Author: Admin

By Rebecca Jeffrey | 28 September 2026

Swissport and UNEX Aviation Services sign binding transaction agreements to form a JV

Image: © Swissport

Swissport has entered the Indonesian air cargo market by establishing a joint venture (JV) with Jakarta-based UNEX Aviation Services.

Under the agreement, Swissport will also acquire a stake in UNEX Aviation Services, strengthening its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, a key growth market for the aviation industry.

The JV and stake in UNEX, which Swissport did not elaborate on, is the latest development in Swissport’s growth pathway.

Just last week, Swissport announced it would enter the Colombian market through the acquisition of Giraldo Hermanos International.

Founded in 2003, UNEX Aviation Services provides air cargo warehousing and related services to international and domestic airlines at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The company holds nationwide ground handling licences.

Through the partnership, Swissport and UNEX Aviation Services plan to expand beyond cargo into a broader portfolio of aviation services, including ramp handling and passenger services, while extending operations to additional airports across Indonesia.

Warwick Brady, president and chief executive of Swissport International, said: “Indonesia is one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, with IATA forecasting it to become the fourth-largest globally by 2030. This joint venture is a significant step in our successful strategy to expand our cargo business, while providing a strong platform to strengthen our ground-handling presence in Southeast Asia.

“With its unique geography spanning thousands of islands and a population of more than 280 million, aviation plays a critical role in connecting people, businesses and trade across Indonesia. We bring extensive expertise in complex hub operations, safety, operational excellence and technology.

“By combining our global capabilities with UNEX Aviation Services local expertise, we are ready to support the growth of airlines and cargo across Asia. As we execute our plans, we will continue to pursue M&A opportunities in the most dynamic aviation economies creating long-term value for our customers, partners and Swissport.”

Budiman Tedja, founder and chief executive of UNEX Aviation Services, commented: “This joint venture is a crucial step forward for UNEX Aviation Services.

 

“Swissport’s global network, industry expertise and proven track record will help us expand our service offering, strengthen our operational capabilities and support the continued growth of Indonesia’s aviation sector.

“There are significant opportunities to deliver new solutions for our customers and set new benchmarks for aviation services in Indonesia.”

Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s largest aviation markets. With more than 17,000 islands, air transport plays a critical role in national connectivity and economic development. In 2024, it recorded around 101m domestic and international passengers, while airfreight volumes reached approximately 1m tonnes, pointed out Swissport.

The wider Asian aviation market is likewise experiencing strong momentum. International traffic within Asia increased by 11.9% in 2025, with Indonesia among the major source markets contributing to this growth.

Asia-Pacific airlines also recorded 8.4% year on year growth in air cargo demand in 2025, the strongest growth of any global region.

The JV, which the companies have already signed binding transaction agreements for, builds on Swissport’s growing presence across Asia-Pacific. The company currently operates at airports in China, Japan and South Korea, as well as Australia and New Zealand, providing ground handling and air cargo services to airlines across the region.

In 2025, Swissport’s regional operations handled approximately 25m passengers, 632,000 flights and 450,000 tonnes of cargo, supported by an expert team of 10,000 employees.

 

By Rebecca Jeffrey | 21 September 2026

Korean Air signs 777-8F agreement with Boeing

Korean Air has finalised an order for eight Boeing 777-8 freighters that it first committed to last year.

The Seoul-based airline has also confirmed orders for 20 777-9, 25 787-10, and 50 737-10 aircraft.

The procurement plan for 103 aircraft was initially announced in Washington DC in August last year and the signing ceremony took place in Seoul on 15 September.

A Korean Air spokesperson stated: “We will leverage this fleet modernisation to strengthen our competitive edge and continue driving economic exchange between Korea and the United States.”

The airline said that the investment would support capacity growth following the integration of Asiana Airlines, in which it acquired a majority stake in December 2024.

Korean Air is pursuing a merger as the final step toward integrating both companies and this merger agreement was signed in May.

“This investment secures a predictable long-term fleet introduction schedule to support capacity growth following the Asiana Airlines integration,” said Korean Air. “The transition to next-generation models will also improve overall fleet fuel efficiency and support the airline’s carbon reduction goals.”

According to Planespotters.net, Korean Air’s current all-Boeing freighter fleet is made up of four 747-400Fs, six 747-8Fs and 12 777Fs.

But the 777-8F is not the only new generation freighter that Korean Air has invested in. In October last year, Airbus announced that the carrier had converted seven of an existing order for A350 passenger aircraft to the freighter model.

