News / Amazon Air plans to close freight hub at Leipzig Airport

Amazon is planning to close its air cargo hub at Leipzig Halle Airport, which has been the focal point of its European flight network.

A spokesperson for Amazon Germany told The Loadstar: “We’re always evaluating our network to make sure it fits our business needs and to improve the experience for our customers. After careful consideration, we have decided to close our Amazon Air operation at Leipzig-Halle Airport, and affected employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to other facilities.”

The hub is thought to employ 400 staff.

“Leipzig and the entire Saxony region remains an important region for Amazon, and we will continue to invest to support around 2,000 employees who work here and deliver for customers throughout the region,” added the spokesperson.

The company has not announced a concrete closing date, but it will be this year. It had confirmed in July that it intended to reduce its European operations.

Amazon said the Leipzig decision would not impact customer deliveries in the region. It said: “In fact, this is being done to ensure the continued excellent service customers have come to expect from Amazon.

“In recent years, we’ve invested in our logistics network throughout Europe/Germany to meet customer demand, securing buildings close to customers to ensure fast and reliable delivery.”

Amazon opened its Leipzig air hub in late-2020 and contracted Irish cargo airline ASL Airlines to operate two daily flights to undisclosed destinations with two Amazon Air-branded 737-800 freighters. Schedules have increased significantly since then.

Earlier this year, DePaul University’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development in Chicago, which provides regular updates on Amazon Air operations, estimated that the carrier’s intra-European network totalled around 22 daily flights. It highlighted flights connecting Leipzig with East Midlands Airport, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome and Milan.

In addition to its European network, the institute noted that “Amazon Air apparently has extensive partner-flight activity using planes operated by ASL Ireland Airlines, but not branded as Amazon Air. Partner flights, we estimate, add perhaps 20%–25% to Amazon Air’s Europe capacity, although there is much uncertainty about the range.”

The e-commerce giant added: “Amazon Air operations will continue across Europe. Amazon continues to operate at the Leipzig/Halle Airport and uses it in its European logistics network.”