Europe’s airfreight road network faces a capacity crunch
Europe's airfreight road network is facing a significant capacity crunch due to a severe shortage of truck drivers, inadequate infrastructure, and the high costs of transitioning to zero-emission vehicles. Industry experts emphasize that road feeder services are a critical, not merely supporting, component of the airfreight supply chain. The problem is exacerbated by difficult recruitment regulations and poor working conditions for drivers.
Why it matters
This capacity crunch threatens the efficiency and resilience of Europe's entire air cargo supply chain, potentially leading to increased costs, delays, and disruptions for businesses and consumers reliant on timely freight movement. Addressing these issues is crucial for economic stability and trade within the region.
Road feeder services must be treated as critical airfreight infrastructure rather than a supporting function, as the European trucking sector confronts a worsening shortage of drivers, inadequate parking and road infrastructure, inefficient airport processes and the costly transition to zero-emission vehicles.
This was the message laid out clearly in the panel titled “Without trucking, no airfreight” at the Frankfurt Airport Community Conference 2026: Europe’s air cargo network is increasingly dependent on a road system that is struggling to keep pace.
“Road feeder service to me is an integral part of the entire supply chain,” Timo Stroh, chairman of the Air Specialist Committee at the German Freight Forwarders and Logistics Association (DSLV), said. “Customers are aiming for a resilient end-to-end supply chain. And without a proper and reliable road feeder service, end-to-end supply chain is not working.”
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