Cologne Bonn Airport saw record air cargo growth in 2014, handling 753,000 tonnes, a 2 per cent increase on 2013. The German airport handled 9.5 million passengers in 2014 – a “significant rise” over prior year.

“2014 has exceeded our expectations. We have developed better than the German passenger market, partially with growth rates above 5 per cent,” said Michael Garvens, chairman of the management board of Flughafen Köln/Bonn. “Without the numerous strikes we would even have done a little better, but all in all this is a very positive development. Freight has recovered somewhat from its low in 2013, but could not quite keep pace with the passenger traffic.”