Category Archives: Aviation

Satish Lakkaraju, CEO, NexGen Logistics, Garudavega shares, “The introduction of 18% GST on air freight is significantly impacting the trade, logistics, e-commerce sectors, and causing distress among cargo agents and courier companies. This tax hike is driving up operational costs, resulting in higher freight charges for both businesses and consumers. Additionally, C2C (customer-to-customer) customers are unable to claim GST credit, making it an additional, non-recoverable cost. Since ocean freight is taxed at 5%, we recommend reducing the GST on air freight to be 5% as well, ensuring parity and easing the financial burden across the industry.”

“The imposition of 18% GST on air freight is a major setback for the trade, significantly increasing logistics costs and hampering India’s competitiveness in global markets. Cargo agents are deeply distressed, as this move threatens their sustainability amidst already tight margins. Lot of money / refund is pending of agents as the process of refund is manual and time consuming. The industry urges the government to reconsider this decision to promote ease of doing business and support India’s vision of becoming a global logistics hub.”

  The Delhi Customs Brokers Association (DCBA) received the CONCOR Exim Star Award for its outstanding trade facilitation initiatives in Delhi NCR region since its formation 62 years ago. The award was presented by Sanjay Swarup, CMD CONCOR in a glittering Customer Felicitation Day held recently.  Large number of cargo and logistics industry fraternity, and government officials from the Ministry of Railways/other allied ministries participated. “This special day is our humble attempt to express our sincere gratitude for the trust you have placed in us. Your continued partnership has been the cornerstone of our success and has empowered us to become a leading name in logistics solutions,” said Swarup. Devendra Singh Bhadoria, President DCBA said that this recognition shows strong bond between DCBA and CONCOR in facilitating the EXIM trade. He also commended CONCOR for its valuable end-to-end logistics services to the Exim trade across the country. Bhadoria assured full cooperation to CONCOR in achieving the Govt. of India’s target to reach a $5 trillion economy by 2027 and ‘Vikshit Bharat’ by 2047. Also, present on this occasion were DCBA Special Advisor N.G. Pillai, Vice President Ram Naresh Yadav, Hony. Joint Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, managing committee members Davender Lal Pipil, Mohit Sharma and Member Sumit Dhingra.

China Airlines has announced plans to order four 777-8 freighters with deliveries expected from 2029 for global operations. The new generation freighters will be used for long-haul cargo routes to North America and Europe. The 777-8Fs will join the current fleet of 777F. China Airlines said in a statement, “The next-generation 777-8F freighter has the same cargo hold specifications as the 777F fleet and will offer more operational and dispatching flexibility. Increased range and payload will provide synergistic benefits to the mixed fleet and enhance the cargo capacity of China Airlines.” According to China Airlines’ website, as of October 31, the airline had 17 freighters in its fleet, including nine Boeing 777Fs and eight Boeing 747-400Fs.

TIACA has signed a joint declaration supporting the launch of the ‘Aviation 4 All industry’ declaration developed by the International Aviation Forum (IAF). The declaration was developed by the IAF to set out clear goals to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity within the industry. So far over more than 40 organisations have signed up. The declaration sets out several goals for the aviation industry, including: delivering on environmental commitments to provide a “net zero” industry; enhancing the workplace to establish an inclusive and diverse working environment; increasing connectivity to enhance global accessibility; working with governments to enhance safety and security; and integrating throughout the value chain to provide an improved customer and shipper experience, adopting seamless technology-based solutions. It also aims to develop a customer-centric culture; improve operational performance; deliver financial efficiencies; and enhance the overall positive impact that commercial aviation has on society. “We are thrilled to be invited to support initiatives such as the Aviation 4 All vision as it confirms the value the global aviation community sees in what TIACA is doing to support the air cargo industry and the declaration’s contents are fully aligned to what we see as being vital for the sustainable growth and development of our industry,” said Glyn Hughes, director general.

