ANIMAL TRANSPORTATION F


AIR CARG O WEEK


A 67-MILLION-YEAR CARGO STORY TAKES FLIGHT


BY Anastasiya SIMSEK


09


I


n mid-April, Lufthansa Cargo moved two of its more unusual consignments from Munich to Beijing, Rocky and Regina, two Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons on loan from the Dinosaurier Museum Altmühltal to a museum in China. Not living passengers, of course, but skeletons dating back some 67 million years,


travelling from the Dinosaurier Museum Altmühltal to a museum in China. “Some cargo tells a story long before it reaches its destination.


This one goes back 67 million years,” Lufthansa Cargo noted. Even in an industry used to handling delicate and high-value freight,


this was the kind of load that makes people stop for a moment. On the apron in Munich, ground crews gathered around as a replica skull was brought out to show what was packed inside the crates.? “Rocky is the only known juvenile T-Rex skeleton in the world.


Regina is a fully grown adult T-Rex, Rocky’s mother. Quite possibly the oldest frequent flyers ever on this route.” Given the exceptional nature of the transport, the excitement was


palpable on the apron in Munich. To give crews a sense of what was inside the shipment, the museum brought along a replica of a T-Rex head, drawing attention from both ground and flight staff, who paused their routines to take a closer look. Richard Hoffmann, who was involved in the project, highlighted


the complexity behind the scenes: “Our team handled the legal groundwork and background to make sure Rocky and Regina crossed borders safely and compliantly. It was an honour to have been part of it.” For the coming weeks, Rocky and Regina are expected to be on display


in Beijing, where they will be exhibited before returning to Bavaria. The shipment is being handled with the same level of care, precision and reliability that Lufthansa Cargo applies across its operations. The temporary absence of the two skeletons also highlights the broader role of the museum in Altmühltal, where other exhibits remain on display, including “DRACULA”, a life-size reconstruction of one of the largest flying reptiles ever discovered.


www.aircargoweek.com


“It was an


honour to have been part of it.”


11 MAY 2026 ACW


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