Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates SkyCargo is taking the digital way for customer satisfaction experience. Working with WiseTech Global, a leading provider of software solutions to the logistics industry, Emirates SkyCargo will be providing direct access to its flights and inventory for cargo customers through the CargoWise platform. Customers will now be able to make cargo bookings direct on the platform for a majority of their cargo requirements after completing a short registration process. “At Emirates SkyCargo, we are always looking at ways to make every stage of the transportation process more efficient – from the time of booking the shipment to the delivery of the cargo to the consignee. We are delighted to work with WiseTech to connect the CargoWise platform to our own Emirates SkyChain system, allowing customers enhanced direct access to search for flights and make bookings directly with Emirates SkyCargo without requiring any other touchpoints. This will save time and effort for our customers and for our global teams and at the same time help avoid any unnecessary confusion and inefficiencies in the booking process,” said Nabil Sultan, Emirates divisional senior vice president, Cargo.

Global Transportation and Industrial Park of Oklahoma (GTIP) is being created on more than 200 acres of shovel-ready and build-to-suit land at the former U.S. Army Air Force base in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Representatives of GTIP have begun discussions with airlines, freight forwarders, integrators, and beneficial cargo owners about developing air cargo solutions at the multimodal park. GTIP will become an international, state-of-the-art global cargo hub. It includes an already fully functional airport with 9,002-foot and 5,404-foot runways, 24/7 airspace access and 1.2 million square feet of aircraft parking space. The existing infrastructure can handle the vast majority of preighters and freighters, up to the B777-200, and future plans will increase the capacity to include the B-747 freighter family. “GTIP represents an extraordinary opportunity for the air cargo community to create capacity by utilizing an existing airport that can accept air cargo today,” said Michelle Bowling, senior director of sales for Watco, a partner in developing and operating GTIP.

Mammoth Freighters LLC (Mammoth), a logistic solution provider has launched its Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER passenger-to-freighter conversion programs. Mammoth brings a flexible business model to market that provides air cargo operators and asset owners dynamic new options including the ability to provide their own assets for conversion or acquire or lease ready-to-fly converted freighters from Mammoth’s existing feedstock of ten 777-200LR GE90-110B1 equipped aircraft. These assets were acquired from Delta Air Lines and are the largest fleet of -200LR sister aircraft in the world. Mammoth was founded in December 2020 by two aviation industry executives, Bill Wagner and Bill Tarpley, both serving as the company’s Co-CEOs. The Company is backed by private investment funds managed by Fortress Investment Group LLC and its affiliates (Fortress). The company has launched its Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) development program with the plan to achieve FAA approval in the second half of 2023.

LATAM Airlines Group exceeded 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines transported free of charge within Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. The initiative is part of LATAM’s ‘Solidarity Plane,’ a program that makes LATAM’s connectivity available for the benefit of South America at zero cost. It includes both passenger and cargo capacity. “Each of LATAM’s collaborators are proud to be able to contribute to overcoming the pandemic. Today, we have transported the 100 million dose of COVID vaccine for free. We will remain committed to making our connectivity available for the benefit of the lives and health of the people of South America,” said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.

GEODIS is offering its customers to benefit from alternative fuel solutions in the air and at sea, all around the world. The objective is to contribute to the reduction of the CO2 emissions of their shipments. “The development of biofuel is one of the strategic paths being pursued by GEODIS to meet the challenge of carbon neutrality. With these new solutions for air and sea freight, we offer our customers an additional way to decarbonize their entire supply chain,” says Marie-Christine Lombard, GEODIS Chief Executive Officer. The aviation (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and maritime (Sustainable Marine Fuel) fuels, derived from non-fossil sources, are produced using food and agricultural waste (mainly cooking oil). Their use allows for a massive reduction in CO2 emissions over the cycle from production to fuel consumption; at least 80 percent for air and 90 percent for sea transport, along with a reduction in other pollutants.

