Cargolux Airlines International handled a record number of live animal transportations in 2018 as it saw a 15.7 per cent increase in CV alive – its specialized product for the transport of live animals.
Within the total amount of live animals the company transported last year, the number of horses is particularly impressive. The number of equines handled by Cargolux surged by 30 per cent, from 2000 to 2600 horses, between 2017 and 2018.
Cargolux’s global product manager for CV alive, Christian Theis said: “Cargolux is proud to have recorded such a significant increase in animal transportation. It is an important part of our business, and we have made a number of investments over the years to ensure a top-of-the-range transport solution.
“As a company committed to animal welfare, we intend to keep positively developing this product in full compliance with all international regulations as well as our stringent internal policies.”
Horses represent a non-negligible 50 per cent of the total amount of live animals handled by the company annually. Over the years, the company has forged itself as somewhat of an equine expert, as it said it regards each animal as a “unique responsibility”.
Cargolux uses state-of-the-art HMC horse stalls that provide increased stability with a double layer pallet base that reduces the motion feeling for the horses, greatly reducing the stress the animals feel compared to traditional single layer pallets.
Cargolux’s fleet of purpose-built Boeing 747 aircraft are also equipped with multi-zone air-conditioning systems that can be adapted to suit any animal’s environment throughout the flight.
As a company strongly committed to environmental awareness, animal welfare is a subject close to Cargolux’s heart. The airline has a growing list of items it refuses to carry for ethical reasons and is actively engaged against the illegal trade of wild animals.
