Category Archives: Aviation

The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organised Bharat Drone Manthan 2.0 in New Delhi focusing on Advancing the drone ecosystem towards Viksit Bharat. The experts focused on investing in drones manufacturing and technology to boost logistics efficiency, skilling and last mile deliveries. They also stressed upon creating an ecosystem in India for drones, by empowering startups, drone manufacturers and IT professionals. Piyush Srivastava, Senior Economic Advisor, MoCA and Shekhar Dutt, Member IIPA and Former Governor, Chattisgarh graced the event as guest of honours. The key focus areas included evolving futuristic drone technology and current policy landscape, impact of drones on defence sector, drones manufacturing, innovation and R&D, capacity building, etc. Industry experts also participated in drones exhibition and engaged in insightful discussions. Experts from various sectors like tourism, IT, MSMEs and logistics participated.

Figures released by data provider Xeneta indicates that in February air cargo demand increased by 4 per cent year on year, the dynamic load factor was flat at 59 per cent and the average spot freight rate was up 10 per cent to $2.53 per kg. However, Niall van de Wouw, Chief Airfreight Officer at Xeneta said that there was also a ‘taste of what’s to come’ with strict rules for e-commerce shipments when rates from Shanghai to the US fell by 29 per cent month on month in February to $3.23 per kg. Van de Wouw said that Shanghai was likely to be the origin to first see the impact of lower e-commerce volumes. “Even allowing for the earlier Lunar New Year and the seasonal e-commerce slowdown at the start of the year, the fall in Shanghai-US spot rates, following the temporary removal of the de minimis exemption on Chinese shipments, may be one of the first indicators that the regulatory/political conversations are starting to affect the air cargo market,” he said. “If a fall in e-commerce volumes means there’s currently more available capacity to do business out of Hong Kong and southern China again, we would expect Shanghai to be the first market to feel this impact, and that’s what we saw in February. This may be short-term, but the uncertainty around e-commerce is impacting the market.”

SF Airlines officially touched down in Bengaluru on March 6, 2025, with its B767-300 freighter, marking a new milestone in India’s air cargo landscape. The airline will operate a weekly freighter service (EHU-BLR-EHU) with WFS BLR, a SATS Group member, as its trusted cargo handler. The inaugural flight was welcomed with a special ceremony as WFS efficiently handled both import and export cargo. This latest SF-WFS collaboration at BLR strengthens their growing network across multiple stations. With increased freighter capacity, SF Airlines’ entry into BLR will significantly boost imports and enhance connectivity for businesses. A new era of air cargo expansion begins!

Sunil Kohli, MD, Rahat Cargo said, “Logistical services in the air cargo sector comprise the vital components such as warehousing, transportation, packaging, supply chain solutions etc., which are essential to significantly improve the competitiveness of supply chains across the globe. Thus, a proper training in logistics management and skill development are extremely important to the present work force in the sector apart from the aspirants who are desirous to prosper their careers in the sector. It is clear that such training supported with enhanced skilled execution of functions are fundamental factors to successfully manage any company’s operations since a skilled manpower ensures optimal utilisation of the infrastructure and implementation of policy regulations. The government is also expected to extend its absolute assistance in extending the required skill training to the concerned personnel in all the possible areas, wherever feasible.”

Vipin Vohra, Chairman, Continental Carriers said, “Training the next generation in logistics and air cargo is vital to sustaining industry growth and innovation. As global trade evolves, equipping young professionals with technical expertise, digital skills, and regulatory knowledge ensures efficiency and competitiveness. Investing in skill development will create a future-ready workforce, driving operational excellence and strengthening India’s position as a global logistics leader.”

  Kale Logistics Solutions (Kale) airport cargo management system (ACS)  has automated the customs clearance operations of CKTS Company  (CKTS), ground handler at Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan. The first stage of deploying Kale’s GALAXY cargo management system has automated the shipment triggering and document acceptance process – with the objective to streamline processes that previously relied on manual data entry or were not harmonised, resulting in delays and work duplication. “Kale has consistently led progress in air cargo digitisation and digitalisation globally, and this launch is its strategic entry into the Japanese market,” said Atsushi Kato, Management Advisor, CKTS Company Limited. “At CKTS, we are excited to use the capabilities of Kale’s flagship GALAXY system and look forward to benefiting from its advanced functionalities for many years.”

  Vipin Vohra, Chairman, Continental Carriers said, “Capacity constraints, regulatory inefficiencies, and infrastructure gaps continue to challenge air cargo growth. The lack of dedicated freighters, congestion at major airports, and high logistics costs impact supply chain fluidity. Inconsistent airport handling procedures lead to delays, while a shortage of skilled manpower affects operational efficiency. Additionally, the increasing tariffs levied by Cargo Terminal Operators (CTOs) add to cost burdens, reducing overall competitiveness and straining cost-effectiveness for logistics service providers.”

Aeroflot Airlines, being operated in India by Delmos Aviation (GSSA) jointly with Oscar Freight, Bonded Trucking Service provider & Zeus Air Services flagged off the first historical export bonded trucking operation from Mumbai ACC to GOX – Mopa in transit to Moscow – Russia. The Export Bonded Trucking movement started from Mumbai Sahar Air Cargo Complex on 5 March 2025. “It’s a proud movement for entire cargo Industry for having this facility started. We sincerely thanks Mumbai Customs and CSMIA ( Adani Group) for their valuable support,” said Raju Mehandarkar, Vice President – Cargo India, Delmos Cargo (Delmos Aviation).

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), total global air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), rose by 3.2 per cent year on year (YoY) in January this year (3.6 per cent for international operations) for the eighteenth consecutive month of growth. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 6.8 per cent YoY in the month (7.3 per cent for international operations). “January marked 18 consecutive months of growth for air cargo, but the month’s 3.2 per cent YoY growth is a moderation from double-digit peaks in 2024. Similarly, yields, while still above January 2024 levels, saw a 9.9 per cent decline from December as cargo load factors also declined by an average of 1.5 percentage points,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general. While external factors such as trade growth, declining fuel costs and expanding e-commerce remain positive for air cargo, it is important to closely watch the evolution of market conditions at this time. In particular, the wild card is the potential for tariff-driven trade policies from the US Trump administration. Fortunately, the air cargo industry is well practiced at dealing with shifts in the operating environment,” he noted. Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 7.5-per cent YoY demand growth for air cargo in January. Capacity increased by 10.9 per cent YoY.

Apeksha Gupta, Head- Skilling, VCJ Foundation said, “Logistics and express courier companies are revolutionising last-mile deliveries by leveraging advanced technologies like AI and route optimisation software. With e-commerce booming, the last-mile sector accounts for about 28% of total logistics costs. Companies are increasingly using electric vehicles and drones to reduce carbon footprints; for instance, Amazon plans to deploy 10,000 electric delivery vans by 2030. Enhanced tracking systems also improve transparency, with real-time updates boosting customer satisfaction by 25%.”