Liège Airport, Belgium’s largest cargo airport, started 2026 on a growth trajectory and expects to set a record this year.
And why wouldn’t it, when a recent study by the University of Liège shows that the airport is at the heart of an ecosystem comprising nearly 150 companies and supports an estimated 12,600 direct, indirect, and induced jobs?
But the war in the Middle East and the European parcel tax are also causing uncertainty, says airport CEO Laurent Jossart.
Courtesy of China
In 2025, Liège Airport posted 15% growth compared to 2024, handling over 1,32 million tons of cargo. This marked the second-best year on record, following the record of over 1,41 million tons set in 2021.
The most spectacular growth came from e-commerce packages: more than 35%, amounting to over 1,35 billion e-commerce packages passing through the airport.
This increase in cargo tonnage handled is also continuing into 2026. From January through May, the airport recorded 10% growth compared to the same period last year.
In addition, AirBaltic will begin operating flights to Liège in October, meaning the airport will once again offer passenger flights – specifically to the Canary Islands – following the departure of TUI fly earlier this year.
Uncertainties
Still, it’s not all sunshine and roses. The war in the Middel East and the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz are causing uncertainty and, above all, a sharp rise in kerosene prices what will inevitably have an impact on the sector.
And starting in early July, a European parcel tax of €3 will be imposed on each parcel worth less than €150 entering the EU. No one knows exactly what the impact will be, but volumes are expected to decline.
30% of the total volume at Liège Airport consists of imports from Chinese e-commerce, and 20% of the total volume consists of exports to China.
Furthermore, it is difficult to assess the impact of the decisions by the Walloon Region, the majority shareholder of the Liège and Charleroi airports, to explore the possibility of reducing its stake in favor of private investors.
The study by the University of Liège – which, coincidentally or not, comes at a time when the Walloon government is considering revising its stake – confirms that the Liège Airport, with its approximately 12,000 jobs, is a major economic force for Wallonia and thus highlights favorable conditions for a potential opening of the capital.
Noise pollution
However, several municipalities in Belgium and the Netherlands appealed to the Council of State last year to challenge the new environmental permit granted by the Walloon government.
They are arguing that it is not strict enough regarding noise pollution from night flights and that the cross-border health and environmental impacts were not adequately assessed.
More private capital may make additional investment funds for capacity expansion available, but this is a very back-and-forth process over permits. Before the Council of State can issue a ruling, the responsible Walloon Minister revokes the permit and restarts the procedure.
It creates a legal gray area, while residents also fear that a more commercially driven airport will be less inclined to limit noise pollution at the expense of growth.
