Alberta, Canada— WestJet Cargo has expanded its cargo services this winter with the relaunch of its network to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, Bridgetown in Barbados, and Kingston in Jamaica.
WestJet Cargo’s cargo service to Puerto Plata was relaunched on October 29 with multiple weekly flights. Each flight will offer a reliable 2-tonne cargo capacity. The rotation for this route is Toronto – Puerto Plata – Toronto.
In the Dominican Republic, WestJet Cargo currently provides cargo capacity on its passenger services to Punta Cana from Calgary and Toronto.
Additionally, services to Bridgetown, Barbados, will start on November 8th, 2023. Like Puerto Plata, cargo services will be relaunched since it stopped in early 2020. WestJet Cargo will operate 4 weekly flights, offering a cargo capacity of 2 tonnes per flight. The route rotation for Bridgetown will be Toronto – Bridgetown – Toronto.
Lastly, Kingston, Jamaica also began receiving cargo services on October 30. The carrier will operate 3 weekly flights, each with a 2-tonne cargo capacity. The rotation for this route is Toronto – Kingston – Toronto. In Jamaica, the airline currently provides cargo capacity on its passenger services to Montego Bay from various Canadian cities.
The commodities transported on all three re-launched routes will mainly consist of perishables and general cargo.
The decision to expand to these destinations was based on the recognized potential of both WestJet’s passenger and cargo businesses and is not dependent on new aircraft.
Dubai, UAE—Providing direct access to its market-leading products and services and extensive global network, Emirates SkyCargo is now available on Kuehne+Nagel’s internal booking engine.
This milestone marks the first time Emirates SkyCargo has made its services available via a freight forwarders-owned portal, a strategy that further elevates the airline’s world-class customer service experience.
First launched in Switzerland and Austria, the connection and will open up to users in select countries across Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania by the end of the year.
Through this direct host-to-host connection, Emirates SkyCargo streamlines the booking journey for Kuehne+Nagel agents, providing access to the airline’s schedules, rates and available capacity in real-time.
“This partnership is a testament to our long-standing digitalisation strategy, which aims to enhance our customer experience, streamline operations and drive greater efficiencies. By creating direct pathways for customers such as Kuehne+Nagel to connect with Emirates SkyCargo, we can optimize the booking process and reinforce our relationships across the logistics ecosystem,” Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo.
Initially, the service will be available for general cargo, with the possibility of adding other Emirates SkyCargo’s class-leading product solutions in the near future.
Paris, France—Globe Air Cargo USA 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 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.
Royal Air Maroc’s Casablanca cargo hub provides connections to key destinations in Europe and the Middle East, but most notably also across West Africa in which the airline serves 23 cities, including Dakar with daily widebody flights and Lagos with two wide-body flights per week and additional narrow body flights, and Bamako, Nouakchott and Ouagadougou with weekly full freighter flights. In the United States, Royal Air Maroc’s network goes beyond its own stations. The introduction of more interlining solutions is on track to expand its coverage, soon encompassing strategic West Coast departure stations within the airline’s network.
“Thus, Royal Air Maroc’s cargo capacity is even more relevant to our American customers looking for a swift freight solution on an established, quality airline,” says Ian Morgan, ECS Group Commercial Director USA. “Similarly, international customers with US-bound shipments can be certain that they will be delivered to their end-destination within a competitive time frame. We offer an extensive interline network and flexible road feeder services to all major US gateways and cities out of our three American airports.”
All types of freight from general cargo to live animals (particularly day-old chicks), perishables, valuables and special cargo are accepted and handled. Royal Air Maroc’s US hubs and its Casablanca homebase are all equipped with the required storage facilities and trained staff and are designed to ensure smooth and fast aircraft to warehouse access. The airline strictly abides by Cargo iQ and IATA standards, and regularly undergoes quality audits.
“Royal Air Maroc celebrated its 66th Anniversary this year – an age we are proud of, and a success that we continuously strive to uphold. For example, Royal Air Maroc was the first African airline to achieve Cargo iQ certification last year, and this year, we became one of just seven airlines worldwide, to have been awarded both IEnvA and IWT certificates – here again, we are the only African airline in that elite group,” states Mr Yassine Berrada, VP Cargo for Royal Air Maroc. “At Royal Air Maroc, we apply method and strategy to providing the ultimate service quality and market solutions, and we measure our potential partners by the same high standards. With Globe Air Cargo USA, our customers are in the best of hands whether their shipments are connecting from the US via our Casablanca hub to our international passenger and freighter network, or flying into the US and connecting to our domestic partner services.”
