Category Archives: Aviation

Frankfurt Cargo Services (FCS) has implemented Dakosy’s FAIR@Link digital ramp control system to reduce truck waiting times for cargo collections and deliveries. The slot booking tool allows FCS, an affiliate of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), to optimise the allocation of truck ramps by allowing freight forwarders delivering and collecting cargoes for FCS’ airline customers to digitally reserve ramps for loading and unloading, speeding up the handling process. “This standardised approach allows FCS to use its facility infrastructure more efficiently, counteracts peak times, and increases the ability for all parties to plan and utilise their resources efficiently,” said an official statement.

Swissport joins Pharma.Aero as new full time member. Jeremy Mitchell, Director of Pharma.Aero said, “We are delighted to welcome this major air cargo ground handler embracing collaboration and innovation. We look forward to working closely together with Swissport in creating more content and achieving excellence in end-to-end air transportation of pharmaceuticals. Pharma.Aero is continuing to enlarge by onboarding this important global player.” Dirk Goovaerts, Global Cargo Chair, Swissport said, “Joining Pharma.Aero provides a great platform to collaborate with experts and companies from several industries involved in the pharma supply chain.”

The war in Ukraine, sanctions on Russia and stepped-up COVID lockdowns in China caused the air cargo market to contract in March and macroeconomic clouds could further dampen a sector that has performed well during a chaotic pandemic. The impact is being felt in freight rates, which are quickly climbing as capacity disappears faster than demand. Clive Data Services reported that shipment volumes declined 6.5 percent last month compared to the pre-COVID level in 2019 and were 4.5 percent lower than a year ago. Meanwhile, available cargo space on aircraft shrank four percent year-over-year and is now 14 percent less than before the pandemic.

Australia’s national airline Qantas will fly non-stop from Bengaluru to Sydney and is finalising a codeshare partnership with IndiGo to make travel between India and Australia easier. From 14 September 2022, Qantas will operate four weekly return flights between Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport with its widebody Airbus A330 aircraft. These are the first direct flights between Australia and southern India by any airline, cutting almost three hours off the current fastest trip between Bengaluru and Sydney.

IAG Cargo is working with various charities including the Red Cross, Project Hope and SEPLA Ayuda and its sister airlines Iberia, British Airways and Vueling to transport aid for Ukraine. Till dat, the carrier has donated capacity to transport 125 tonnes of aid, including blankets, kitchen equipment and medical supplies. IAG Cargo will continue to support relief efforts into the region. The first aid shipment took place on 4 March from Barcelona to Warsaw, carrying donations from colleagues at its sister airline Vueling.

As a part of its global expansion strategy, UPS Healthcare has recently completed several significant investments in Hungary to offer customers faster shipping times and greater flexibility as they look to grow their businesses in existing and new markets. These investments include the addition of 13,000m2 of state-of-the-art warehousing space to its hub near Budapest. Housing multiple validated temperature-controlled environments for a variety of temperature-sensitive medicines and biologics, this expansion means that UPS Healthcare’s campus has 37,000m2 of dedicated Healthcare space in the country.

Air Canada Cargo has selected CargoAi’s eBooking and eQuote platform for freight forwarders as it continues to invest in its digital transformation.“We continue to invest in our digital transformation, which is a key pillar of Air Canada Cargo’s strategy as it continues to adapt to the changing landscape in airfreight,” said Matthieu Casey, Managing Director, Commercial – Cargo at Air Canada. He added, “We’re looking forward to further leveraging our API capabilities and the opportunity to reach out to additional users via the CargoAi marketplace. We’re continuing to grow our distribution reach and we’re confident that the features available on CargoAi will be well suited to the large range of our product portfolio.”

SkyCell has launched the new 1500X container, the next generation in its hybrid container portfolio for high value pharmaceutical product transportation. The 1500X enables pharma shipments for products that need to be kept at +2°C to +8°C or +15°C to +25°C and has a tested market-leading independent runtime of 270 hours at 20°C. The container also comes fully equipped with SkyCell’s proprietary SECURE SaaS platform for in-transit monitoring. The 1500X container’s extended 270-hour runtime ensures that the transportation of temperature-sensitive goods remains unaffected even in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as flight delays, re-routing, and delays at customs.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to establish a Joint Innovation Center (JIC) that will drive the development and adoption of digital solutions in aviation. The JIC will also enable start-ups to accelerate innovation in aviation, smart infrastructure, utilities, and mobility by providing comprehensive program offerings and a technical platform that helps customers innovate quickly utilising AWS technology. This is the first JIC by AWS established outside of China and its first JIC dedicated to advancing the aviation industry. The JIC is expected to open at BLR Airport in 2022 and will focus on driving digital innovation for the airport, enhancing passenger experience, and creating positive impact for the community where the airport operates.

Nexxiot announced the launch of the new Nexxiot Cargo Monitor, a revolutionary sensor device which delivers unbeatable connectivity and data performance in a compact, easy-to-use design. It promises to revolutionise global cargo shipping by delivering unprecedented real-time visibility of the location, status, and condition of shipments anywhere in the world. The Nexxiot Cargo Monitor can be used to monitor the transportation of high-value and sensitive products, including perishables, pharmaceuticals, textiles, conditions-sensitive industrial products, electronics and more. Nexxiot’s proprietary, purpose-built software provides a seamless user experience to identify cargo-damaging shocks, excessive humidity, condensation, temperature, cargo provenance, and security issues. The sensor can also connect to Wireless Maritime Services (WMS) which provides connectivity on ocean vessels at sea via cellular and IoT networks.