Category Archives: Aviation

Focusing on various industry issues such as Customs, Taxes, CBLR, EDI, Port & Shipping, Costal/Inland Waterways, ICDS and airports, the Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) held its 12th Executive Committee (EC) Meeting in Ahmedabad recently. The meet, hosted by Ahmedabad Customs Brokers Association, was attended by the Office Bearers of the Federation and representatives from 30 Member associations from across the country. Majority of Policy recommendations were made to highlight for Customs trade facilitation measures under ease of doing business, infrastructure development and Digital transaction. Also focus was given on the training and development in logistics sector, which initiatives shall be carried by the FFFAI – IIFF (Indian Institute of Freight Forwarders) with e-learning introduction and FIATA Diploma courses. Also presentation on ‘Business Continuity Planning’ focusing on Best Practices guidelines for the benefits of the members was made by Samir J Shah, Advisor FFFAI, which highlighted to cope with future challenges. Shankar Shinde, Chairman, FFFAI highlighted the initiatives of International Customs Day dedicated theme by World Customs Organization (WCO) in Brussels 2023 on “Nurturing the next generation: promoting a culture of knowledge-sharing and professional pride in Customs.” This is a theme close to the IFCBA and its members around the world, as Customs experts and Customs practitioners. “FFFAI will be happy to take this forward to benefit the trade members to professionalize the Logistics Industry.” said Shinde. He also pointed out that the recommendations made to the Ministries, Government departments and stakeholders will be helpful to the trade in reducing cost and dwell time.

Hermes Travel and Cargo Pvt Ltd has successfully achieved its GDP Certification IN23/00000103 through SGS. The company has been assessed and certified as meeting the requirements of World Health Organisation Goods and Distribution Practices. “As a company, we stand committed to delivering superior and compliant services to our pharmaceutical clientele in India and across the globe. This certificate will further enhance our already prominent market position in this vertical. We thank all our esteemed customers who have been part of our growth story, entrusting us with their shipments. Continual improvement is need of both – The Customer and Business,” the company announced the news on Linkedin.

Air Canada Cargo has become a member of the Pharma.Aero cross-industry collaboration platform to further develop its pharmaceutical shipments handling knowledge. Founded in 2016, the Pharma.Aero platform includes over 50 Life Science and MedTech manufacturers, cargo pharma-certified communities and other logistics stakeholders. “As we continue to expand our freighter fleet and with the continued enhancements to our cold chain handling capabilities, this participation in a new avenue for critical insight into pharmaceutical shipments is an important step forward,” said Matthieu Casey, managing director – commercial at Air Canada Cargo. “Pharma.Aero will increase our ability to collaborate with an ever-growing list of industry experts to share ideas and gather knowledge on ways to further strengthen our expertise in shipping this vital cargo.”

Air India on Tuesday announced a 470-aircraft order with Airbus and Boeing, including 260 widebody planes, the largest order ever from any Indian airline and among the largest globally. The airline had last placed an order for aircraft 17 years ago and this is the first since the carrier’s sale to Tata Sons. The order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s widebody aircraft. The narrow-bodies include 210 Airbus A320 and 321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft. The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, and the B777 or 787s by engines from GE Aerospace. All single-aisle aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International. The last order from the airline was in 2006 when it signed a deal for 68 Boeing and 43 Airbus aircraft.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has allowed the transshipment of Bangladesh export cargo to third countries through Delhi Air Cargo. Following representations from interested parties, the Board decided to amend Circular 29/2020-Customs, dated June 22, 2020, to allow the transshipment of Bangladesh export cargo to third countries via Delhi Air Cargo. Transhipment of goods by road from LCS Petrapole to Air Cargo Complex, Delhi is also allowed with effect from February 15, 2023, following the procedure prescribed in the aforesaid Circular, until further direction from the Board,” the amendment read. The Circular allows inter alia transshipment of Bangladesh export cargo through Kolkata Air Cargo. The goods loaded on containers/closed-bodied trucks enter India from LCS Petrapole, and move by road to Kolkata Air Cargo, from where they are airlifted and transported to third countries. It has been road to Kolkata Air Cargo, from where they are airlifted and transported to third countries. It has been represented to allow this movement through Delhi Air Cargo also, for better cargo evacuation and improved logistics efficiency.

Cathay Pacific Cargo and the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal have become the first carrier and first cargo terminal operator to have cargo shipments accepted in Dongguan and transported to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by ship for outbound airfreight, enabling full upstream sea-air intermodal export cargo handling between the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Hong Kong. The HKIA Logistics Park in Dongguan, developed by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), enables shipments to be security screened, built up and accepted as cargo for flights before being loaded on ships that unload in a secured area at HKIA, from where pallets and ULDs can be towed straight to a waiting aircraft. The pilot scheme’s base will migrate to a permanent facility from 2025. Cissy Chan, executive director, commercial of AAHK, said: “The HKIA Logistics Park with sea-air intermodal connectivity to HKIA aims to reinforce HKIA’s role as the international air cargo hub in the GBA.” CPSL is the first cargo terminal operator (CTO) to sign an air cargo service agreement with AAHK to operate in the pilot scheme, and has established what is believed to be a first of its kind upstream bonded facility – Cathay Cargo Terminal Dongguan – located at the Bestar Logistics Centre in Dongguan. “We have been actively engaged in the downstream trials of the service over the past year and are delighted to be the first CTO to have provided full upstream acceptance of intermodal cargo in Dongguan,” said terminal operator Cathay Pacific Services Ltd chief operating officer Mark Watts. “By extending our air cargo handling services to Dongguan, we are able to offer more choice and more value-added services for our customers, as part of …

