Qatar Airways Cargo celebrated a landmark flight as its scheduled Boeing 777 freighter from Doha to Shanghai was operated entirely by a crew made up of women. From the ground staff overseeing and handling the cargo to the flight deck crew operating the flight, this is the first time a Qatar Airways Cargo freighter aircraft has operated with an all-female crew and all-female ground staff. Captain Sarah Abigail Comerford from the United Kingdom, First Officer Edith Mala Diop from France, and First Officer Hedfa Mohammed Al Marri from Qatar operated the flight. The Boeing 777 freighter departed from Doha with 100 tonnes of cargo destined for Shanghai. Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer of Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo said, “I am proud to have such a diverse workforce within Qatar Airways Cargo. We are committed to promoting gender diversity and that women are equally represented in our workforce, which is why we can proudly say we have almost 50 percent of women in various age groups and roles working globally for Qatar Airways Cargo.”

The Asia-Europe trade lane has been buffeted by weakening demand and the outbreak of war in Ukraine over the last 12 months but there are some opportunities to be found. Air cargo capacity on the Asia-Europe route increased marginally (+3%) from the fourth quarter of 2021 to fourth quarter of 2022, but still remains about 18% below pre-pandemic levels, according to the ocean and airfreight rate benchmarking platform Xeneta. This drop is also reflected in the balance with freighter cargo, with bellyhold freight making up just 32% of market share, compared to 55% before the pandemic, says Niall van de Wouw, chief airfreight officer, Xeneta. The stricter Covid rules and lockdowns in China have slowed the return of passenger flights between Europe and Asia “so we don’t see the same level of recovery as we do on the transatlantic for instance”. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also affected the route, especially into north east (NE) Asia where flights have traditionally flown over Russia. “We saw prices on Europe – NE Asia route go up very quickly. There was an immediate boost in airfreight rates within a matter of weeks of the war starting,” says van de Wouw. “No doubt higher fuel prices were also a factor, but it is difficult to single out the cost of fuel on its own. And we also saw airline casualties, for instance” He says that rates are now declining but that Asia-Europe rates are declining more slowly than on the Asia-US route. It is notable that in fourth quarter 2022, the spot market accounted for 47% of Asia–Europe volumes. It was 42% in quarter four 2021 and about 33% pre-pandemic.

South African Airways (SAA) Cargo has teamed up with Menzies Aviation to provide air cargo services at OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) and Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ). “The first phase of Menzies’ appointment started on December 1, 2022 with the handling of all SAA cargo terminal operations in Cape Town. The second phase will begin at OR Tambo in the coming weeks,” says an official release from Menzies. The appointment of Menzies followed a rigorous procurement process and is part of the on-going restructuring process that SAA is implementing post-business Rescue, the release added. “This milestone is an important one,” says John Lamola, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, SAA. “It is part of our efforts to re-position SAA Cargo and unlock the value of SAA Cargo terminals. It also allows management to focus on critical strategic goals to grow our cargo business.” Philipp Joeinig, CEO, Menzies Aviation adds: “The partnership with SAA aligns with the strategy to grow Menzies’ footprint in Africa where we see huge potential for growth. SAA is an important player in the cargo industry and this partnership is a real game changer for our business in South Africa as we are now based in the largest air cargo facilities in the country in the two main air freight ports. It also aligns with our long-term vision to strengthen our position as the leading aviation services provider in Africa.” SAA Cargo and Menzies are undertaking renovations of the terminals at OR Tambo, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth with sustainability in mind. Investing in electric vehicles and ground service equipment, solar energy, energy efficient lighting and a full recycling programme …

Etihad Cargo has introduced online pet shipment bookings for dogs and cats, online dangerous goods bookings and a custom feed within the customer dashboard of its online booking portal. Traditionally, booking pet shipments has required customers to send multiple documents via email. Following the launch of the online pet shipment booking feature, Etihad Cargo’s customers can book the shipment of dogs and cats via the online booking portal, making the booking process easier than ever before. Booking the shipment of dangerous goods via the enhanced online booking portal has also been simplified. Etihad Cargo’s booking portal now enables the capture of United Nations (UN) numbers, which are globally recognised classifications that identify hazardous substances in international shipping. “Since the launch of Etihad Cargo’s enhanced online booking portal, the carrier has continued to launch new features that are making it easier for customers to make bookings,” said Martin Drew, senior vice president – global sales & cargo at Etihad Airways. “Expanding the capabilities of the booking portal to include the booking of pets and dangerous goods shipments directly via the portal is the latest step by Etihad Cargo in making the booking process as seamless as possible while helping customers to ensure the compliance of their cargo with international regulations.”

