DUBAI, UAE: In the past year, Emirates has doubled the number of cities it offers beyond its own network, unlocking travel opportunities to nearly 1,700 additional cities, enabling an average of over 61,000 passengers to seamlessly connect on the shared networks of the airline and its partners every week.
By forging new partnerships and deepening existing ones across the transport ecosystem, the airline is delivering an array of additional travel choices alongside 31 codeshare, 118 interline and 13 rail and helicopter services partners. Having 162 partners in over 100 countries means an expanded network reach with more and better connections for travellers, seamless single ticket itineraries, enhanced baggage transfers, frequent flyer benefits, lounge access, and other advantages to ensure a smooth travel experience at every touchpoint.
For customers of partner airlines flying on Emirates, popular destinations are even closer through Emirates’ robust network over 140 destinations and frictionless connectivity offered at DXB, complemented by industry leading experiences on the ground and in the skies, all easily within reach.
In the last year, Emirates launched 16 new partnerships which include codeshares with Avianca and Batik Air Malaysia and the airline also finalised and implemented interline arrangements with KAM Air, Sri Lankan Airlines, Condor, Flynas, Viva Aerobus, Sun Express, Maldivian, Siberia Airlines and Kenya Airways.
From plane to train, Emirates customers are now one ticket away from fast connections to cities across Europe through codeshare partnerships with Trenitalia, Spanish Rail Renfe, Austrian Rail OBB and Swedish Rail SJ. The airline was also the first full-service carrier to enter into an innovative interline partnership with BLADE, an urban air-mobility company to provide Emirates customers with helicopter flights between Nice and Monaco on a single ticket.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Emirates Airline, said: “In the last year, we’ve doubled down on our strategy of deepening our global presence and expanding our footprint across six continents by forging new partnerships with like-minded airlines, rail partners and air mobility operators to provide a huge choice of onwards destinations, connectivity options and seamless ‘last mile’ access for travellers like never before. While organic growth will always at the heart of our plans, we’ll continue to leverage the strength of our partners’ complementary networks as part of our commitment to help our customers reach every corner of the globe in the easiest way possible. World-class connectivity keeps economies strong and resilient, and our partnership growth ambitions align with Dubai’s D33 strategy to make our home and hub the most connected city in the world, attracting business, tourism, and investment from all over the globe.”
Over the years, Emirates’ many partnerships have paved the way for the airline to form robust networks that not only connect customers to unique points but also provide the advantages of schedule optimisation, seamless connectivity at DXB with access to Terminal 3, as well as reciprocal loyalty benefits. Its cornerstone partnership with flydubai is an exceptional example of how joint cooperation yields smoother journeys and more customer benefits.
Today, customers have access to over 230 destinations across 100 countries, with 275 codeshare flights to choose from on an average day. Emirates customers can book flights to over 90 unique flydubai destinations and flydubai customers can choose from over 100 Emirates destinations. As a result, over 17.5 million passengers have connected on the joint networks of Emirates and flydubai since the partnership launched in 2017.
For leisure travellers heading to popular destinations like the Maldives, Emirates’ unique interline partnership with Maldivian enables customers to access 16 islands beyond Male. Emirates’ partnership with Pro Flight Zambia provides access to 13 points served by the southern African airline, including unique regional getaways like Lower Zambezi National Park, a short trip from Lusaka that offers a captivating safari experience.
The airline’s major partnerships with United, Air Canada and Qantas continue to deliver unmatched access for its customers to more than 350 destinations across North, Central and South America, Australia, and New Zealand, expanding connection opportunities, providing unrivalled reciprocity across loyalty programs, as well as other world-class customer benefits like lounge access.
Emirates continues to expand city pairs on a single ticket and boost connectivity and choice across a number of other strategic partnerships in the airline’s network including:
The Americas: Emirates customers can access more than 375 cities through United, Air Canada and other partner airlines across Canada, Mexico, Caribbean Islands and Central and South America. Customers connecting on Emirates’ network onwards from Dubai can choose from unique destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Central and South Asia.