Boeing announced the launch of its Global Support Centre (GSC) and is planning to set up a new logistics centre in India as the aircraft maker seeks to expand its presence. GSC in India will provide customised operational efficiency and safety improvement projects for its airline customers, civil aviation regulatory bodies and other industry stakeholders. Besides, new logistics centre will will cater to customers, according to two releases. Investment details were not disclosed. The GSC will conduct technical workshops and projects to support aircraft reliability, enhance airplane performance, and encourage the adoption of Airplane Health Management (AHM) systems, said release. For operational improvements, Boeing said the centre will work with operators and regulators on structures and airworthiness; the Maintenance Error Decision Aid (MEDA), a human-factors tool; Air Traffic Management (ATM); aerospace optimisation; and low visibility operation through Head-Up Display (HUD) and Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS). Among other activities, the centre will conduct flight operations symposiums, engineering seminars, and continue the development of new technology studies impacting airports and operators alike. “India is well-positioned to localise maintenance services capabilities and provide cost-effective solutions given its large technical labour force, including uniquely qualified and highly trained technicians and industry capabilities,” the release added.

Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited (AISATS) has been selected by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) to Design, Build, Finance and Operate an Integrated Multi-Modal Cargo Hub (MMCH) across 87 acres at the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh. The MMCH will be equipped with unmatched connectivity options, and integrated process-driven systems to cater to the burgeoning logistic demand of the country. AISATS received the ‘Letter of Award’ (LOA) at the UP Global Investors Summit. On this occasion, Sanjay Gupta, CEO, of AISATS said, “Air cargo continues to play a pivotal role in the development of the aviation sector. India’s focus to become the manufacturing hub for the world will hugely depend on efficient logistic management to attain global competitiveness. We are aiming to develop world-class infrastructure to deliver a seamless, best-in-class cargo experience for all stakeholders. Catering to a large catchment area with a huge growth potential owing to multimodal connectivity, we are certain that MMCH will truly become the gateway to North India. MMCH, will redefine cargo warehousing in India and establish itself as a new global benchmark.”

China Eastern Airlines has extended its cargo partnership with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) with a new contract to handle Boeing 777 cargo-only flights in Liege. “The new three-year agreement between the companies will see WFS handling a forecasted 32,000 tonnes of cargo per annum carried onboard up to nine B777 flights a week into the Belgian airport from Yantai Penglai International Airport in China’s Shandong Province,” says a release from WFS. WFS is providing ramp handling for the airline’s 777 services along with warehouse operations, the release added. The contract in Liege increases WFS’ role as one of China Eastern’s preferred cargo handling partners. WFS is also supporting the airline’s cargo operations and growth at other important airport gateways including Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Stockholm and New York JFK. “Having handled charter flights for China Eastern in Liege last summer, we are delighted to have won this opportunity to support the airline’s scheduled cargo-only services to and from Yantai,” says Nathan De Valck, Managing Director, WFS Belgium. “Liege is a very important and growing cargo hub for WFS in Europe. So, it is especially pleasing to welcome another long-term WFS partner as a customer at the airport. We see this as a sign of China Eastern’s trust in WFS and our high reputation for handling freighters and cargo-only services. This new route for the airline also shows the resilience of the LGG freighter market and the role WFS is playing in the development of it.”

The latest preliminary figures from WorldACD Market Data indicate that air cargo tonnages recovered at the end of January and the beginning of February, as expected after the early Lunar New Year this year, but the increase was significantly stronger than in the equivalent period last year. Figures for week 5 (30 January to 5 February) show an increase of +11 per cent in worldwide tonnages compared with the previous week, following a large decrease the week before of -13 per cent, mainly driven by the Lunar New Year that started on 22 January. In the same period last year, tonnages increased by +3 per cent. After falling by around -8 per cent in week 4, the global average rate level recovered slightly (+1 per cent) compared with the previous week, similar to the trend observed last year, but prices remain well below their level prior to Lunar New Year. Comparing weeks 4 and 5 with the preceding two weeks (2Wo2W), tonnages are down significantly (-8 per cent) below their combined total in weeks 2 and 3, with average worldwide rates also down by -8 per cent, despite a -4 per cent decrease in capacity – based on the more than 400,000 weekly transactions covered by WorldACD’s data. On a regional level, the effect of the Lunar New Year on air cargo tonnages was most notable on flows outbound from Asia Pacific to Europe (-41 per cent), North America (-40 per cent) and the Middle East & South Asia (-38 per cent), respectively, but also on intra-Asia Pacific flows (-23 per cent). Strong increases were recorded from Central & South America to North America (+37 per cent), from Africa to …