BBAM Limited Partnership (BBAM) and Lufthansa Cargo sign an agreement to lease two Airbus A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) aircraft on long-term leases. The Airbus A321P2F aircraft will be leased to Lufthansa Cargo on long-term leases from BBAM. In July this year, Lufthansa Cargo had announced that the company will offer its customers additional capacity in Europe from the beginning of 2022 by permanently converting Airbus 321 passenger aircraft into freighters. This new agreement is the first step towards its commitment. The A321P2F will offer customers in the eCommerce segment fast intra-European connections. With this the company is meeting their customers’ growing demand for same-day solutions and further strengthening its dense network of global connections as well as its product offering.

After being awarded with the international tag for six years, the Chandigarh Airport finally announced its plans of launching its cargo facility from November 1, 2021. The Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHAIL) as of now was only providing a common screening facility for domestic cargo, while the airlines — Air India, Indigo, Vistara and GoAir — were handling the goods on their own. Spread over 14,127 square metres, the air cargo complex in Chandigarh is being constructed at a cost of INR 11.5 crore and will have five cargo sheds, to handle both domestic and international cargo, including perishable goods. As of now the complex has four cargo sheds constructed through Galvalume pre-painted self-supported roofing and one pre-fabricated shed for perishable cargo. It is equipped with the latest equipment — cold room, reefer van, fork lifts, scissors lift, pallets, user-friendly weighing scale and trolleys — and high-security apparatus — closed-circuit television camera, X-ray machines, door frame metal detectors and explosive trace detection system.

Emirates SkyCargo, the airfreight division of Emirates, plays a vital role in facilitating the movement of essential goods to and from Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic. From January to July 2021 – the air cargo carrier transported more than 8,000 tonnes of vital commodities to and from the country, including essential medical and food supplies, electronics and vaccines. The air cargo carrier continues to be a strong and reliable partner for Russian exporters, helping local businesses connects to international customers worldwide, by offering cargo capacity on its wide body aircraft fleet. The air cargo carrier currently operates one weekly flight to Domodedovo Moscow Airport (DME). Utilizing a wide-body Boeing 777F aircraft in addition to offering cargo capacity on its daily passenger flights. In the first half year of this year Emirates SkyCargo was officially ranked the second-most punctual airline in Sheremetyevo Airport’s ranking in the category “Cargo airlines (with number of cargo flights in SVO less than 500 in the first half of the year)”.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) expands its cargo services with welcoming Hong Kong Air Cargo’s maiden Freighter aircraft, Hong Kong Air Cargo Carrier Limited (RH), to India. Hong Kong Air Cargo’s A330-200 Freighter holds overall capacity of 120 Metric tons. Through this haulage, CSMIA aided the export of 49 tons from Mumbai to Hong Kong. Currently, Hong Kong Air cargo’s freighter service is a scheduled airline operating once a week and will route its freighter flight to India from CSMIA. Headquartered in Hong Kong, China, the freighter airline has been operating in the blue skies of Hong Kong for over 3 years and provides reliable international scheduled and non-scheduled air freight transportation service for Hong Kong, Asia and beyond. Currently, Hong Kong Air Cargo operates a network of twelve destinations with its fleet of five A330-200F wide-body freighters.

Cargo volumes at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB/ BLR Airport/ www.bengaluruairport.com) continued to see impressive growth, achieving its highest monthly throughput since commencement of operations. Under challenging circumstances due to the pandemic, BLR Airport has processed 37,319 Metric Tonnes (MT) of cargo in August —the highest ever since the Airport commenced operations in 2008. International cargo (both imports and exports) continued to be growth drivers, accounting for 24,304 MT, also the highest ever. Of the total international cargo, exports also achieved a significant record, an all-time high throughput of 15,224 MT. BLR Airport is the third busiest airport in India and has the highest cargo processing capacity. This has resulted in a 41% market share (industry estimates) in South India, making BLR Airport the preferred gateway for air cargo for shippers from the southern states of India. Key factors that have led to this transformation include, a conducive geographic location with easy access to manufacturing hubs in South India, adequate airline capacities to service key sectors across the globe and world-class cargo infrastructure, operated by Air India SATS and Menzies Aviation Bobba, Bangalore.