To celebrate this long-lasting partnership, Globe Air Cargo USA and Royal Air Maroc are offering promotional rates from the US to IST, BRU, DXB, JED, RUH, LOS, DSS and NKC for the entire month of November. For more info and booking, email: royalairmaroccargo.usa@ecsgroup.aero
Oslo, Norway—The global air cargo spot rate flattened to USD 2.19 per kg in August, its lowest level since the onset of the pandemic as another weak summer month saw a chargeable weight edge -1% lower for a fourth consecutive month, according to the latest weekly market analysis from CLIVE Data Services, part of Xeneta.
While shippers and forwarders continue to benefit from the overall decline of general air freight rates, rising jet fuel prices should concern an already contracted market, with the US Gulf Coast jet fuel spot price jumping 21% month-over-month.
August saw global air cargo capacity rise +7% year-on-year, while CLIVE’s global dynamic load factor analysis, which measures cargo load factor based on both volume and weight perspectives of cargo flown and capacity available, climbed one percentage point about the previous month to 56%. But it is worth noting that the August global load factor continued to fall year-on-year, down 3% from last year’s level. Softened global demand and the capacity surge were the main reasons behind this.
The data dampens some industry reports of a slight spike in demand in August, leading to hopes of a rise in volumes going into the final four months of the year.
“We are picking up signals that it could take another few quarters before we see more demand on a global level,” said Niall van de Wouw, Chief Airfreight Officer at Xeneta. “August was very quiet, like July, and we see no meaningful signals from a qualitative or quantitative point of view of any kind of peak arising this year. There might be some early peak season charter requests floating around but they are backed up by very little demand. The (low) rates and the limited timeframe that the requestors are looking for a signal that they are not too concerned at the moment about getting the required capacity when they actually need it.
“The market seems to have levelled out, but still holds a lot of uncertainty, and not just for airfreight. There was also no peak for the ocean market, which typically precedes the airfreight market by a couple of months. There are even blank sailings scheduled ahead of the Golden Week period,” van de Wouw added.
Average general airfreight rates in August dipped as low as USD 2.13 per kg in the first two weeks of the month, although this varies by trade corridor. Of 10 major trade lanes assessed in the past month, only China-United States and Southeast Asia-United States recorded growth, with air cargo spot rates up 3% and 4% respectively on these corridors.
This is attributed to a more resilient US economy with strong retail sales and, to some extent, also delayed recovery of US-China passenger bellyhold capacity, which is growing at a much slower pace than Europe-China.
Even so, due to capacity shortage triggered by various geopolitical issues, airfreight spot rates ex Northeast Asia to Middle East & Central Asia, Northeast Asia to Europe, China to the US and China to Europe remained highly elevated, still up by around 55% from their pre-pandemic levels.
Looking forward, the oceanfreight container market might shed some light on where the air cargo market is heading, given that the ocean market tends to begin its yearly peak season a few months ahead of the airfreight cycle. So far, the global ocean container market has not shown any meaningful peak season trends.
“The air cargo industry is coming to terms with the market conditions and not even the current and planned restrictions we see on container ships moving through the Panama Canal are likely to provide a noticeable uptick to airfreight volumes. Whichever way you choose to look at it, demand growth simply does not exist in this current moment or for the foreseeable future. Shippers will no doubt be tempted to fix more longer-term deals because the levelling of volumes and the imminent drop-off of some capacity means the market may not get any better than it is right now for capacity buyers,” said van de Wouw.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, the largest cargo network operator in Africa, moved on 2 September its operations from Mexico City Airport (MEX) to the brand-new Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU).
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said the cargo airline has been serving Mexico for the past six years and the relocation offers more possibilities.
“Our relocation to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU) brings with it a new chapter of possibilities. Central to this move is a state-of-the-art cargo terminal that boasts cutting-edge technology and modern facilities. This upgrade is a testament to our commitment to efficiency and excellence, enabling us to provide an elevated level of services to our valued customers,” said Tasew.
Ethiopian Airlines has been operating to Mexico City twice a week using the B777F fleet which can handle up to 100 tons per flight. The airline will continue to serve Felipe Ángeles International Airport twice a week.
Ethiopian is a key player in establishing trade routes that connect Mexico to the rest of the world and vice versa. Deploying its modern freighter aircraft, the B777-200F, Ethiopian Airlines operates in five cities in the Americas: Mexico City, Bogota, Santiago, Sao Paulo, and Miami.
Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, one of the major strategic business units within the Ethiopian Airlines Group, covers more than 130 international destinations around the world with both belly hold capacity and 67 dedicated Freighter services.
Baku, Azerbaijan—Silk Way West Airlines, the leading cargo airline in the Caspian and Central Asian region, has taken a significant step forward in improving its customers’ experience with the launch of services bookable via the cargo.one platform. This initiative will facilitate a seamless booking experience and underscores Silk Way West Airlines’ commitment to innovation and customer-centric services.
Silk Way West Airlines operates an extensive transcontinental network, connecting businesses across the globe with efficient airfreight solutions. By adding cargo.one to its operations, the airline offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies booking processes and optimizes capacity utilization, ultimately reducing costs and improving overall efficiency.
The platform includes benefits such as an intuitive booking experience, enhanced efficiency, expanded global reach, and a strong focus on delivering exceptional customer service to businesses.
Wolfgang Meier, CEO of Silk Way West Airlines, expressed his enthusiasm about this new partnership, saying: “We are thrilled to embark on this journey with cargo.one. This endeavor is an exciting milestone that perfectly aligns with our commitment to providing innovative solutions and superior customer experiences. We believe that the integration of cargo.one’s digital platform will set a new standard for airfreight booking.”
By combining Silk Way West Airlines’ global reach and cargo.one’s cutting-edge technology, the air cargo industry is poised for a new era of convenience and efficiency. Silk Way West Airlines and cargo.one look forward to welcoming new and existing clients to the platform.
Network Aviation Group are pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan Clark as the new Chief Executive Officer with effect from 8th January 2024.
Jonathan comes with over 35 years of experience in the air cargo industry having worked previously for Lufthansa Cargo, Qatar Airways, DB Schenker and Cargolux and is currently the CEO of Air Menzies International (AMI).
Network Aviation Group was originally formed in 1985 and currently has 42 offices around the world where they are the General Sales Agents for more than thirty airlines, but also sell the cargo capacity for their own freighter managed fleet which currently comprises of four Boeing 747 Freighters which are based in Liege, Belgium. The freighter managed fleet serves destinations throughout Africa and North America on a scheduled basis as well as offering charter capacity worldwide.
Andrew Leslie, Chairman of the Network Aviation Group said “We are delighted to welcome Jonathan as our new Chief Executive, after an extensive, global search process. Jonathan is a dynamic, values driven business leader who has a diverse background of experiences and an excellent track record of delivery in the air cargo industry.
He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in both developed and developing markets. The Board looks forward to Jonathan realising the full potential of Network Aviation Group as a winning business which delivers long term growth and value for all its stakeholders.”
Jonathan Clark: “I am delighted to take on my new role leading the Network Aviation Group, an organisation that I have watched grow over the years into a quality driven, customer oriented and much respected airfreight partner. With the recent addition of the 4th B747 freighter to the managed fleet, the times ahead are very exciting.”
COP28 has appointed Kuehne+Nagel as the official logistics partner at the global 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. From November 30 until December 12, the event is expected to convene over 70,000 accredited visitors to the restricted Blue Zone and 50,000 daily visitors to the public Green Zone. The appointment underpins Kuehne+Nagel’s capabilities in expo and events logistics, as well as its commitment to its science-based emission reduction targets and efforts to decarbonise logistics.
At Expo City Dubai, Kuehne+Nagel will be the sole ground handler responsible for steering all logistics activities on-site, like building country pavilions and stages for panel discussions. In addition, the team will support participants in their end-to-end and local logistics needs, from international freight forwarding, customs clearance and warehousing, to venue delivery—all supported by Kuehne+Nagel’s global network of experts and its portfolio of low-emission solutions.
Damian Raczynski, National Manager UAE and Oman at Kuehne+Nagel: „We are proud to have been appointed for this important conference. Kuehne+Nagel is well-known in the events and exhibition space in Europe, and this appointment underpins our efforts to further develop this segment in the Middle East—an area with great infrastructure to accommodate this industry.”
Sustainable logistics solutions and SBTi
Kuehne+Nagel’s appointment by COP28 can not only be credited to its logistics expertise, but also to its ambitions to decarbonise the logistics sector. Kuehne+Nagel has committed to the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) and has taken major steps to make low-emission transport solutions available for its customers. Cooperation with customers, carriers, international organisations, and other stakeholders is part of Kuehne+Nagel’s strategy to drive meaningful change.
