American Airlines Cargo will operate up to 186 international widebody flights per day in its summer schedule including 4,400 monthly widebody flights between the US and Europe in June, July and August.
London Heathrow Airport will see the largest increase in cargo capacity this season, with service increasing to 21 daily departures.
The summer schedule also includes new and expanded European services. New or expanded routes include Athens to Dallas Fort Worth (DFW); Budapest to Philadelphia; Prague to Philadelphia; Zurich to DFW; Milan to Miami; and Edinburgh to New York JFK, with the EDI–JFK route operated on the new A321XLR.
Additional widebody to Germany includes daily service from Frankfurt to both Charlotte and DFW, as well as daily operations from Munich to Charlotte.
In Latin America, American is expanding widebody capacity with increased service from Buenos Aires to DFW, creating more connections to domestic and international destinations.
Domestically, American will operate 6,200 total domestic departures on peak summer days at its DFW hub.
There is also widebody service from Honolulu and Kahului to DFW.
The US-Iran ceasefire will probably bring some immediate relief to air freight, but a full return to pre-conflict capacity and rates on trades transiting Middle East hubs is still one to two months away, according to Xeneta analysts.
Airspace restrictions across the Gulf in the aftermath of US-Iran conflict forced airlines to ground aircraft and cut capacity on key freight corridors, pushing rates sharply higher on routes transiting Middle East hubs – particularly Southeast Asia to Europe and South Asia to Europe.
Xeneta chief airfreight officer, Niall van de Wouw, said: “This has been a supply issue from the start. The moment airlines start increasing flights through Middle East airspace, it will put less pressure on the existing capacity and create a downward pressure on rates.
“Bringing air capacity back to these corridors should provide welcome relief for shippers, many of whom are facing continuing severe disruption in ocean supply chains which will take far longer to recover from this conflict.”
In the week ending 5 April, Xeneta data shows air cargo spot rates up +105% on the South Asia to Europe corridor. Spot rates are also up +87% from Europe to Middle East, +84% from South Asia to Middle East, +82% from South Asia to North America and +72% from Southeast Asia to Europe.
Falling jet fuel prices will add further downward pressure, however, van de Wouw cautions rates will not fall as fast as they rose and that a full recovery to pre-conflict service levels is likely to take one to two months.
He said: “Even when it is deemed safe to fly, setting up the infrastructure again takes time. Customers need to find you again and trust you again. Insurance companies may still advise against transiting these Middle East hubs despite the ceasefire.
“Carriers will be in no rush to lower rates given the ceasefire is only temporary and the geopolitical situation remains uncertain. Shippers will also not rush into major routing decisions on the basis of a fragile two-week ceasefire, especially given Iran’s re-closure of the Hormuz Strait a matter of hours after the agreement was announced. Regardless, a two-week timeline is too short to justify restructuring freight plans – so I do not expect spot rates to go down as fast as they went up.”
Van de Wouw identifies passenger confidence as a key variable in recovery of airfreight in Middle East corridors.
He said: “Gulf carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways operate some of the world’s most important air freight networks, but those networks depend on passenger revenue. If tourist confidence in Middle East destinations takes time to recover — even after the ceasefire — airlines may operate routes at below-sustainable passenger load factors and could cut network capacity as a result.
“Will airlines operate those routes or cut their networks based on demand? This is a key variable for the short-term recovery for air freight.”
Air Charter Service’s charity fundraisers around the world helped raise more than $200,000 for good causes last year through challenges, volunteering, raffles and more –matching their record, set in 2024. Katie Ivie, group HR director, who leads the Charity Committee, commented: “The worldwide team has really stepped up again following our record amount last year, with a range of physical challenges, including marathons, a 550 mile bike ride, summitting Kilimanjaro, and donations made by staff towards the relief effort following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica last October. “The raffles held at our Christmas parties raised a record amount for charities ($43,000) and combined with other fundraising initiatives, including quiz nights and several bake sales (the most recent being Valentine-themed) helped to raise a total of over $200,000. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one that put in the effort and their hands in their pockets to help to reach this fantastic total. “On top of the money-raising activities, ACS employees have been giving back to the community in other ways – including staff in our New York office helping out in a Long Island soup kitchen, volunteers from our London office wrapping Christmas presents for local children’s charity Momentum, and our Brisbane team who contributed to their local Salvation Army, creating food hampers of essentials to give some extra support to families over the holiday period.”
Geodis in Switzerland has achieved three key healthcare certifications in less than six months: ISO, CEIV Pharma, and GDP. The forwarder said they would help it further develop its capabilities in high-value and regulated sectors such as Healthcare and Life Sciences, for which Switzerland is a key European hub.
The standards cover its core operations, including Worldwide Freight Management, Project Logistics, and Supply Chain Solutions. Geodis has also relocated and expanded its Zurich and Basel offices and opened a new office in Geneva.
ECS Group’s Globe Air Cargo Dominican Republic arm has signed an agreement with Uniworld Air Cargo to support the launch of its freighter operations between Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Panama City with onward connections across Latin America and beyond.
