Category Archives: Aviation

FedEx Express is further enhancing its intercontinental services between Vietnam and India, with the introduction of a new flight service that offers faster transit time, says official release. Effective October 31, 2023, the new flight service will use a dedicated B767 freighter flying four evenings a week from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, improving transit time by one business day for importers in India. With a total of nine weekly flights now departing from Ho Chi Minh City, shipments will now reach India within two business days*. This enhancement from FedEx will help businesses in India benefit from Vietnam’s status as a growing manufacturing hub. Currently, India stands as one of Vietnam’s top eight trading partners, and the bilateral trade between both the countries has seen steady growth over the years. According to Indian data for the financial year April 2022 to March 2023, bilateral trade grew 4 % year-over-year compared to 2021-22 and reached US$ 14.70 billion[1]. “The evolving India-Vietnam relationship promises to unlock new growth opportunities for businesses in both nations, facilitating increased trade and economic expansion,” said Nitin Tatiwala, vice president of Middle East, Indian subcontinent, and Africa air network, FedEx Express. “The transit time enhancement can provide importers in India with a competitive advantage, by helping them build faster and more efficient supply chain networks with businesses in Vietnam. This facilitates trade and boosts the growth of businesses, especially SMEs, in both countries.” FedEx has been supporting cross-border trade to and from India since 1984. With the new flight service, businesses in India may gain a competitive edge with expedited delivery time. This latest announcement reaffirms the company’s dedication to improving services and strengthening operations …

There’s a need to be actively engaged in persuading the shippers to explore the newer trade opportunities abroad other than the conventional destinations for perishables, says Sunil Kohli, MD, Rahat Cargo. He shares, “As a freight forwarder mainly focused on perishables, we have commenced moving shipments to US and Canada. An optimal utilization of airports in non-metro cities such as Amritsar has also been our prime objective to promote exports from there to direct/assorted stations thereby providing the benefit of an economical airfreight to the exporters. We have also succeeded in handling the exports from shippers on pan-India basis in collaboration with our associates in all major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru & Hyderabad etc. The business being emanated from our concern has been shaping well and in all likelihood it would witness a considerable growth in future keeping in view the enhanced number of exporters, developed infrastructural facilities at the airports and the government’s liberal policies.”

Airfreight rates on major east-west trades picked up in October as the industry entered its traditional peak season. The latest figures from the Baltic Exchange Airfreight Index (BAI) based on TAC data show that average rates – spot and contract – on services from Hong Kong to North America increased by 18.4% compared with September to $5.80 per kg. Compared with last year prices are down 13.9%, although the difference between the two years has continued to narrow from a high of 47.7% in May. From Hong Kong to Europe, rates in October increased 14.5% on the September level to $4.26 per kg. Against last year, prices on the route are down 26.3%. Airfreight rates tend to rise at this time of year as the industry enters the peak season, although the increase level depends on the strength of demand. Many had been expecting a “muted” peak season this year with minimal rate rises due to subdued demand. In its latest market summary, TAC Index said that the recent rate rises reflected a “genuine if modest peak season bounce with gains on rates from all major outbound locations around the world”. Meanwhile, data provider WorldACD said that global air cargo tonnages and rates had stabilised after recovering from China’s National Day Golden Week in early October. It said that there are no clear signs yet of any significant fourth-quarter peak season, despite anecdotal reports from some freight forwarders of a slight seasonal tightening of the market.

NYSE-listed AerCap Holdings delivered its first Airbus A321 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) aircraft to IndiGo. The aircraft conversion was completed by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) before being delivered to IndiGo at ST Engineering Aerospace in Singapore, says a release from AerCap. “We are delighted to celebrate the delivery of AerCap’s first A321 Passenger-to-Freighter aircraft with our long standing customer IndiGo,” says Rich Greener, Head, AerCap Cargo. “The A321P2F is a best-in-class narrowbody freighter solution, offering superior economics in terms of fuel-efficiency and flexibility to meet the growing demand of cargo operators. We wish IndiGo every success as they expand their fleet to meet their customers’ freighter needs, and we thank the EFW and ST Engineering Aerospace teams for their support with this conversion programme.”

LATAM Cargo is set to transport 196 horses for the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile. Horses from the US, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, and Paraguay, were transported via their B767F cargo planes. The process included compliance with the rigorous procedure offered by ALIVE, animal care as part of LATAM Cargo’s product portfolio, to ensure care and professional handling of the animals as part of it. Juan Pablo Márquez, Senior Cargo Operations Manager in Chile for LATAM Cargo, said, “It is a recognition of our extensive experience in this type of transportation, our logistics, and the specialized personnel that allows us to provide top-level handling to ensure the well-being of these animals. We will continue working to deliver a service with the highest quality standards for our customers.”