Europe: Travellers can access over 380 cities through seven codeshare, 33 interline & 12 rail and air mobility partners including Condor, ITA Airways, Air Malta, Air Baltic, Aegean Airlines, TAP Portugal and Siberia Airlines, in addition to Emirates’ rail partners across Germany, Spain France, Italy, Austria and Sweden that provide on-ground transfers and flexibility to explore multiple cities on a single ticket.
Asia: Emirates’ Asian network is further bolstered through the airline’s 12 codeshare partners and 42 interline partners reaching over 500 popular cities across the Far East, West Asia and Indian Ocean, as well as Middle East.
Australia: Emirates long-standing partnership with Qantas provides access to over 85 Australian cities, while Qantas customers can fly Emirates to Dubai and access over 45 cities in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa beyond Qantas’s existing international network.
Africa: Emirates’ footprint across Africa expands to over 210 regional points through 5 codeshare and 18 interline partners, offering superior connectivity and value for customers with more flight options to smaller regional points across the continent.
Emirates Skywards, the airline’s loyalty programme and Emirates SkyCargo also work closely with codeshare and interline partners to support and complement network and loyalty programme frameworks that ensure both passengers and cargo customers reap the full benefits of the airline’s major partnerships. On the operational side, Emirates Airport Services play a vital role to ensure teams are on hand to assist customers so they can connect seamlessly from one flight to another and access the airline’s Dubai and outstation dedicated lounges.
Dubai, UAE: Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo arm of the world’s largest international airline, is investing an additional $1 billion for five more new freighters from Boeing, bringing to 315 wide-body aircraft its total order to the American firm touted as the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense products.
The Emirates SkyCargo’s new order of five Boeing 777 freighters are expected to be delivered between 2025 and 2026. Their addition to its freighter fleet will increase the cargo airline’s capacity by 30 percent,
allowing the airline to deploy much-needed space into key markets, and better serve global customers.
Emirates SkyCargo’s performance throughout Q1 of its current 2024-25 financial year has been exceptional, with consistently high load factors and tonnages surpassing 2019 figures.
“Demand for our world-class product and services is growing exponentially, further amplified by Dubai’s Economic Agenda which aims to double foreign trade and reinforce the city’s position as a global trading hub. This investment in additional Boeing 777 capacity enables us to cater to customer demand and marks a step forward on our long-term strategic growth plan,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group.
“The next phase of our strategy will include a full assessment for our future freighter fleet reviewing all aircraft options to ensure we are best equipped to respond to the evolving demands of the market and reaffirming our confidence in the role of airfreight and, more specifically, Emirates SkyCargo, in global trade,” he added.
Stephanie Pope, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, commented, “We are honored that Emirates SkyCargo, renowned for operational excellence and innovation, has once again selected the Boeing 777 Freighter to extend the reach of its global network. We deeply value Emirates’ trust in the Boeing widebody family and are committed to supporting their long-term strategic growth plan.”
With the staggered delivery of its new aircraft, Emirates SkyCargo will retire older freighters, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to operating one of the youngest and most efficient fleets in the sky.
In addition to the 10 Boeing 777Fs on order, the airline’s cargo capabilities will be bolstered by the 10 777-300ERs currently being converted into freighters, taking Emirates’ freighter fleet to 17 aircraft by the end of 2025. Harnessing the Emirates passenger fleet, the cargo division will continue to facilitate the fast, reliable and efficient movement of goods worldwide, offering customers more flexibility with a fleet mix comprised of 777s, 777Fs, 747Fs, A350s, and A380s.
Amman, Jordan: Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced the successful delivery of the remaining five Bell 505 aircraft to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), completing the 10 Bell 505 fleet order.
This significant milestone coincided with the graduation of the latest cohort of pilot cadets in a ceremony attended by His Royal Highness, Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, underlining the RJAF’s ongoing commitment to excellence in aviation training and operational readiness.
In a landmark event, presided over by the Crown Prince, the RJAF celebrated the graduation of its cadets, showcasing the Bell 505 aircraft that will be instrumental to the training of future generation of Jordanians pilots.