Singapore’s Changi Airport Group (CAG) has strengthened its alliance with Brussels Airport Company (BAC) in Belgium to improve gloabl air cargo operations. The firms reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard, with plans to improve pharmaceutical logistics capabilities and share their best practices. They also intend to perform studies and trials related to digitalisation and sustainability. CAG Air Hub and Cargo Development executive vice-president Lim Ching Kiat said: “The industry has witnessed how the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the air cargo supply chain. More than ever, handling capabilities are key to the competitiveness of the air cargo ecosystem. “As CAG pushes forward with our digitalisation efforts to enhance Changi Airport’s air cargo processes for higher handling efficiency, we look forward to exchanging insights and learning from Brussels Airport and Air Cargo Belgium.” In addition, the companies will focus on a Green Air Pharma Corridor study, which will be conducted in collaboration with other Pharma.Aero members. A non-profit organisation, Pharma.Aero was one of the initial joint initiatives of BAC and CAG, who have partnered on several projects since 2016. Pharma.Aero members share best practices to boost the industry’s pharmaceutical handling capabilities. Additionally, CAG and BAC will work alongside to improve passenger and cargo connectivity between Singapore and Brussels. BAC chief cargo and real estate officer Geert Aerts said: “We are happy to sign this memorandum of understanding with Changi Airport and to further enhance our longstanding partnership. “By exchanging expertise and building on our alliance to tackle the challenges and opportunities of today together, we can leverage the best practices and become more interconnected between our hubs.”

UPS will invest between $15-20 million to expand its network of technology centres to India. “These centres will complement UPS’s existing teams in the U.S. and Europe responsible for developing in-house technology – the solutions that make UPS a world-class logistics provider with the best digital customer experience,” says an official release. “UPS is committed to India and these centres represent our latest strategic investment in a leading economy that we see growing significantly in the coming years,” says Bala Subramanian, EVP and Chief Digital and Technology Officer, UPS. UPS expects to hire around 1,000 employees by the end of 2025 and plans to open the first centre in Chennai in mid-2023 with additional locations to follow, the release added.

Indonesia-based Raindo United Services (RUS) plans to launch domestic and international freighter services in July this year, using two leased B737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) each with a capacity of 23 tons. The digital start-up cargo airline will serve Jakarta, Medan, Balikpapan, Medan, Makassar and Surabaya on its domestic network and international routes to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou. PT Rusky Aero Indonesia, through Raindo United Services, is a scheduled air cargo transportation company established in June last year. The company obtained a standard certificate of domestic and foreign cargo scheduled commercial air transport in December 2022. Raindo United Services founder, Benny Rustanto, said: “The presence of Raindo United Services is expected to be a catalyst for a change that can support the development of the MSME (Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises) industry in Indonesia, particularly on the logistics side through seamless and sustainable connectivity. “We realise that the MSME sector in Indonesia has greater potential if supported by a logistics ecosystem that synchronizes the traffic flow – both internationally and locally – from the point of departure to the destination. “The ecosystem of Raindo United Services enables MSME players to be more competitive by overcoming existing obstacles such as high logistics prices, inefficient shipping processes, limited access to distribution channels and others.”

Airbus has opened a brand-new innovation center in Bangalore, India. “Our innovation journey in India & South Asia started in 2016 when we set up the BizLab, an aerospace accelerator designed to speed up the adoption of technologies from startups for the aerospace and defense industries. Based in Bangalore and led by Siddharth it was the most successful BizLab for Airbus across the globe, and now it’s time to take the next step and transform it into a full innovation center,” said Airbus’ official post on Linkedin. The Airbus Innovation Center – India & South Asia will focus on industrializing disruptive technologies in specific focus areas such as decarbonization technologies (Green Hydrogen, SAF production, etc.), artificial intelligence, industrial automation, unmanned air systems, connectivity, space tech, autonomy, and more. We’re proud to bring together a diverse range of expertise to drive innovation and progress in the industry. The center will host partner startups, MSMEs, SMEs to work out of the Airbus premises, facilitating faster exchanges with Airbus stakeholders locally and globally. We’re excited to be part of the innovation ecosystem in India and look forward to working with our partners to drive innovation and make a positive impact on the industry. We can’t wait to see the exciting innovations that will emerge from this hub of creativity and collaboration,” the post added.

Here’s the first glimpse of India’s C-295 aircraft which Airbus and Tata’s will co-produce. India’s first C-295 aircraft has rolled out of the Airbus defence production facility in the city of Seville, located in southern Spain. The plane is the first of the 16 medium-lift tactical transport airport aircraft which will be delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in flyaway condition.

Wiremind has won the multi-year contract to provide Qatar Airways Cargo with innovative sales and revenue management solutions from its comprehensive cargo product suite, to support the airline in its pioneering digitalisation drive. Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s leading cargo airline has selected three solutions from Wiremind’s cargo management suite, following a thorough RFP process. Using Wiremind’s Revenue Management system, Qatar Airways Cargo will benefit from advanced demand forecasts and optimised entry conditions, enabling the airline to maximise its entire network contribution and revenue. The air cargo carrier will also have access to the newly launched Overbooking module, which leverages machine learning models to forecast the cargo show-up rate on the day, supporting flight analysts in their decisions on the overbooking percentage for a particular flight to minimise capacity wastage on the day of departure. The last solution chosen by Qatar Airways is Wiremind’s original flagship product, SkyPallet, which optimises space calculations at various points in the cargo lifecycle, to ensure maximum capacity usage and accurate quotations. Nathanaël de Tarade, CEO of Wiremind, says: “We are delighted that Qatar Airways Cargo has chosen individual solutions from our cargo product suite. It is testament to the fact that we were successful in addressing Qatar Airways Cargo’s needs and shows that with the support and vision of CargoTech, we are on the right track to build impactful products to help the industry digitise and adopt the latest technologies. “With the world’s leading cargo airline now on board, we are more than proud, and we look forward to supporting Qatar Airways Cargo in shaping the air cargo industry of the future with all the opportunities that our advanced digital and data-driven machine-learning products …