Sarah Kreienbühl, Member of the Management Board, responsible for Human Resources and ESG at Kuehne+Nagel International AG: „Our current focus is on making low-emission fuels more widely available in the market. However, our industry needs to unlock new technologies to have more and better solutions. This is a challenge for which all actors across societies and industries need to work together. That is why the yearly Conference of the Parties is so important, alongside other forums and coalitions that bring actors together to address climate change.”
DOHA, Qatar -Doha, Qatar – Ruben, who was left behind when a private zoo closed down in Armenia, suffered in a tiny concrete cell with no contact with other lions. Ruben’s happy ending was at risk when ADI could not find a suitable flight for him out of Armenia.
Qatar Airways Cargo orchestrated a 5,200-mile journey for the 15-year-old lion, where he is now re-discovering his voice and confidence as he roams the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Despite physical challenges from years of captivity, Ruben’s resilience and determination shine through, offering hope for his remarkable recovery.
Elisabeth Oudkerk, SVP Cargo Sales & Network Planning at Qatar Airways Cargo said: “We are committed to preserving wildlife and endangered species, that is why we launched our WeQare Chapter 2 initiative: ‘Rewild the Planet’ back in 2020. We pledged to return wildlife and endangered species back to their natural habitat, free of charge and we will continue to do so.”
“When ADI approached us and explained the sad story of Ruben, we immediately knew we had to help them. There are a lot of logistics involved in moving animals like Ruben; from the logistics at the airports involved, the process for loading and unloading the animals from the aircraft, to ensuring the correct cages and wellbeing of the animals are in place. It takes a lot of effort from our team to organise such transport – but it is something we are all collectively very proud to be a part of, knowing we helped give back to our planet.”
Jan Creamer, President, Animals Defenders International added: “Ruben was really in trouble until Qatar Airways Cargo stepped up. ADI had been funding his care in Armenia since December and when we could find no flights for him we feared he could be stuck there.
“Then Qatar Airways Cargo ‘WeQare’ initiative stepped in, moving a larger aircraft with hold doors big enough for Ruben’s crate, into the scheduled passenger route out of Yervan. We are so thankful to Qatar Airways Cargo for all their support in helping get Ruben to South Africa.
“Seeing Ruben walk on grass for the first time, hearing the voices of his own kind, with the African sun on his back, brought us all to tears.”
Qatar Airways Cargo’s WeQare sustainability programme consists of a series of focus chapters based on four core pillars: environment, society, economy, and culture and is a conscious endeavour to create a more positive impact on the industry and the world.
Chapter 2 – Rewild the Planet encourages the preservation of ecological balance by offering free transport to organisations involved in returning wild animals to their natural habitat.
Unilode Aviation Solutions, the market leader in outsourced unit load device (ULD) management, repair and digital services, and My Freighter, a start-up cargo airline based in Uzbekistan, announce their partnership for ULD management services.
My Freighter operates scheduled and charter cargo flights between Asia and Europe, whilst offering passenger flights under the Centrum Air brand. Unilode will initially provide 600 digitised pallets from its ULD pool, with an expectation for significant growth over the next five years. My Freighter’s growth plan includes the acquisition of five additional Boeing 747-200F, with the aim of expanding its fleet to 20 aircraft as part of its five-year strategy.
Abdulaziz Abdurakhmanov, My Freighter General Director, said:
“We are excited to partner with Unilode for ULD management services that will cover our ULD supply, maintenance, repair, tracking and monitoring needs. Unilode’s extensive industry experience, state-of-the-art technology solutions and commitment to operational excellence align perfectly with our goals of providing superior cargo services to our valued customers. This partnership will strengthen our air cargo capabilities and support our strategic growth plans. We are looking forward to significant growth together with Unilode during our initial five-year contract term.”
Ross Marino, Unilode Chief Executive Officer, said:
“We are delighted to have secured My Freighter as a valued customer. Start-up carriers with ambitious growth plans are a welcome addition to our ULD management portfolio and we are glad to play an important role in enabling their expansion and success in the air cargo industry. Unilode’s full-service ULD management solutions will provide a scalable foundation for My Freighter, and will accommodate their increasing operational requirements that will facilitate their growth. We are pleased to partner with My Freighter and to help them achieve their goals, and we very much look forward to contributing to My Freighter’s success story.”
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