On July 6, 2022, the RJAF signed a purchase agreement for 10 Bell 505 helicopters, aimed at enhancing the RJAF’s training capabilities. Bell worked closely with regional partner, BGS, to support this initiative with RJAF and feels grateful for their collaboration in expanding Bell’s fleet in the Middle East.
The first five helicopters were delivered in November 2023, marking the beginning of a new era in rotorcraft training at the King Hussein Air College in Mafraq, Jordan.
Arlington, Virginia: Kelly Ortberg has been named as the new President and CEO of Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial planes, as the firm continues to face its increased regulatory oversight and legal challenges.
The Boeing Board of Directors said Ortberg’s appointment will take effect on August 8, 2024. Ortberg will also serve on Boeing’s Board of Directors.
He will succeed Dave Calhoun, who earlier this year announced his intention to retire from the company, having served as president and CEO since January 2020, and as a member of Boeing’s Board of Directors since 2009.
“The Board conducted a thorough and extensive search process over the last several months to select the next CEO of Boeing and Kelly has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter,” said Steven Mollenkopf, Chair of the Board. “Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and running complex engineering and manufacturing companies. We look forward to working with him as he leads Boeing through this consequential period in its long history.”
“The Board would also like to thank Dave Calhoun for his strong leadership at Boeing, first as Chair and then as CEO, when he stepped in to steer the company through the challenges of recent years,” added Mollenkopf.
“I’m extremely honored and humbled to join this iconic company,” said Ortberg. “Boeing has a tremendous and rich history as a leader and pioneer in our industry, and I’m committed to working together with the more than 170,000 dedicated employees of the company to continue that tradition, with safety and quality at the forefront. There is much work to be done, and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
Ortberg, 64, brings over 35 years of aerospace leadership to this position. He began his career in 1983 as an engineer at Texas Instruments, and then joined Rockwell Collins in 1987 as a program manager and held increasingly important leadership positions at the company prior to becoming its president and CEO in 2013.
After five years leading Rockwell Collins, he steered the company’s integration with United Technologies and RTX until his retirement from RTX in 2021. He has held a number of important leadership posts in industry, including serving on the Board of Directors of RTX.
Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of Aptiv PLC, a global technology company and an industry leader in vehicle systems architecture. He is the former Chair of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Board of Governors.
Ortberg holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iowa.
In recent years, American took the most extensive fleet renewal effort in the history of commercial aviation, giving it the youngest mainline fuel-efficient fleet among major US network carriers. The airline expects to receive deliveries of newer aircraft still on order in the coming years which includes 30 widebody Boeing 787s.
The air cargo industry’s vast operations involve intricate planning, innovations, highly skilled workforce and huge investments. And American Airlines Cargo has what it takes to become a dominant force in the industry, bridging the gap between businesses and continents.
With its daily cargo flights connecting major cities across the globe, from the United States to Asia, Europe, and beyond, American Airlines Cargo has established itself as a trusted partner for shipping everything from life-saving pharmaceuticals to e-commerce packages.
American Airlines, the parent company to American Airlines Cargo, was founded in 1930, emerging from a consolidation of around 80 small airlines. Though cargo wasn’t a primary focus for the airline in its early days. It mainly concentrated on building its passenger network, gradually expanding its reach across the United States.
American Airlines soon recognized the potential of cargo transportation and began to invest in its capabilities.
By the mid-1930s, the airline had started carrying small packages and mail, marking the inception of its cargo operations.
Reflecting on his career spanning over two decades in the aviation industry, Sam Mendenhall brings in a wealth of experience that began with US Airways in 1999, later merging into American Airlines in 2013.
His journey through roles such as Controller of Financial Planning and Managing Director of Crew Scheduling culminated in his current position as VP of Operations for American Airlines Cargo in 2020.
Sam’s tenure at Cargo coincided with unprecedented challenges, including the global COVID-19 pandemic and a transformative digital overhaul within the industry. These experiences underscored the importance of adaptability and innovation in crisis management.
Leveraging digital advancements and strong industry relationships, American Airlines Cargo navigated the pandemic with resilience.
