Category Archives: Aviation

Vipin Vohra, Chairman, Continental Carriers said, “The India-UK Free Trade Agreement is poised to significantly benefit Indian EXIM trade and the cargo industry. By boosting exports in key sectors like textiles, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods, it will increase cargo volumes and open new avenues for logistics service providers. The expected surge in trade will drive investments in critical infrastructure, including air freight stations, multimodal hubs, cold chain facilities and modernised cargo terminals. Moreover, the FTA is likely to accelerate the adoption of technology and digital solutions across the logistics ecosystem, enhancing overall efficiency, reducing costs and strengthening India’s global trade competitiveness.

Amit Maheshwari, Founder and CEO, Softlink Global asserted, “The India-UK FTA is a game-changer for Indian trade. Zero-duty access on textiles, auto components and finished pharma lets champions like Tata Motors, Arvind, Welspun and Sun Pharma price exports more aggressively in the UK. Meanwhile, sharply lower tariffs on Scotch whisky and premium British autos will boost west-bound loads into India, improving capacity utilisation and yields for forwarders. We’ll see a clear rise in multimodal volumes and speedier clearances at both ends.”  

CK Govil, President, The Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) said, “The India-UK FTA is poised to significantly boost the Indian EXIM trade and cargo industry by reducing tariffs, enhancing market access and streamlining customs procedures. It will open new opportunities for Indian exporters, particularly in textiles, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods, while encouraging UK investment in Indian logistics and infrastructure. The agreement also promises mutual recognition of standards, which will reduce delays and compliance costs. Overall, it strengthens bilateral supply chains and positions India as a reliable trade partner in the post-Brexit global order—bringing a positive ripple effect for air and ocean cargo movements.”

Xerrxes Master, Managing Director, Masters Group of Companies said, “The India–UK Free Trade Agreement offers transformative benefits for India’s EXIM‑trade and cargo sectors. With 99 per cent of Indian exports to the UK becoming duty‑free—including textiles, footwear, gems, marine products, engineering goods and pharma—export volumes are poised to soar. Streamlined customs protocols and harmonised standards will expedite cargo flow at major ports like Nhava Sheva, Chennai and Mundra, while air‑cargo volumes for perishables and electronics will rise. Logistics providers and freight forwarders will see increased demand for containerized, refrigerated, and digital trade services. Overall, the FTA is set to catalyse supply‑chain efficiency and strengthen India’s position in global trade.”

Prediman Koul, CEO, Jeena & Company said, “The China+1 strategy is significantly boosting India’s role in the global supply chain. As global companies look to diversify beyond China, India is emerging as a strong alternative because we have government-backed schemes like Make in India and Production-Linked Incentives (PLI) that encourage domestic production and invite international investment. Our skilled labour is set to meet the demands and is accessible as compared to other countries. This makes India appealing to sectors that need specialised professionals. India has strengthened trade ties and is working towards improving access to global markets. Enhanced port facilities, industrial corridors and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have made exporting from India easier and more efficient. We believe this shift is not just a trend but a long-term opportunity for India to become a key supply chain hub, and we are ready to take part as a trusted partner in this journey.

Air Canada Cargo announced the introduction of its redesigned e-booking platform, providing an optimised booking experience for customers and new tools to self-manage shipments. “We are excited to reveal our updated e-booking experience, which provides a more user-friendly interface and a smoother experience for our customers booking their cargo online. With the ability to get real-time feedback and validation, easily create batch bookings, e-AWB, submit release letters and more, this new platform will transform the customer experience and is part of Air Canada Cargo’s ongoing digitalisation,” said Matthieu Casey, Managing Director – Commercial, at Air Canada Cargo. The features of the new e-booking experience include a redesigned, user-friendly interface for a smoother experience, re-imagined account dashboard to keep track of your shipments at-a-glance, dynamic booking flows and calculation fields for greater efficiency, real-time feedback and validation to reduce errors, auto-confirmation for general cargo shipments of 50 kg (0.3 m3) and less,  the ability to submit feedback and questions directly from the dashboard, fast and easy rebooking by saving bookings as templates, multi-booking to create batch bookings in minutes, receive tracking notifications to your email, tools to manage your bookings: create e-AWB, edit bookings, add shipper and consignee info, send release letters, and more.

According to the latest weekly figures and analysis from WorldACD Market Data, air cargo rates held firm in the second full week of July, despite a second consecutive week-on-week (WoW) small drop in overall global flown tonnages, with volumes from Asia Pacific origins to the US recording further declines. Global average spot rates edged up slightly (over 1 per cent) in week 28 (7 to 13 July) to US$2.65 per kilo, thanks largely to over 6 per cent WoW rebound in both pricing and tonnages from North America origins following US Independence Day on 4 July. That followed a fall in tonnages of decline of 11 per cent from North America origins the previous week. Like in week 28 last year, the post 4 July recovery for origin North America has not yet fully materialised. Those worldwide average spot rates, and many of the price and demand patterns during week 28, were very similar to the equivalent week this time last year – including global average full-market rates of $2.46 per kilo, based on a mix of spot and contract rates. However, the US dollar is around -6% weaker now than it was a year ago against other major world currencies, such as the euro. In euros, average worldwide rates are down by around -6%, year on year (YoY).

One of the primary challenges GSSA faces is managing fluctuating capacity and demand—especially during peak seasons or unexpected disruptions while maintaining operational efficiency and service quality,”Abhishek Goyal, CEO and Executive Director, Aeroprime Group. He adds, “Regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions adds another layer of complexity, with varying customs, security, and documentation requirements in each market. The pace of digital transformation is also reshaping the landscape. GSAs are expected to adopt new technologies swiftly, from cargo tracking tools to automated booking systems — all while training teams to deliver consistently across markets. Within our organisation, we recognize that success in this environment depends on local market expertise, robust infrastructure, and strong stakeholder relationships. Our ability to stay agile and adapt quickly is what allows us to deliver dependable results in both cargo and travel verticals.”

Pune Airport has officially commenced international cargo imports in June with the arrival of three consignments. These included electronic components for automobiles and fertiliser-related chemicals, shipped from London’s Heathrow Airport via Delhi through transshipment. All three shipments were transported by Air India. The third consignment—personal artefacts—was flown in directly from Bangkok, marking the airport’s entry into global cargo operations, said reports.  Between April 2024 and May 2025, a total cargo (domestic and international) of 78,688 metric tonne (MT) was moved from the airport. Of this, just 169.2 MT was international cargo exports. To date, Pune airport has only recorded international cargo exports. These typically consist of auto parts and perishables like fruits and vegetables. Earlier Pune Airport was facing turbulence due to delays in clearances from BCAS.

Armstrong Industrial Corporation (Armstrong Asia) has integrated Zebra Technologies solutions to enhance warehousing operations in Malaysia and Thailand. To enhance its ERP system and replace manual processes related to labor tracking and inventory management, Armstrong Asia is using Zebra’s ET40 enterprise tablets, MC33 mobile computers, ZT411 tablets, MC33 mobile computers, ZT411 industrial printers and Zebra OneCare support. “Zebra Technologies has better equipped our team members to optimize production tracking and warehouse operations,” said Eugene Ong, Executive Director, Armstrong Asia. “These solutions enable real-time data collection, improve asset visibility, and enhance connected frontline productivity.”