This makes Korean Air one of the only carriers that has invested in both the 777-8F and the A350F.

Silk Way West Airlines has also ordered both freighter types. Silk Way West ordered two A350Fs in June 2022, and later increased its A350F order to four.

The Azerbaijan-based airline also ordered two 777-8Fs in November 2022, with two additional purchase options that it has now converted to orders.

Earlier this month, Indian air cargo solutions company Afcom Holdings Limited signed a letter of intent (LOI) for up to four Boeing 777-8 freighters.

Singapore approves cargo partnership between Qatar, IAG and MAB Kargo

By Damian Brett | 16 September 2026

Image: © IAG Cargo, MASkargo, Qatar Airways Cargo

Singapore has approved the proposed ‘metal neutral’ cargo partnership between Qatar Airways, IAG Cargo and MAB Kargo that includes co-operation on scheduling, pricing and sales.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) said that the joint business agreement (JBA) is unlikely to eliminate competition on affected routes.

CCS also assessed that the Proposed JBA could generate market benefits such as a wider network and better cargo services that more than make up for the reduction in competition on those routes.

The three airlines initially applied to the CCS for approval for their partnership in January, with approval finally being granted on 16 September.

According to the application, there are 30 overlapping routes that include Singapore.

The CCS said in the initial application documents that the partnership aimed to achieve metal neutrality in respect of the provision of air cargo transportation services on the relevant routes.

CCS described metal neutrality as a cooperative airline arrangement where partners “jointly manage capacity and pricing whilst sharing profits equally, making them indifferent to which airline’s plane or ‘metal’ carries the cargo”.

The proposed agreement would cover services across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Americas routes and would generate “significant consumer and economic benefits and efficiencies”, the applicants said.

Other claimed benefits of the arrangement are: Cost-effective and efficient cargo operations, resulting in higher quality air cargo services and expedited transfers of shipments; enhanced cargo network and capacity; elimination of double marginalisation; cost synergies; wider range of products, services and rate options; and streamlined sales and integrated customer experience.

The three airlines announced they would launch a joint global cargo business in April 2025 and provided more details on the plans at a press conference at the Air Cargo Europe event.

The three cargo divisions said the unique partnership would align cargo from booking to delivery, across their networks.

The Qatar-IAG-MAS partnership aims to ensure bookings with any of the airlines will be integrated and visible across all operating systems, covering the whole combined network.

Real-time tracking, product/service alignment for various verticals and a singular loyalty programme – Avios – will also be used.

The aim is to ensure that shipments are treated equally throughout the combined network, regardless of which airline a customer or forwarder originally booked with, they explained at the press conference.

IATA Releases 2027 Cargo and Ground Operations Manuals

7 September 2026

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the updated 2027 editions of key industry manuals for cargo and ground operations, which incorporate major changes and revisions to align with evolving global standards.

Highlights of revisions include:

Dangerous Good Regulations (DGR)

• Instructions to improve clarity on DGR packaging requirements
• Restrictions and requirements for spare batteries and power banks
• Requirements for lithium battery-powered mobility aids including new operator obligations for devices exceeding 300Wh
• Updates to State and Operator Variations, including new variations from 17 states

Battery Shipping Regulations (BSR)

• Introduction of provisions for hybrid batteries containing both lithium-ion and sodium-ion cells
• Revisions to packing instructions, particularly related to sodium-ion and prototype batteries
• Clarification on exclusions from the 4-cell/2-battery limit for certain battery shipments
• New requirement for battery marks to be displayed on the same package surface as other applicable hazard labels

Live Animals Regulations (LAR)

• Additions of specific pathogen-free laboratory animals to species listings
• Standardized terminology and metric measurement across container requirements
• Updated aircraft cargo compartment cleaning and disinfection procedures
• Availability of a Portuguese version following Brazil’s adoption of LAR

Airport Handling Manual (AHM)

• New guidance for biometric handling in contactless travel, covering touchpoint processes and privacy/ethical considerations
• Advanced provisions for autonomous ground service equipment activities near aircraft

Digital Tools

Enhanced digital tools—which will increasingly leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI)—are linking IATA’s manuals more efficiently to the industry processes that they support, an important advancement as aviation continues its transition to more connected, automated and data-driven operations. This also helps embed IATA standards into decision making and live operational environments.