From implementing cargo-only flights to fostering collaborative teamwork across their global network.
As the industry evolves, Sam remains committed to driving forward innovation and operational excellence, ensuring American Airlines Cargo continues to deliver exceptional service amidst a changing landscape.
In this exclusive interview with Air Cargo Update, Mendenhall shares insights into how American Airlines Cargo has navigated crises, expanded service capabilities, and enhanced customer experiences.
From the Priority Parcel Service (PPS) ensuring swift deliveries of small parcels to the MEDEVAC service facilitating urgent medical shipments, Mendenhall highlights the airline’s commitment to operational excellence and customer care.
The Speed Advantage
According to American Airlines Cargo, Priority Parcel Service or PPS is the key to its swift deliveries.
With PPS, you choose from a variety of services that cater to your specific needs, including same-day, next-day, and two-day delivery options. This means you can get your packages delivered quickly, without compromising on reliability or affordability.
Shipping time-sensitive packages can be a daunting task, especially when you’re dealing with perishable goods, medical supplies, or critical business documents.
That’s why PPS offers a range of specialized services, including expedited shipping, real-time tracking, and dedicated customer support.
“Our Priority Parcel Service (PPS) is designed to give small parcel shipments the highest priority possible. PPS gets shipments with a maximum weight of 100 lbs and 90 total inches in size onto the next flight out from more than 150 stations around our network,” Mendenhall explains.
“Customers can either book in advance or simply visit one of our PPS facilities with the shipment before the next flight’s cutoff time. Common examples of what we can move using our PPS product includes things like pets, perishables, personal items, and important documents.”
Time-Sensitive Care
American Airlines Cargo’s MEDEVAC service is a critical lifeline that relies on seamless coordination with air traffic control to deliver time-sensitive care.
In emergency situations, every second counts, and American Airlines Cargo MEDEVAC services bridge the gap between patients and medical facilities, ensuring they receive the care they need in a timely manner.
The MEDEVAC service offered by American Airlines Cargo is a highly specialized and customizable solution for medical transportation.
With a fleet of dedicated aircraft and a team of experienced professionals, this service accommodates a wide range of medical requirements, from basic life support to advanced critical care.
“MEDEVAC is a domestic service American Airlines provides in conjunction with air traffic control for time-critical, life-saving medical emergency and organ shipments. Customers can request MEDEVAC service at least two hours in advance of flight.
Our teams create an air waybill and make the necessary arrangements with air traffic control,” said Mendenhall.
“The aircraft then receives a special MEDEVAC designation, and the flight is granted the most direct flight path to the destination in addition to receiving a higher landing priority. We often transport things like organs for transplant, cord blood, and corneas, and are proud of the small role we play in helping others,” he added.
Perishable Handling
Pharmaceutical products are often irreplaceable, high-value, and extremely time-sensitive.
A single misstep in transportation can have devastating consequences, making it imperative to choose a logistics partner that understands the intricacies of pharmaceutical handling.
Temperature fluctuations, exposure to light, or physical damage to name a few renders life-saving medications ineffective or even harmful to patients.
American Airlines Cargo’s ExpediteTC services is a specialized solution designed to provide a secure, reliable, and expedited transportation process for your critical shipments.
The ExpediteTC services offer a tailored approach to pharmaceutical shipping.
With features like dedicated customer support, real-time tracking, and temperature control, you can trust that your valuable cargo is in good hands.
The robust infrastructure supporting ExpediteTC services ensures that your shipments are handled with the utmost care.
From the initial booking to final delivery, American Airlines Cargo’s team of experts works closely with customers to guarantee a seamless and efficient experience.
“ExpediteTC is our temperature-sensitive solution, often utilized for life-sciences commodities like pharmaceuticals. We offer an array of active-controlled ULD containers from various vendors based on the level of temperature and consistency a customer might need. We also offer a passive option for temperature sensitive shipments where customers can pre-pack their shipments with cold packs or dry ice, which are then handled by our trained teams to ensure their integrity,” Mendenhall highlights.
