Lufthansa to operate Brussels’ cargo capacity, while BRUcloud grows

Starting Sept. 1, 2018, Lufthansa Cargo will take the reins in selling affiliate Brussels Airlines’ cargo capacity.

The move is expected to enhance two already complementary networks. Once it goes into effect, Brussels Airlines customers have access to Lufthansa Cargo’s route network, with about 300 destinations in more than 100 countries. In addition, Lufthansa’s customer will have better access to the 17 African destinations in  Brussels Airlines’ network, including Dakar, Monrovia, Abidjan, Douala, Kinshasa and Entebbe.

West Africa is the E.U.’s largest trading partner, according to the European Commission, and Brussels Airlines’ services between the two regions are lucrative in both directions, stemming from Europe’s need for food products and fuel imports, and west Africa’s demand for machinery, chemicals and pharmaceutical products. Lufthansa acquired a 55 percent stake in the airline in December 2016.

Meanwhile, in January, the Belgian passenger airline’s home-base, Brussels Airport, made a move to further bolster the city’s status as a cargo hub by releasing its cloud-based slot-booking app BRUcargo to the public. Today, 11 weeks after its premiere, the new service’s number of users has doubled, adding eight new participants, including DHL global forwarding, Nippon Express, Kuehne + Nagel, Panalpina and CEVA Logistics.