This includes:

• LAR Verify, automated compliance verification tool for live animal shipments
• e-Battery Shipping Regulations (e-BSR) introduces new Interactive Classification Scenarios
• DG Digital, a module of DG Autocheck, to create and manage Shipper’s Declarations for Dangerous Goods (DGD)
• DGR includes enhancements to the digital version, improving navigation and access to dangerous goods information
• Digital Load Verification (DLV) to verify aircraft loading activities, reducing loading errors by more than 80% and loading-related delays by up to 30%

“Our 2027 manual revisions reflect advancements in technology, regulation, and customer needs. As our manuals are used in a more digitally connected environment, we are focusing on creating tools that integrate them into the critical processes and activities that underpin cargo and ground operations. This is a major step toward advancing safer, more efficient airline operations, and is soon to be super-charged by the power of AI,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President of Products and Services.

By Megan Ramsay | 1 September 2026

Figures from WorldACD Market Data for 17 August to 23 August suggest that China-Europe air cargo traffic is beginning to stabilise after several weeks of decline, following the 1 July introduction of European Union import duty rules for low-value imports, including e-commerce.

During week 34, chargeable weight from mainland China and Hong Kong to Europe crept up by 1% week on week – the first such increase since early June, WorldACD noted.

The data provider said: “Although it’s relatively early days since the 1 July ending of EU ‘de minimis’ exemptions on low-value imports, the WoW [week-on-week] uptick in tonnages from China and Hong Kong to Europe could signal a bottoming out of that downward trend and a potential stabilisation of volumes at a new lower level, supported by rebounding post-summer demand.”

However, compared to week 34 of 2025 volumes are substantially down: by 8% on mainland China–Europe routes and by 33% for Hong Kong–Europe tonnages.

More generally for Asia Pacific–Europe traffic, volumes rose by 3% week on week. A massive 88% increase on traffic ex Japan was the main factor in this development (volumes in the preceding week were hit by the country’s Obon festival as well as flight cancellations out of Tokyo owing to tropical storm Chan-Hom).

Elsewhere, Asia Pacific–US volumes were “flat” week on week, WorldACD said, a 33% rise in tonnages ex Japan offset by declines in other origin markets (China down 3% and Hong Kong down 2%, for instance).

Year-on-year comparisons for traffic to the US are tricky given the many changes to US import tariffs and exemptions. Still, tonnages ex China were up 11%, and from Hong Kong up 9 percent, compared to the same week of 2025.

As for total Asia Pacific origin volumes, WorldACD said: “Total Asia Pacific origin volumes in week 34 were up, WoW, by +7 percent, after falling by around -5 percent the previous week, taking them back slightly above their levels of week 33, and +4 percent higher than the equivalent week last year. More than half of that +7 percent WoW increase is explained by the recovery ex-Japan.”

Volumes from the Middle East and South Asia origins rose by 4% week on week and 7% year on year, despite the continuing disruptions to capacity and traffic in parts of that region due to the US–Iran confrontation.

 

Week-on-week increases from India to Europe (up 5 percent) and Dubai/Bangladesh (up 6 percent) to Europe contrasted with a drop from Dubai to the US (down 15%).

Out of Europe and the US, volumes were down week on week by 4 percent and 2 percent respectively though – “limiting global WoW growth to +2 percent in week 34, and the YoY [year-on-year] worldwide increase to +5 percent” according to WorldACD.

Similar to week 32, average global air cargo spot rates rose by 1% week on week. For China–Europe shipments spot rates have picked up for three weeks in a row as carriers have adjusted capacity to match new levels of demand in the wake of the EU de minimis change.

“Among the key origin markets, spot rates from key high-tech export hubs such as South Korea (+25%, YoY), Taiwan (+25%), and many parts of southeast Asia, were well above the regional average, including Vietnam (+22%, YoY), Thailand (+32%), Malaysia (+42%),” WorldACD observed.

Rates ex Asia Pacific to the US have held steady of late, as has global airfreight capacity –which edged up by 1% week on week in week 34.

The ongoing Israel conflict has impacted capacity out of the Middle East, South Asia and the Gulf, while Europe and North America have seen increases in capacity since that war began.

By Rebecca Jeffrey | 25 August 2026

air cargo inside freighter

China-to-Europe freighter capacity is down nearly 30% from June due to a reduction in e-commerce imports into Europe, shows new data from Rotate.

E-commerce imports into Europe dropped 24% in July compared to June. This followed the EU’s introduction on 1 July of a €3 customs duty on low-value parcels imported from outside the EU.

As a result, direct China-Europe freighter capacity immediately fell 10% compared to June levels.

