna airport celebrated 20 years of cargo service connecting Seoul and Vienna. The partnership began in April 2004 when a Korean Air Cargo freighter first landed in the Austrian capital, marking the start of a collaboration in both the cargo and passenger sectors that continues to grow. This milestone was celebrated at an Austro-Korean gala evening held at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna. The event was attended by Jaedong Eum, Head of the Cargo Business Division at Korean Air Cargo, Myung Kyu Park, MVP of the Cargo Sales Department at Korean Air Cargo, Sangwook Ham, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Austria, Julian Jäger, joint CEO and COO of Vienna airport, and over 100 guests from the business, aviation, and tourism sectors, according to an official release.

"Korean Air Cargo and Vienna airport are linked by two decades of good cooperation. The partnership shows how Europe and Asia cooperate successfully. Vienna's geographical location and excellent infrastructure make the airport an important hub in Korean Air Cargo's route network. Together we want to further expand our high-quality standards and position Vienna as the leading European cargo airport. We thank Korean Air Cargo for their continued commitment and look forward to a successful future," says Julian Jäger, joint CEO and COO of Vienna airport.

In order to further increase air cargo traffic between Seoul and Vienna, Korean Air Cargo and Vienna airport wanted to launch joint marketing initiatives targeted at forwarders and customers, amongst other measures. In February of this year, the companies signed the corresponding agreement designed to expand their cooperation. Within this context, the partners will also exchange industry expertise as the basis for offering optimal services, mentions the release.

“During the past 20 years, Vienna airport has not only evolved into the main gateway for Korean businesses entering Eastern Europe but also into a key hub connecting Asia with Eastern Europe. Our Vienna cargo operation started off with a once-a-week service and has now grown to more than one flight a day. This remarkable growth would not have been possible without the dedicated and proactive partnership shown by Vienna airport. We look forward to further strengthening the cooperation between the two companies in the future,” says Jaedong Eum, Head of Korean Air Cargo business division.

Korean Air Cargo has been operating cargo flights to and from Vienna since 2004, currently running around ten flights per week. The airline utilises a mix of aircraft, including the Boeing 747-400F, Boeing 747-8F, and Boeing 777F. This operation connects Austria and the broader Central and Eastern European (CEE) region to over 110 global destinations via Incheon airport in Seoul, South Korea's largest airport. Vienna airport serves as a crucial cargo hub within Korean Air Cargo's network due to its strategic geographical location and excellent handling infrastructure. Vienna airport plays a crucial role in the Korean Air Cargo route network. The airline uses Vienna airport as a key transshipment point for automobile production in Central and Eastern Europe. Additionally, a significant portion of the cargo includes electronic and pharmaceutical products, the release added.

“Given Vienna’s strategic location and connectivity within Europe, it is fitting that Korean Air Cargo and Vienna airport have nurtured such a strong partnership. Korean Air and Vienna airport have bolstered economic cooperation and people-to-people exchange between Korea and Austria. I hope this cooperation will be further enhanced,“ says Ambassador Sangwook Ham, Embassy of the Republic of Korea.