“Across our major stations, we have a variety of room temperature (CRT), refrigerated (COL) or frozen (FRO) spaces to protect critical pharmaceutical products when they are at our facilities along their journey. We are proud to be CEIV PHARMA certified at our Headquarters, DFW, MIA and PHL locations, with plans to expanded that to certification to additional hubs.”
In March 2024, American Airlines Cargo became a key player in transporting prized Nishikigoi, or decorative koi carp, from Japan to destinations worldwide. These ornamental fish, revered for their beauty and symbolic value of wealth, require specialized handling and care during air travel.
With some specimens valued up to US$2 million each, they are transported mainly from Niigata Prefecture, Japan’s hub for koi breeding.
The airline has seen a significant rise in koi shipments over the past two decades, driven by global demand from collectors and ornamental fish enthusiasts.
In 2023, the airline transported record volumes of over 19,100 kilograms to LAX and 9,600 kilograms to DFW alone, highlighting its role in facilitating the global trade of these exquisite aquatic treasures.
Saying ‘NO’ to Wildlife Trafficking
American Airlines Cargo announced in 2023 that it has joined United for Wildlife, a group dedicated to ending the illegal trafficking of wildlife, as first reported in the airline’s 2022 Sustainability Report.
American signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration in December 2022, making it the first US airline and cargo carrier to join the organization.
United for Wildlife was founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2014 to protect endangered species from illegal trade.
As a member of the Transport Taskforce and the North American Chapter, American plays a vital role in stopping the illegal trafficking of wildlife by preventing these products from being transported across borders.
Together with other players along the supply chain and regional partners from various sectors, American Airlines Cargo is part of a critical network of stakeholders trained to recognize patterns of illegal wildlife trade where it is most prevalent.
“American joined United for Wildlife in December 2022, and we were the first U.S. airline to join and remain the group’s only U.S. passenger airline. Since joining, we have made wildlife awareness training a requirement for frontline Cargo team members and created communications materials designed to educate staff on wildlife smuggling. We also developed new channels for reporting suspicious incidents. We plan to expand this work in 2024 and look forward to deepening our partnership with United for Wildlife,” said Mendenhall.
Industry-Wide Sustainability Focus
One of the earliest signs of American Airlines Cargo’s commitment to sustainability dates back to the 1990s, when the airline began exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
This pioneering spirit laid the groundwork for future initiatives, demonstrating the airline’s willingness to take proactive steps towards a more environmentally friendly operation.
As an airline, it has set milestones along the way for achieving net zero emissions by 2050. These efforts include: Replacing 10% of jet fuel with SAF by 2030; Reducing GHG emissions intensity by 45% by 2035, and; by Targeting net zero emissions by 2050.
In recent years, American has undertaken the most extensive fleet renewal effort in the history of commercial aviation, which gives it the youngest mainline fleet of any major US network carrier and improves fuel efficiency. The airline expects to receive deliveries of newer aircraft still on order in the coming years, including 30 widebody Boeing 787s.
“In addition to SAF, we are also supporting sustainable alternative fuel initiatives through strategic partnerships. For example, one way we’re trying to help is by funding project companies utilizing emerging climate technologies through our partnership with Breakthrough Energy Catalyst,” said Mendenhall.
Adding, “American has finalized an offtake agreement with Infinium, a producer of next-generation low-carbon jet fuel, which signifies our long-term commitment to purchase the fuel and will help support its long-term production. American also became the first customer of Graphyte’s innovative and permanent carbon removal process and has worked with partners to conduct important contrail avoidance research.
“Specific to Cargo, we announced at the beginning of the year that in 2023 we reduced our long-term plastic waste by the equivalent of 8.6 million plastic water bottles. This achievement is thanks to our collaboration with BioNatur Plastics, whose plastic products bio-degrade in natural landfill conditions in 8-12 years, rather than the 1,000 years for regular plastic.”
The airline has achieved a significant milestone in sustainability by reducing long-term plastic waste by over 150,000 pounds in 2023.
This accomplishment, equivalent to eliminating 8.6 million water bottles, was made possible through their partnership with BioNatur Plastics™ from M&G Packaging.