Now, China-to-Europe freighter capacity is consistently 28% below June levels and shows “no clear sign of recovery”, said Rotate.

Alongside this, according to the latest data from TAC Index, rates on the busiest lanes out of China to Europe have become firmer, even as volumes have been under pressure due to the EU customs duty.

Overall utilisation down

While there has been some rerouting to the transpacific, overall global freighter utilisation is down as most lost capacity has not been redeployed elsewhere, said Rotate.

In the case of converted Boeing 747-400Fs, which typically fly ad hoc, utilisation is down by 13.8%.

Freighter capacity declines are concentrated in e-commerce gateways. In Europe, Madrid is down 78%, Budapest is down 58% and Liege is down 35%.

Meanwhile, in China, freighter capacity at Ürümqi Tianshan International Airport is down 72%, and 28% at Hong Kong.

Despite how the e-commerce market has changed to date, e-commerce shipping may recover within 12 months, suggests Rotate.

This has been the case in the US, which ended de minimis treatment for shipments from China and Hong Kong on 2 May 2025 and globally on 29 August 2025, and Brazil, which ended de minimis on 1 August 2024.

APAC-Europe air cargo volumes drop 15% year on year

Asia-Europe airfreight rates firm up

260818-Rotate-E-commerce capacity update China-Europe map

E-commerce forwarder to launch China-US freighter operation

By Damian Brett | 6 August 2026

Source Chicago Rockford

E-commerce specialist freight forwarder Rich Sale International will launch freighter flights between China and the US through a new partnership with Atlas Air.

The flights will operate between Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (TNA) and Chicago Rockford (RFD) in the US.

The Chinese firm’s new operation will begin with eight charter flights in August before becoming a twice-weekly scheduled operation in September.

Ten lowboy trailers, arranged by Gateway Sales and Solutions, supported the unloading and onward transportation of the cargo to destinations across the Midwest.

The addition of the new cargo operation was welcomed by the Illinois airport.

“China to North America is one of the largest lanes in air cargo, and e-commerce is its backbone right now,” said Zack Oakley, executive director, RFD.

“We are creating the premier operation for bringing e-commerce into the US, continually developing our solutions and supporting them with a growing number of flights from China and Southeast Asia.

“Rockford’s capabilities are particularly well-suited to e-commerce, providing an efficient, reliable, and flexible operation without the congestion or restrictions found at many larger passenger hubs, with aircraft moving from wheels down to engines off in as little as five minutes.”

Shanghai-based Rich Sale is a freight-forwarding and logistics company specialising in services for the cross-border e-commerce sector.

“E-commerce requires fast and adaptable cargo operations, which cannot always be found at passenger hubs where cargo often plays second fiddle,” added Jacky Wu, president, Rich Sale.

“When we assessed the best entry point for e-commerce cargo into the US, Rockford stood out for offering the dedicated, cargo-focused operation we need to serve our customers effectively.”

E-commerce volumes between the US and China have been recovering this year after the US removed its de minimis exemption for low-value parcels last year.

The new service win follows two recent additions by DSV at the US airport.

In July, the Danish forwarder launched a scheduled weekly freighter service between RFD and Incheon International Airport in South Korea.

And in June, DSV launched a new weekly freighter service from Luxembourg to RFD.

Dear All,

In 2024, IATA and Edgar Dunn & Company estimated that airlines processed approximately USD 977 billion in payments, at a cost of USD 22.2 billion. At this scale, payment choices need to be managed deliberately. And that starts with recognizing that there is no single one-size-fits-all solution.

In this blog Nick Careen, Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety & Security, highlights airlines cannot view payments solely as a cost. Passengers are using an increasingly diverse range of payment methods. While physical cards still dominate, options such as instant payment and digital wallets are growing rapidly. If an airline does not offer a passenger’s preferred payment method, it risks losing the sale.

That is why IATA has developed Airline Payment Framework – Management Foundation to help management teams look at payment options.

2 June 2026         No. 23

Montreal – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) announced enhanced cooperation at ICAO Aviation Climate Week today to advance transparency and integrity in tracking progress and accelerating the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).

Close collaboration between industry and states, underpinned by robust systems and high-quality data, will aim to enable transparent and credible tracking of aviation cleaner energies and their contribution towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050, in alignment with the respective IATA and ICAO ambitions and commitments.

Both organizations agreed to explore how SAF registries and the data they collect can support the implementation of the ICAO Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) Monitoring and Reporting (LMR) methodology, as well as the consideration of fuel accounting systems for international aviation.

