Cargo

First flights with COVID vaccines worldwide from Brussels Airport successfully completed

The first flights with COVID vaccines from Brussels Airport have been carried out successfully. Since the end of November, 7 flights have already been carried out to further distribute the COVID vaccine from our country. The very first flight with COVID vaccines worldwide departed from Brussels Airport on 27 November.

"After months of preparation together with our cargo partners in the Taskforce BRUcure, we are proud to report that the first flights with COVID vaccines worldwide went very smoothly. Brussels Airport has many years of expertise in the transport of temperature-sensitive products and we are pleased to make our contribution to the solution to this global health crisis. As a global pharma platform, we are ready to shift up a gear, as vaccine volumes will gradually increase in the coming weeks and months," says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.

So far, seven flights with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine have been operated via Brussels Airport, in cooperation with United Airlines, Expeditors, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Express. The very first flight with COVID vaccines worldwide departed from Brussels Airport on 27 November. All of these shipments were carried from the warehouse to the aircraft by our Airside Pharma Transporters so as to guarantee a constant temperature during the transfer

In the course of the months ahead, a growing number of vaccines will pass through Brussels Airport, carried by DHL Express as well as other commercial flights, and a growing number of logistics partners at Brussels Airport’s cargo hub will be involved in their shipment.

This will not only be the case for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, but also for the vaccines that are manufactured by other pharmaceutical companies, for export and import. The number of destinations is expected to grow sharply, as will demand. An opportunity for Brussels Airport to make its expertise as a pharmaceutical hub fully available in this huge logistical challenge and to further strengthen its position as key player in the air freight transport.

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About Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport is one of the most important airports in Europe. In 2025, Brussels Airport welcomed 24.4 million passengers and transported 795,000 tonnes of cargo through the airport. Brussels Airport caters for the specific needs of business travellers and holidaymakers alike, on both intra-European and long haul flights. In 2026, the airport offers direct connections between Belgium and 205 destinations worldwide, with flights operated by 83 airlines.   

The airport also offers a leading cargo platform, specialised in the transport of pharmaceutical products, perishable goods, e-commerce and live animals. Brussels Airport is the most important pharmaceutical hub in Europe.

With its SHIFT 2027 strategy Brussels Airport Company intends to strengthen its position as a major European hub, accelerate its ambitious sustainability goals, e.g. through the European Green Deal project Stargate, and continue to diversify its activities by focusing on innovation and cooperation.

Brussels Airport is the second most important economic engine in Belgium, good for 64,000 direct and indirect jobs and is owned and operated by Brussels Airport Company. The shareholders are a consortium between PMV and private investors (75%) and FPIM/SFPI (25%). 

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Contact

Press Office Brussels Airport Company Luchthaven Brussel Nationaal 1M 1930 Zaventem

+32 (0)2 753 53 53 (for journalists only)

media@brusselsairport.be

www.brusselsairport.be