Flights operate twice a week, every Thursday and Sunday, utilizing a Boeing 737 freighter with weekly capacity of 40 tons.
Connections are available in Panama to destinations including Bogotá, Caracas, Havana, San Salvador, Lima and San José, as well via Felipe Angeles International near Mexico city for the US and Canada.
Uniworld commercial director Jossette Navarro, said: “The Dominican Republic represents a market with significant growth potential for both exports and imports. Beyond its local strength, it is a strategic gateway to Europe and Canada. Through this partnership with ECS Group, we are confident in our ability to accelerate our market penetration while offering competitive and efficient cargo solutions across the region and into North America.”
United Airlines’ honorary representative, Ernestine the Brachiosaurus at Terminal 1 of Chicago O’Hare International Airport is helping the US carrier celebrate its centennial, decked in its brand colors.
What began with a single airmail flight from Pasco WA to Elko NV, back on 6 April 1926, has since grown into one of the world’s largest airlines, with a fleet of almost 1,100 aircraft, and a network of more than 350 destinations across six continents.
The past century has seen United develop from a national airmail provider into an international carrier. Alongside airmail and general cargo, United Airlines now offers specialized cargo services for pharmaceuticals, perishables, time-critical shipments and high-value goods. Paper and manual processes have given way to increasingly intelligent digital operations, boosting punctuality, efficiency, and shipment visibility.
United was the first carrier to offer non-stop transcontinental flights without overnight stops, using a Boeing 247, and, more recently, became the first global airline to commit to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and is the largest purchaser and user of SAF in the US.
It could be argued that United has a longer pedigree than Ernestine; the glass-fibre replica skeleton only dates back to 1993.
Delta Cargo and CargoAi signed a partnership agreement at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Lima, Peru on 3 April.
The collaboration will expand the carrier’s digital booking capabilities and strengthen connections with the global freight forwarding community. Delta Cargo will integrate with CargoAi’s digital platform to enhance rate visibility and enable eBooking capabilities.
The platform is planned to go live at a later stage and will be announced on the official platforms and social media channels. The agreement was signed by Delta Cargo president, Peter Penseel and CargoAi chief executive, Matthieu Petot.
Software firm Aerios says that light freighter operator Berry Aviation has cut its quote turnaround times from 5–6 minutes to around 2 minutes after adopting its Carrier App. Moreover, it says, duplicate requests are handled handled in seconds, rather than being rebuilt manually.
The Carrier App has replaced legacy technology to streamline quote generation for Berry’s customers.
US-based Berry Aviation operates a fleet of nine Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia cargo aircraft to provide on-demand domestic cargo services for the automotive market.
Aerios says that currently, air cargo charter remains highly reliant on legacy systems and manual workflows, which can create bottlenecks and introduce manual errors, particularly in fast-moving markets.
By replacing a legacy system with Aerios’ Carrier App, Berry Aviation has seen a dramatic improvement in response times to client requests, as well as improved efficiency, it says.
Generating quotations from Berry’s former mid-2000s era platform was time-consuming, with lengthy manual calculations and limited access to historical data and quotations.
The new system sits directly within Berry Aviation’s charter sales workflow and enables its team to generate quotes significantly faster, reducing response times and increasing customer satisfaction. The system also introduces structured data tracking and reporting, allowing management to instantly access insights, including top customers by revenue, conversion rates, and key routes and pricing metrics, replacing manual, time-intensive reporting processes.
Berry’s Chris Alexander, in charge of cargo sales and flight control, said: “Aerios is a game-changer. We are in the early stages, and it has already reduced the time it takes to provide our customers with quotes by 50%. It is so efficient and easy to use, and the best part is the fact that it can easily be customized to fit our needs.”
The resilience of the global air freight market is being tested once again as conflict in the Middle East places a further question mark against already low growth expectations for 2026, says industry analyst Xeneta. However, lessons from past crises are bringing some short-term stability as shippers, airlines, and forwarders wait to see what unfolds in the region, and its long-term impact on the global economy
Historically, air freight has served as an equalizer during supply chain crises, notably Covid and Red Sea disruption. When ocean freight shipping faltered, air cargo stepped in to fill the gap. This time is different. Unlike previous shocks, the current conflict is hitting airlines and air cargo industry harder than ocean shipping amidst fears the worst may be yet to come.
“Typically, at the start of each month, we report the global air cargo market’s performance for the previous 4-5 weeks – but, right now, whether demand was down -2% or -4% in March does not concern the industry greatly if we are on the verge of a global economic crisis,” says Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s chief airfreight officer.
“There is clearly a lot of concern and unanswered questions about the market outlook, but we also see a current transparency and maturity in customer and supplier relationships, and a sense of solidarity that although the impact of the conflict is beyond their control, they will get through it together.”
Cost only one variable
Van de Wouw added: “Air freight rates are going up, and we already see evidence of the Middle East conflict reshaping global airfreight pricing, but, for shippers, cost is only one of the variables. Protecting market share and service to customers also plays an important role.
“Will the increase in fuel prices dampen demand for air freight? Not immediately, but if this conflict continues in the longer term, then definitely yes because the world would be facing a much broader economic issue.”