Starting at major U.S. hubs in 2022, American Airlines began using BioNatur Plastics products, cutting plastic waste equivalent to 6.4 million water bottles in the first year alone.
By 2023, American expanded the use of these biodegradable products to regional US stations like Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Honolulu International Airport (HNL), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), as well as internationally to airports in Latin America such as Carrasco International Airport (MVD) and Santiago International Airport (SCL). This initiative underscores American Airlines’ commitment to sustainable air cargo operations.
What’s more? Recently, American Airlines Cargo announced that it has forged a strategic partnership with CargoAi, a leading digital platform in the air cargo industry.
This collaboration aims to enhance the airfreight booking experience on CargoMART, CargoAi’s advanced freight management platform.
By integrating into CargoMART, American Airlines Cargo will expand its network visibility and simplify booking processes for freight forwarders.
This partnership leverages CargoMART’s technology alongside American’s own digital booking platform, aacargo.com, to provide customers with seamless access to a wider range of routes and improved booking management capabilities.
American also announced its 2024 summer schedule with new routes and expanded services for 2024.
Fresh connections from Europe, like Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Copenhagen Airport (CPH) and Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Some of these routes began in April and will continue through October.
Summer routes year-round, including BCN to PHL, Lisbon Airport (LIS) to PHL, and Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) to CLT, providing consistent service beyond the summer months.
Across the Pacific, American Airlines is introducing new flights from Haneda Airport (HND) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and increasing daily flights from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to DFW.
Domestically, Americans’ widebody network from its hub at DFW connects major U.S. destinations like MIA, ORD, and PHL, ensuring ample capacity for large freight shipments throughout the summer season.
Montreal, Canada: Rotate has been selected by Air Canada Cargo to implement the Sales Cockpit, a strategic move that significantly advances the carrier’s global digitalization efforts.
The Sales Cockpit is web-based software that continually scans the airline’s data to automatically identify specific opportunities with customers. Integrating this with existing systems allows Air Canada Cargo to automatically open sales opportunities in its CRM, and better monitor agreements to track performance against customer expectations. This integration ensures sales teams have timely and relevant information to improve discussions and serve customers more effectively.
Matthieu Casey, Managing Director – Commercial at Air Canada Cargo, highlighted the importance of the partnership: “This partnership with Rotate and the roll-out of the Sales Cockpit will enable our Sales teams to provide more personalized and timely service to our customers while maintaining a consistent approach globally. This consistent approach allows us to work collaboratively and proactively as our customers’ needs change.”
The implementation of the Sales Cockpit is part of Air Canada Cargo’s broader digitalization strategy, aimed at enhancing the overall customer experience. By automating the identification and management of sales opportunities, the Sales Cockpit helps ensure that no opportunity is missed, and that customer interactions are more informed and responsive.
Ryan Keyrouse, CEO at Rotate, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership: “We are thrilled to support Air Canada Cargo in its digitalization journey. Our collaboration has enhanced the Sales Cockpit, making it a more effective tool for their sales teams. The feedback from Air Canada Cargo has been important in refining the solution to better meet the needs of the industry.”
Following successful implementations with Air Canada and Etihad, Rotate plans to further extend this CargoTech solution to other airlines, aligning with its mission to help the air cargo industry make better commercial decisions.
Paris, France: ECS Group and TUI have entered into the first SAF partnership between an airline and a General Sales & Service Agent (GSSA) company. ECS Group contributes 1% SAF towards the incremental fuel burn associated with the cargo carried on all TUI flights, and forwarders can opt in to contribute 10% SAF for the transport of their shipments.
The SAF cooperation between ECS Group and TUI began in August 2022. Since then, ECS Group has been financing a 1% SAF blend on all TUI flights. Freight forwarders have the option of contributing to a 10% SAF blend by way of a SAF surcharge which is booked under Other Charge Due Carrier.
