The Vienna Airport Pharma Handling Center (VPHC) at Vienna Airport will now handle temperature-sensitive pharma transports for Lufthansa Cargo.

A cooperation agreement between Vienna Airport and Lufthansa Cargo covers all pharma cargo transported on board Austrian Airlines aircraft to or from the airport.

With the VPHC, Vienna Airport operates its own GDP-certified competence centre for handling temperature-sensitive air cargo without interrupting the cold chain.

Two refrigerated warehouses offer storage facilities for temperatures ranging from 2-8°C (150sq m) and 15-25°C (1,600sq m). Mobile refrigeration equipment also provides a seamless link between the air and land sides for temperature-sensitive products, Vienna Airport said.

“In the field of life-saving and temperature-sensitive pharma logistics, Lufthansa Cargo provides the fastest possible and most secure handling and deliveries worldwide,” said Lufthansa Cargo’s director sales and handling Austria Theresa Schlederer.

“Essential for this are the highest quality standards, seamless cold chains and documentation as well as customised solutions for each customer. With the Vienna Pharma Handling Center, we have gained an important cooperation partner in order to be able to offer our high standards for pharma air freight at Vienna Airport.”

Vienna Airport’s vice president sales & finance, ground handling & cargo operations Michael Zach: “As a hub also for medical goods, our Vienna Airport Pharma Handling Center proved its crisis safety and reliability during the Corona period. Even spontaneous charter flights with short times to prepare but high tonnage were handled quickly and smoothly at all times. The fact that Lufthansa Cargo, one of the world’s largest air freight companies, has decided to have its pharmaceutical shipments handled by us is confirmation of our high quality and further strengthens Vienna Airport as a pharma hub for Central and Eastern Europe.”