Liège Airport handled more than one million tonnes of cargo in the first nine months of 2026, with strong export growth helping offset a sharp decline in small-parcel volumes following the introduction of a €3 import tax.
January–September freight throughput reached 1,032,283 tonnes, up 7.3% year on year. Exports rose 18.5% to 453,265 tonnes, while aircraft movements remained broadly stable at 21,180, compared with 21,153 a year earlier.
Third-quarter cargo volumes were virtually unchanged at 334,467 tonnes, against 334,950 tonnes in 2025. Aircraft movements, however, fell 6% to 6,826.
The airport attributed the reduction in flights mainly to the tax introduced on 1 July for imported parcels valued below €150. It said small-parcel volumes had fallen 42% since its introduction, reducing flights dedicated to that e-commerce segment.
Chief executive Laurent Jossart said the nine-month results demonstrated the resilience and diversification of the cargo hub, despite the immediate impact of the new tax regime.