Connecting Europe and China amid pandemic

Normally, Lufthansa Cargo deploys 25 percent of its freighter capacity to the Chinese market. Currently, as passenger aircraft are used as freighters, its market share here has increased to about 30 percent.

This translates into a staggering 105 flights per week to and from Shanghai, Beijing and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, to provide much-needed medical supplies for European countries, Pfaff said.

Under normal conditions, Lufthansa Cargo enjoys a market share of around 12 percent for air cargo shipped between Europe and China, and 25 percent between Germany and China.

As of the end of April, Lufthansa had carried a total of more than 1,900 metric tons of vital supplies between Germany and China, among which 1,300 tons were sent by passenger aircraft being utilized as freighters, and more than 600 tons on its regular freighters.

Between March 23 and April 19 alone, Lufthansa cargo flights carried around 200 million masks.

Air transport remains the fastest means of transportation to ship goods around the globe. "Regardless of there being a crisis or not, air cargo will always provide value for its customers," Pfaff said. "In this context, China is and will remain one of our most important world markets."

In the current situation, Lufthansa Cargo will continuously carry protective equipment by using both freighters and passenger aircraft to ensure a steady flow of much-needed supplies from China to Europe.

To enhance its role in the Chinese market, the German carrier is committed to better serving its Chinese customers.

" (We achieve this by) bringing capacity back as soon as possible, providing the best service, offering the best products and having the best people on board," Pfaff added.