Logistics provider Gebrüder Weiss has arranged the first ever arrival of the world’s largest cargo plane – the Antonov An-225 – at Rzeszów airport, Poland.

The aircraft, which arrived in Poland from Tianjin, China, on 13 November, carried project-based cargo for the Polish industry onboard.

Gebrüder Weiss’ country manager Poland Stanislaw Rosciszewski said: “Although charter flights are a regular part of our air services, handling the transport of goods with a cargo aircraft of this size was something special for us. Our air freight managers in Poland and China were able to perfectly organise the entire supply chain between manufacturer and recipient in a very short space of time and under the difficult pandemic conditions.”

With a wingspan of 88.4 metres, a length of 84 metres, and an empty weight of 285 tons, the six-engine Antonov An-225 is the longest and heaviest cargo aircraft in the world.

“The situation in air and sea freight remains very tense, as there is still not enough cargo space. With the Antonov, we can quickly transport large-volume goods for our customers quickly,” said Gebrüder Weiss’ managing director air & sea Lothar Thoma.