“Air cargo accounts for around 0.4% of global CO2 emissions – equivalent to the emissions of the entire country of Germany. This figure is expected to increase as the air cargo industry continues to grow,” said Adrien Thominet, Executive Chairman of ECS Group. That is why, at ECS Group, we are contributing to a 1% SAF blend on all TUI flights in this first ever SAF partnership between a GSSA and an airline – and it will not be the last.”
Participation in the SAF support scheme is possible across the entire network.
“ECS Group has identified short, medium, and long-term priorities to drive Sustainability forward within our business and ultimately the industry. Environmental impact is one of our top priorities, and we are defining a consistent action plan to reduce our carbon emissions and bring our commitments in line with the UN Paris climate agreement. We see in this first SAF partnership with TUI a clear and major opportunity to positively impact our scope 3 emissions,” says Adrien Thominet. “We monitor and evaluate our performance to ensure maximum progress.”
“Sustainability is a top priority for TUI. Reducing CO2 emissions across our hotels, airlines and cruise divisions significantly is a key commitment of TUI Group’s Sustainability Agenda. We have set emission reduction targets for 2030 that have been approved by the independent Science Based Targets initiative. This partnership between TUI and ECS supports the sustainability transformation journey we are on. By joining forces, we can make a difference,” said Leen Vander Kuylen, Director of Supplier Management & Procurement, TUI Airline.
Dubai, UAE: Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo arm of the world’s largest international airline, has implemented a bespoke training program, designed to equip the cargo leaders of tomorrow with the commercial and leadership skillset for future success.
As the logistics industry faces a lack of skilled workforce, Emirates SkyCargo aims to create opportunities for growth within its operations, inspiring employees across all levels to develop their career with the airline.
Split into two groups of 16, the candidates are handpicked from Emirates SkyCargo’s pool of high performing cargo managers and include both Emirati Nationals as well as other nationalities from the airline’s outstations.
The 15-day program includes six sessions, pr on proactive preparation and strategic optimization of current and future operations, including the groundbreaking use of artificial intelligence (AI), embedding innovation at every touchpoint and tangible sustainability approaches.
Throughout all sessions, participants are supported with an all-encompassing business coaching program. The candidates will graduate with a diploma endorsed by AviationNOW, a member of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the organization representing and uniting all facets of the air cargo industry.
Nadeem Sultan, Senior Vice President of Cargo Planning and Freighters, Emirates SkyCargo, said, “Implementing this Executive Leadership Programme is a crucial step on our long-term strategic roadmap, ensuring we foster the outstanding talent within our commercial operations to take the helm of Emirates SkyCargo to greater heights in the future. Creating an environment of development and providing continuous opportunities for learning contributes to the long tenure of Emirates SkyCargo staff, and helps us attract the best talent in the industry, despite the challenging environment.”
To deliver the Executive Leadership course, Emirates SkyCargo has partnered with AviationNOW, the aviation arm of the GrowNOW Group. The training is hosted at Emirates headquarters in Dubai, and will be a mix of theoretical and practical sessions, providing candidates with tools to implement in their immediate roles as well as for the next stage of their career.
Following the first schedule, Emirates SkyCargo plans to extend the training program to other aspects of the business, including operations.
Learning and development is a key priority across the Emirates Group with 18,600 employees from 84 countries participating in various training courses in the 2023-24 financial year. The Group launched a new leadership programme and continued two existing ones in partnership with INSEAD.
The organization also delivered leadership programs in collaboration with London Business School, Warwick School of Business and Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. In 2023-24, employees actively engaging with new learning paths and courses crafted to empower career success – LinkedIn Learning videos received over 1 million views and over 200,000 employees visited the Groups’ Future Skills Portal.
Candidates interested in professional opportunities at Emirates SkyCargo or the wider Emirates Group can visit the website to learn more.
Dubai, UAE: Dubai’s low-cost-carrier, flydubai, turned 15 this month, marked with a gamechanger journey that altered for the better the business landscape of traveling and aviation in the Middle East and beyond.
