Air Cargo Next

IAG’s cargo revenue falls 28.4% in 2023

Yael Katzwer — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:15:48 +0000

International Airlines Group today reported 29.5 billion euros ($31.8 billion) in revenue in 2023, an increase of 27.7% year over year. However, cargo revenue fell 28.4% to $1.2 billion. THE BIG PICTURE: Like most carriers, International Airlines Group (IAG) saw increased passenger revenue but decreased cargo revenue in the past year. IAG attributed this trend […]

Japan Airlines starts drone service in remote islands for disaster relief

Bloomberg News — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 23:06:55 +0000

Japan Airlines Co. has kicked off an unmanned drone service to deliver goods and medical supplies in a remote part of Japan that’s prone to heavy rains and landslides. The carrier is working with local authorities in Setouchi town, a tiny inlet in Japan’s southwest that’s home to 8,000 residents. A FAZER R G2 drone will be […]

Transactions: Etihad Cargo, WFS sign 3-year agreement

Yael Katzwer — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 22:12:54 +0000

Etihad Cargo has signed a three-year agreement with Worldwide Flight Services, a member of the SATS Group, for cargo handling services at 13 airports in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Under the agreement, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) will handle more than 150,000 tonnes of cargo annually for the airline, according to a Feb. 27 […]

Data drives efficiency, accuracy

Yael Katzwer — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 23:36:48 +0000

Exhaustive data collection paves the way for operational efficiencies, especially in finances and risk forecasting, in the aviation industry. Rigorous data collection has allowed Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP) to implement solutions that streamline processes in multiple areas of the business, panelist Adriaan den Heijer, executive vice president at Air France-KLM Cargo and managing […]

Consultant’s Insight: Last-mile delivery by drones on the rise

Cathy Roberson — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:52:54 +0000

The number of packages delivered by drone increased by more than 80% from 2021 to 2022, reaching almost 875,000 deliveries worldwide, according to consulting firm McKinsey. That number is expected to have grown even more in 2023 and to continue to grow in 2024, thanks partly to a September ruling from the FAA. […]

Airfreight rates slump after Lunar New Year

Yael Katzwer — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 21:57:48 +0000

Global airfreight prices continue to trend lower following the Lunar New Year, with the Baltic Air Freight Index falling for the second week in a row. The index fell 5.7% week over week for the week ending Feb. 26, leaving its annual decline at 25% year over year, according to the latest data from airfreight […]

Natilus’ Matyushev joins drone webinar

Yael Katzwer — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 21:19:41 +0000

The Air Cargo Next editorial team is pleased to announce that Aleksey Matyushev, chief executive and co-founder at Natilus, will join the webinar “The Role of Drones in the Future of Air Cargo,” which will livestream on Tuesday, March 26, at 11 a.m. ET.

Learn more and register for the free webinar here.

Aleksey Matyushev

Matyushev will discuss drone delivery use cases, advancements in drone technology, impediments to and benefits of cargo drone usage and more. The panel for the webinar will also include Kenneth Chircop, general manager at Dronamics, and Steve Magirias, chief executive at Drone Delivery Canada.

Natilus, founded in 2016, is a San Diego-based autonomous aircraft developer. Ameriflight signed an agreement in January 2023 with Natilus to purchase 20 of its Kona aircraft, a short-haul feeder uncrewed drone with a payload capacity of 3.4 tonnes.

“The aviation industry is facing the challenge of a lack of pilots in the workforce and the talent pipeline is continuing to shrink,” Matyushev told Air Cargo Next. “This is especially true for air cargo, as many pilots seek careers in passenger travel, which is supposed to double over the next 10 years.

“Autonomous cargo aircraft will be a game-changer in the logistics industry, providing an efficient and cost-effective solution for shipping goods around the world, including regions that have been difficult or impossible for a human pilot to access,” he said. “It’s crucial for air cargo industry leaders to understand the [drone] technologies, the myriad opportunities they enable and the regulatory hurdles we need to overcome together.”

Matyushev co-founded Natilus in 2016. Early in his career, he was the lead aerodynamicist at Piper Aircraft, helping to develop the PiperJet Altaire, the M600 and other designs. He later served as the aerodynamics lead on military UAV systems at Kratos Defense. Additionally, through his consulting practice, Matyushev has supported general aviation and UAS programs in aircraft design, performance, stability and control, flight testing, loads, computational fluid dynamics and certification.

Register here for Air Cargo Next’s free webinar, “The Role of Drones in the Future of Air Cargo,” on Tuesday, March 26, at 11 a.m. ET.

DHL expands US pharma sites with $200M investment

Courtney Blackann — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 23:50:48 +0000

DHL Supply Chain will grow its life and sciences facilities in the United States to 40 sites from 35 and invest $200 million to expand its presence in Pennsylvania and North Carolina by the end of the year. In conjunction with a growing demand for domestic weight loss and diabetes medications, DHL is planning to […]

Freightos revenue rises 6.3% in 2023

Yael Katzwer — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 22:38:57 +0000

Freightos today reported $20.3 million in revenue for 2023, an increase of 6.3% year over year, after processing just over 1 million transactions. “It was our first year as a publicly traded company and we take pride in having been able to raise money during a challenging year for tech investment and for the freight […]

Boeing hit by damning report faulting safety procedures

Bloomberg News — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 21:00:26 +0000

U.S. regulators issued a scathing report on Boeing Co.’s safety culture, putting further pressure on the company as it contends with the fallout from a near-catastrophic accident at the start of the year. The U.S. planemaker was faulted for ineffective procedures and a breakdown in communications between senior management and other members of staff, according […]