  The Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) has been awarded the ‘Eurasian Transportation Excellence Award’ at the 33rd Plenary Meeting of the International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT).  The event focused on enhancing logistical cooperation and addressing challenges in the Eurasian transport network. Participants discussed measures such as multimodal logistical planning, border-crossing facilitation, financial and insurance solutions, and the critical role of digitalization in logistics. This recognition highlights FFFAI’s exceptional cooperation, partnership, and contribution to the development of CCTT and the International North-South Transport Corridor. The 33rd Plenary Meeting (CCTT was held in a hybrid format with the support of the Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations of India (FFFAI). The meeting was attended by more than 100 representatives of government establishments, railways, seaports, shipping, investment and transport and logistics companies – members and partners of CCTT – from 18 countries (Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, R. Korea, UAE, Austria, Germany, Singapore, Thailand, Egypt, Belarus, Azerbaijan, China, Mongolia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Turkmenistan).

Swiss WorldCargo has added its capacity to online booking portal WebCargo as part of efforts to expand its digital presence. Through the partnership, the airline’s bellyhold capacity will be available to book online by WebCargo’s forwarder users. The company added that the new partnership with WebCargo would enhance digital presence. The airline said its product portfolio will be bookable on WebCargo for selected markets in Europe, Asia and the Americas. This includes Swiss General Cargo and Swiss Pharma and Healthcare. These products can be paired with the Celsius Passive transportation solution for temperature-sensitive shipments and the X-Presso option for expedited transportation.  

Global air cargo demand showed no signs of slowing down in November as volumes recorded a 13th consecutive month of double-digit growth and load factors hit their highest level since April 2022, according to the latest market analysis by Xeneta. Demand rose +10% year-on-year in November, fuelled by the continued boom in e-commerce. This, coupled with only a marginal +2% growth in air cargo capacity, contributed to global air cargo spot rates (valid for one month) also reaching their highest level in nearly two years at USD 2.90 per kilo, a sixth consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year growth. The air cargo market’s strong monthly performance in 2024 had led to hopes of a ‘peak of all peaks’ in Q4 from some sectors of the market. Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s Chief Airfreight Officer, however, says the industry has done well to avoid it. “The peak of all peaks should not be a goal. It should be avoided because of the imbalance it creates between winners and losers. 2024 had all the ingredients to see crazy peak season rates but the fact we haven’t seen this situation develop is another sign of the maturity we previously referenced in the global air cargo market. What we witnessed in 2023 was a mess and a valuable lesson. In 2024, we are seeing those lessons put into practice,” he said.  

Amit Tandon, CEO & MD, Asia Shipping India says, “Currently, India’s airports handle 6.5 million tonnes of cargo annually, with plans to expand this capacity to 10 million tonnes by 2030. Modernisation initiatives by the Airports Authority of India include upgrading 150 smaller airports to enhance cargo handling capabilities through multimodal hubs, cold storage facilities, and digital integration. These measures aim to reduce logistics time and costs and establish India as a trusted global trade and transshipment hub. While advancements in air cargo and logistics infrastructure are promising, sustained investment in efficiency, capacity expansion, and technological integration remains essential to drive the sector’s growth and meet the demands of an increasingly dynamic market.  

Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport says, “The air cargo and logistics sector has witnessed significant advancements in recent years, yet infrastructure standards remain a mixed bag. While major hubs boast world-class facilities, regional airports often lack the necessary infrastructure for seamless operations. Major challenges include but not limited to outdated cargo terminals, limited cargo handling capacity, and inadequate cold storage facilities for temp-sensitive cargo. Further, lack of standardized processes and digitalization hinders efficiency and transparency. Few airports in India are experiencing increasing congestion, particularly with the rise in air cargo volumes driven by current geopolitical situation, emergence of global e-commerce, increase in pharmaceutical exports, and China +1 strategy benefitting India. However, there’s a growing emphasis on modernizing infrastructure. Further, investments in automation, safety & security, and sustainable practices are driving positive changes in the sector. Collaboration between stakeholders, including governments, airlines, and logistics providers, is crucial to bridge the gap and ensure the sector’s long-term competitiveness.”