Bird Airport Services has commenced ground handling services for SriLankan Airlines today at Chennai International Airport. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s continued growth and commitment to delivering exceptional services. The scope of ground handling concession, includes the right and the duty to provide, the following services to all domestic & international airlines. It includes Ramp handling services (marshalling, cooling and heating, ramp to flight deck communication, loading and unloading, aircraft starting, safety measures, moving of aircraft, cabin & utilities cleaning, cargo ramp handling and storage of ULDs. Following a rigorous tendering process in 2022 (in which more than 10 international players had participated), which focussed on benchmarks in industrial know-how, current international operations, best practises, reliability, safety procedures and quality standards, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) awarded Bird Airport Services, a long term ground handling concession to develop and operate a state-of-the-art ground handling operation for both domestic and international airlines at Chennai International Airport. “As we embark on this new venture, Bird Group’s commitment to excellence remains unwavering. The company has made substantial investments in equipment, employee training, and facilities to enhance safety, sustainability, and performance. This includes upskilling new employees, implementing a digitalized aircraft turn-around process to improve efficiency and safety, and investing in state-of-the-art electric Ground Service Equipment (GSE) equipped with IoT and advanced safety features. Bird Airport Services is excited to bring its expertise to Chennai Airport, and we are dedicated to delivering exceptional ground handling services to all airlines and passengers,” said a spokesperson, Bird Airport Services.

Sterling, a Kuehne+Nagel company, has launched a global aerospace service designed to expedite urgently needed aircraft parts from one of the largest original equipment manufacturer (OEM) based in Seattle, Washington. The high-level service will be operating 24/7 from a logistics service hub built in Seattle, staffed with Sterling drivers and a new fleet of vehicles, says an official release from Sterling. As a trusted logistics partner for delivering time-critical aerospace solutions, Sterling’s new shuttle service offers a secure and expeditious solution, complete with a comprehensive chain of custody protocols to guarantee the integrity of every shipment, the release added. “Sterling’s newly established Seattle logistics service hub is overseen by aerospace logistics professionals, featuring a specialised team of drivers and a dedicated fleet of vehicles. This configuration focuses on the initial stages of transportation, effectively mitigating associated risks at the onset of the shipment. ”

IAG Cargo saw its revenues fall in the third quarter of the year despite its volumes increasing. The airline group, which includes British Airways and Iberia, registered a 29.5% decline in revenues during the period to €263m. Meanwhile, air cargo traffic increased by 19.7% to 1.1bn cargo tonne kms. The reason for the decline in revenues despite higher volumes is a drop off in airfreight rates compared with a year ago. For example, the latest monthly rate data from the Baltic Exchange Airfreight Index (BAI) shows that rates from Hong Kong to Europe were down 38.9% in September compared with a year earlier. IAG’s own figures show that in the third quarter, its revenues per cargo tonne km fell 41.1% year on year to 23.11 cents. However, this is still higher the pre-Covid 2019 level for the third quarter of 19.99 cents. Commenting on the performance of its cargo business, IAG said: “Our Cargo business continues to see declines in revenue and profit as industry supply continues to exceed reducing demand for air freight. Cargo yields remain above 2019 levels.”

Globe Air Cargo and Royal Air Maroc Cargo have strengthened their long-standing GSSA contract and launched a winter schedule promotion to showcase the airline’s widespread network, including in-demand niche destinations across Africa. Royal Air Maroc operates regular flights out of three strategically significant American stations to its cargo hub at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport (CMN). They are New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport, Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington, and Miami’s International Airport (MIA) and are operated by a Boeing 787-9 with a 15 tons of potential uplift, and a Boeing 787-8 with a 13 tons of cargo capacity. With the start of the winter schedule on 28 October 2023, JFK to CMN enjoys a daily connection operated whilst IAD-CMN is operated up to 5 times a week. From MIA, CMN is served three times a week. More than 80 international destinations are included in Royal Air Maroc’s flight schedule out of Casablanca. Among them are regular full cargo services operated by the airline’s Boeing 767-300 freighter with a capacity of 45 tons. It flies to Brussels (BRU) in Belgium three times a week, Mali’s Bamako Airport (BKO), twice a week, and offers weekly flights to Ouagadougou (OUA) in Burkina Faso, Nouakchott International Airport (NKC) in Mauritania, and Istanbul Airport (IST) in Turkey.

Ahead of The Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI)’s upcoming 47th convention in Kuala Lumpur from November 23 to 26, Huned Gandhi, Managing Director Air & Sea Logistics Indian Subcontinent at DACHSER India says, “In the next 5-10 years, AI will transform air cargo operations. Continuous learning from data and AI-driven robotics will revolutionize deliveries and warehouses. It will enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and enable data-driven decision-making. It will automate the supply chain for real-time tracking, predictive maintenance, and intelligent route optimization. However, concerns regarding overreliance on AI, data security, privacy, and job displacement must be addressed. Reskilling and upskilling can mitigate risks, while ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks ensure responsible practices. Collaboration among airlines, airports, technology suppliers, and freight forwarders is crucial. Sharing best practices, establishing standards, and investing in tailored AI solutions will meet industry needs. Open dialogue and collaboration will navigate regulatory challenges, fostering a supportive AI adoption environment.