As part of a cooperation, Vienna Airport will now handle all pharma shipments transported by Austrian Airlines for Lufthansa Cargo at its GDP-certified pharma handling center or VPHC.

The airport said the cooperation further establishes Austria’s international airport as a strong pharma hub for central and eastern Europe. In 2021, the airport’s pharma handling center handled around 15 percent more goods than the previous year, up 66 percent compared to the pre-crisis year of 2019.

To ensure further growth in the sector, Vienna Airport will utilise its state-of-the-art facilities for handling and storing temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals as well as its GDP certification to ensure optimal processes at the VPHC.

The pharma facility, handled by a dedicated team and monitored by comprehensive temperature control systems, features two large refrigerated warehouses for temperatures ranging from 2°C to 8°C (150 square meters) and 15°C to 25°C (1,600 square meters). 

The airport said regular and closely timed road feeder services will enable fast distribution via the European road network, allowing pharma shipments from Vienna to reach 23 countries within 36 hours.