Until then, he expects the air freight industry will continue to find a way to transport goods, ‘but that will come at a cost’. He highlighted how capacity has shifted to safer airport locations such as Muscat and Jeddah to keep air cargo supply chains moving and expects to see more such flexibility.
“Right now, we can see a lot of solidarity and trust between shippers, forwarders, and airlines to get goods moved. We see businesses respecting contracts as much as they can and sticking to what they have agreed as they wait to see what unfolds,” he said.
Hopes pinned on fast resolution
Air cargo stakeholders are pinning their hopes on a fast resolution to the current situation in the Middle East.
Cities like Dubai and Doha occupy strategic midpoints between the Americas, Asia, and Europe, and have served as the growth engine behind the rise of super-connectors like Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways. Now, geographic advantage has become a strategic vulnerability as hub airports have become victims of the conflict.
The ripple effects reach even further. An oil shock has nearly doubled jet fuel prices, squeezing carriers that are already rerouting or grounding flights due to financial pressures.
Five weeks into the conflict, air cargo capacity in the region remains roughly -30% below pre-conflict levels – and that squeeze in supply is showing up in rates. Global air cargo spot rates in March surpassed 2025 peak-season levels, reaching USD 2.86 per kilo – their highest point since December 2024.
Timing is particularly damaging
The conflict escalated in the middle of tender season for annual airfreight contracts, accelerating a shift already underway: in Q1 2026, shippers moved meaningfully towards three-month agreements over annual contracts, compressing rate validity across the market. This is in line with Xeneta’s advice. “We have been recommending postponing tenders during the present uncertainty, because what is the value of making a longer-term commitment now when the whole backdrop can change so quickly?” van de Wouw said.
For airline-forwarder negotiations, Q1 2026 echoes the dynamics that emerged during Covid. In March, the share of global volumes shipped under spot rates rose three percentage points to 52% – just one point below the level recorded at the onset of the pandemic.
The rate impact has been sharpest on outbound corridors from South Asia and Southeast Asia to the Middle East. Spot rates surged +50–100% in the week ending 29 March, compared to just four weeks prior. The spike reflects a convergence of pressures: severe capacity shortages from heavy reliance on Middle Eastern carriers, near-doubled jet fuel costs, and newly added war-risk surcharges.
The disruption is no longer contained to the Middle East. Because the region accounts for roughly half of all capacity on Asia–Europe corridors – and for South Asia onward to the Americas – the squeeze is now reshaping flows across entire lanes.
Spot rates from Southeast Asia and South Asia to Europe have followed similar trajectories, given Middle Eastern carriers’ dominance on those routes. By contrast, Northeast Asia–Europe lanes have held up comparatively better as airlines deployed more direct flights to compensate. Europe–Africa corridors registered +31% rate growth, reflecting the Middle East’s role as the primary transit hub connecting the two regions.
Rates rise in double digits
Five weeks in, the pressure has spread well beyond the immediate Asia–EMEA region. Rising jet fuel costs have pushed air freight rates from Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia to North America up by mid-high double digits. South Asia–North America rates surged even higher, up approximately +75%, again driven by Middle Eastern carriers’ significant share of that corridor.
But longer-term rates tell a different story. Rates valid for more than a month on Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia–North America lanes rose by only low single digits compare to four weeks earlier, as US tariffs and the unwinding of de minimis exemptions continue to weigh on demand across those corridors.
Not all lanes are moving in the same direction. Europe–North America spot rates fell by some -10% in the week ending 29 March compared to four weeks prior, as summer passenger schedules restored belly cargo capacity to the market. North America–Latin America rates held broadly flat over the same period, while Europe–Latin America spot rates rose approximately +12%, reflecting capacity withdrawals from that corridor.
Airfreight demand might receive a temporary boost from ocean carriers declaring ‘end of voyage’ at ports outside of their intended destination, leaving shippers and forwarders to recover their supply chains, van de Wouw said, but any gains might be short-lived.
Fallout bigger than tariffs
“Tariffs created uncertainty but the fallout here is bigger because of the cost of jet fuel, the potential energy crisis. and inflation growth. Right now, the air cargo market is suffering from a supply issue – and this will be resolved. But, the longer this recovery takes is going to determine if it becomes a much bigger demand issue.
“Whether airfreight benefits or suffers in the longer-term is down to the length of the conflict and its outcomes,” van de Wouw said.
For the record, global air cargo demand fell -3% year-on-year in March, while capacity supply was -6% lower than in March 2025. Dynamic load factor – Xeneta’s measurement of capacity utilisation based on volume and weight of cargo flown alongside available capacity – rose to 65%.
Chapman Freeborn, the global air charter specialist arm of Avia Solutions Group, has appointed Latha Narayan as president APACl. She wiill lead the company’s strategic and commercial development across the Asia Pacific region, focusing on scaling operations, enhancing performance, and strengthening alignment across cargo, passenger and business aviation services. Narayan has held senior leadership roles at British Airways and Etihad Airways and most recently worked as an independent aviation and cargo consultant, advising on strategic development, network optimisation and digital transformation.