“Credible tracking is necessary to know the emissions reductions delivered by SAF. The data collected by the CADO SAF Registry, among others, has the potential to meet this need. By working with ICAO to strengthen how progress on SAF use is measured and reported, we can accelerate deployment, build trust across stakeholders, and put aviation on track for net zero by 2050. This will set a great example for individual states to work with industry to make the most of the SAF data that is being accumulated,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

“Achieving ICAO’s vision of net zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050 will require unprecedented levels of transparency and cooperation across the entire sector. This agreement will support the strengthening of ICAO’s leadership as we support States and industry in their scaling up of sustainable aviation fuels and other aviation cleaner energies. By improving our global monitoring capabilities and visibility into SAF production, distribution and use, we can support the integrity of global fuel accounting systems and ensure that climate investments are recognized consistently and transparently under ICAO frameworks.” said Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO Secretary General.

 

Air cargo demand continues its strong start to the year in February

By Damian Brett | 6 March 2026

Airfreight on the tarmac

Air cargo demand continued its busy start to the year in February, while the Middle East crisis could triple airfreight rates on affected lanes if the conflict continues.

The latest numbers from air cargo data provider Xeneta show that air cargo demand increased by 6% year on year in February, following on from a 7% increase in January.

Capacity for the month increased by the lower amount of 4% year on year and as a result of demand growing faster than supply, the dynamic load factor was up two percentage points to 62%.

The average spot freight rate was up 5% year on year to $2.58 per kg – the first monthly increase since May 2025.

Xeneta said the increase in demand and rates reflected the timing of the Lunar New Year in Asia and the continued depreciation of the US dollar compared to a year ago.

Most industry commentators have been predicting a moderation in demand growth in 2026, with the general consensus pointing towards an increase of around 2-3% for the year as a whole.

Trade lane performance

Two trade lanes saw spot rates increase by double-digit percentage levels in February: Europe-North America spot rates in February were up 21% year on year, while Northeast Asia-North America rates improved by 10% due to demand for semiconductors.

“Tariff impacts, however, weakened China to US air cargo demand, while China to Europe volumes remained relatively stable, but neither corridor repeated the typical pre-holiday cargo rush at the start of 2025,” Xeneta said.

Airfreight demand rises in December but growth expected to slow in 2026

“This hints at what’s likely to happen in 2026. Some Asia-based airlines with strong exposure to e-commerce remain optimistic about growth prospects in 2026, while others are taking a more cautious, wait-and-see stance.”

Middle East impact

The military strikes from Iran, the US and Israel resulted in a 12% of global air cargo capacity from the market, Xeneta said.

Meanwhile, major regional hubs – such as Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi – temporarily suspended flight operations amid multiple airspace restrictions, causing an immediate impact on the Asia–Europe air cargo corridor.

Prices on affected trade lanes could triple if the conflict is protracted, Xeneta warned.

“The revenue impact of disrupted flight timetables is just one of the concerns for airlines. Jet fuel, a major airline cost component, could also rise materially if crude prices continue to climb,” Xeneta said.

“If the conflict is brief and flights to/from the Middle East resume quickly, markets will normalise faster and reduce concerns of a longer-term spike in oil prices, but protracted disruption lasting weeks is likely to mean prices on affected markets could double or even triple.”

Air cargo tackles backlogs as Middle East conflict capacity crunch continues

“A further escalation of the conflict could trigger a global energy shock and stagflationary pressures reminiscent of the 1970s, with sharply higher oil prices and a significant correction in equity markets, both unwelcome developments in relation to trade volumes, shipping costs, and retail prices.”

Xeneta said that airlines are likely to deploy more direct Asia-Europe flights or conduct technical stops in central Asia, depending on traffic rights, airspace availability and operational constraints.

With container shipping now reverting to routing around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Middle East, air cargo could be boosted once airlines can resume normal operations.

Looking to the rest of the year, Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s chief airfreight officer, said: “If we only had February’s data to focus on, we would say the start of the year has been encouraging for the air cargo market. Now, the stakes are raised.

“Past reactions to previous macro-events show that the global airfreight industry is highly skilled in finding and creating solutions.

“But it will come at the price of higher logistical costs for the owner of the goods. But I am sure they will temporarily have no issue with paying such additional fees as long as they can serve their customers on time

“In the coming weeks, we might see (again) the vulnerability and strength of the airfreight industry in the spotlight.”