Commenting on the occasion of the airline’s 15th anniversary, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai, said: “Today, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of flydubai, I would like to congratulate the team at flydubai on the success they have achieved since their inaugural flight to Beirut on 01 June 2009. flydubai has been inspired by the success and ambition of Dubai, which has been and continues to be a key contributor to the success of the airline. The vision of the leadership of the UAE has been a guiding principle; enabling the airline to grow, expand and adapt to the changing market requirements and further support trade and tourism.”
“flydubai has become a key player in the aviation industry in the UAE and in the region, and a major contributor to Dubai’s socio-economic development. Looking to the future, I am confident of the further growth and success of the airline in line with Dubai Government’s efforts to further enhance Dubai’s position as a leading global aviation hub,” he added.
From its home in Dubai, flydubai has created a network of more than 125 destinations served by a fleet of 87 aircraft. Since commencing operations in June 2009, flydubai has been committed to removing barriers to travel, creating free flows of trade and tourism and enhancing connectivity between different cultures across its ever-expanding network.
flydubai has marked its journey with a number of milestones:
An expanding network: Created a network of more than 125 destinations in 58 countries across Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and South-East Europe, the GCC and the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, and South-East Asia.
Serving underserved markets: Opened more than 90 new routes that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai or were not served by a UAE national carrier from Dubai.
An efficient single fleet-type: Operates a single fleet-type of 87 Boeing 737 aircraft and includes: 29 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800, 55 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 03 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
Enhancing connectivity: Carried more than 100 million passengers since it began operations in 2009.
Paris, France: ECS Group’s Squair team verified its one millionth AWB in April, a remarkable milestone since this service was launched in March 2020
Squair offers a crucial and unique back-office service to airlines and GSAs, enabling them to concentrate fully on tasks of higher value for customers. The speed of industry adoption is fanning further expansion.
Squair’s VERIFY offers AWB verification and data capture service as a stand-alone ability. The teams process AWBs completely digitally, following up on billing queries where required, and consolidate and check cargo sales reports.
This centralized process optimization means lower operational costs for customers, and results in fewer Charges Correction Advices (CCA) and disputes. ECS Group is the sole GSSA to offer this as a stand-alone service, which has rapidly gained traction in an air cargo industry otherwise faced with long-term resource challenges.
“When Squair’s VERIFY product was launched in 2020, around 50,000 AWBs were processed in the first year. Today, our team handles that same amount in just a single month,” says Dimitri Arnaudin, Managing Director at Squair. “36 international clients located across America, Europe, Asia and Oceania now benefit from the expertise and reliability of our service, and our KPIs clearly show the weight of workload that no longer rests on their shoulders.”
Those KPIs reveal that 95% of all AWBs are processed autonomously. Less than 5% of the AWBs verified generate the request for clarification from Squair’s customers so that data capture can be completed, and less than 1% of AWB verifications result in a CCA and change in invoice to customers, proving an overall reliability of more than 99%.
Rapid growth in customer numbers led to the launch of a second Squair team in India in February last year, complementing the existing team in Bulgaria and opening the market to Far-East customers. By the end of 2023, Squair India had grown to a team of 14 people. “We now have 16 people working, and the plan is to keep growing the team up to 23 by the end of this year,” Arnaudin details.
In sync with ECS Group’s strategy and values, Squair promotes diversity and gender equity. “To date, 57% of our team members are women, and at management level the ratio is 60% female,” he reveals.
The teams also benefit from ECS Group’s strong emphasis on digitalization and continuous process improvement. “Squair is a digital native and sustainable company. Since the beginning, we’ve made processes paperless. Historically, AWB verification was done through printed AWB copies. Squair works with 100% electronic versions and its processes are supported using entirely cloud-based IT architecture,” Arnaudin concludes.
“Squair’s growth strategy is fine-tuned to ensure continued consistent compliance with our customers’ SLAs. We currently operate out of two centers: one in Europe, one in Asia,” Adrien Thominet, Executive Chairman of ECS Group, explains. “Within weeks of inaugurating our India office last year, we began services in APAC, marking our first step in the region. Since then, we have attracted more data capture activities for this region, including Japan in July 2023, and Australia and New Zealand in December—all adding to our solid customer base in Western Europe and Northern America.”
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