Air Charter Service recently helped a food additive and condiments manufacturer avoid a shutdown in a Nicaraguan factory by flying several tons of seasoning to Managua on an A330-200F.
Cargo director of ACS Mexico, Luis Canales-Tough, said that the client originally approached the broker for its next flight out (NFO) service, to move around 18 tons of the condiment, used at a meat products manufacturing plant in Managua. However, due to the infrequency of scheduled flights from Mexico to Nicaragua, a charter carrying 51 tons on one flight was found to be a better solution.
ACS worked closely with the airline and the national authorities in Nicaragua to obtain the necessary permits, accelerating the process thanks to a letter of urgency from the consignee. The customer had never chartered before, so ACS then talked them through the correct customs procedures to ensure everything ran smoothly. The cargo arrived in time to stop the factory in Nicaragua having to shut down its production line.”
Air Charter Service are seasoned professionals
Liege on a mission to Taiwan
Liege Airport’s CargoLand by LGG facility is positioning itself as a gateway for Taiwan’s high-value semiconductors following a mission to Taipei in March 24.
CargoLand by LGG presented its cargo-first model and long-term development vision.
The visit also emphasized the growing strategic relevance of semiconductor logistics between Taiwan and Europe.
Globe Air Cargo to sell airBaltic space in UK
ECS Group’s Globe Air Cargo UK subsidiary has signed a deal to represent airBaltic in the country. The GSSA will flights from London Gatwick, Manchester and Aberdeen to Riga and Tallinn including two weekly Aberdeen-Riga due to start on 2 June and Manchester services that will resume on 13 December.
It says the carrier’s A220-330 aircraft are ideal for mail and e-commerce business, alongside general cargo and pets.
Vice President cargo at airBaltic, Ilja Seliverstovs, said that the carrier planned to position Latvia as a logistics gateway to Northern Europe with its new cargo handling facility in Riga. Opened last year, the Baltic Cargo Center can handle up to 45,000 tonnes of cargo per year, including specialised facilities for temperature-sensitive, high-value goods, and live animals.
Ecuador in the cargo theft spotlight
Brazil, Mexico, India, the US, Indonesia, Chile, China, Germany, and South Africa were the top countries for recorded cargo theft, according to TT Club and BSI Consulting. The 2025 Cargo Theft Report, published on 21 April, said that Ecuador experienced one of the sharpest increases of any nation, with theft cases nearly doubling as gang-related violence intensified in coastal provinces. Food and beverage products led all stolen commodity categories, followed by agriculture, electronics, automotive parts, construction materials, and metals.
Trucks remain the dominant target, accounting for 70% of all incidents globally, while 22% of global cargo theft incidents involved the cooperation of insiders.
Rail cargo theft in the US rose from 4% of incidents in 2024 to 10% in 2025. Organised criminal groups – including networks linked to cartels operating out of Sinaloa, Mexico – carried out coordinated attacks on freight trains in rural Arizona and California, sabotaging systems and staging armed encounters with law enforcement.
Technology-enabled theft also grew more sophisticated, with criminals exploiting cybersecurity weaknesses, fraudulent documents, and impersonation tactics to carry out fictitious pickups, double and triple brokering, and product hostage schemes.
In Europe, Germany (27%), Italy (13%), the UK (9%), France (6%), and Spain (6%) reported the greatest number of thefts. Facility thefts rose notably – particularly in Italy, Germany, Romania, and Bulgaria – with warehouses accounting for 33% of all theft locations. In the UK, cargo theft losses reached US$149 million with a US$ 9 million smartphone heist at Heathrow airport among the highest-value incidents.
Another notable emerging trend was the theft of rare earth minerals in China. The report also noted that maritime risks also escalated sharply, with sea piracy incidents rising 85% in the first half of 2025, their highest level in nearly a decade. Likewise the Strait of Malacca and Singapore experienced a 281% year-on-year surge in incidents.
Aerospace forwarder B&H pioneers AI tyre scanning
Aerospace logistics forwarder B&H Worldwide has piloted AI-driven tyre scanning technology at its New Zealand operations. Integrated directly into the company’s proprietary FirstTRAC platform, it has led to a 60% reduction in inventory processing times.
it replaces manual data entry with mobile-based scanning using computer vision and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to instantly capture critical tyre data.
Tyre logistics has in the past relied heavily on manual intervention, slow and with the risk of human error. The new system allows staff to use smartphones or tablets as high-performance scanners, capable of reading both standard barcodes and complex tyre serial numbers directly from the sidewall.
Inventory handling time has dropped from an average of four minutes per unit to one minute, and error rates have been slashed by 80-90%, with data accuracy now exceeding 99%.Total units processed per hour have increased by approximately 30%.
The technology is fully embedded within B&H Worldwide’s FirstTRAC WMS platform and provides a unified data stream. This ensures that stock checks, dispatch requests and bulk inventory uploads are updated in real-time, improving visibility for customers.
The system ensures 100% stock integrity for used tyre casing movements and creates a digital audit trail that simplifies regulatory compliance.
Branch manager of B&H Worldwide New Zealand, Lee Hedges, said: “This implementation represents a significant step forward in how we manage high-value, safety-critical inventory. By introducing real-time tyre scanning, we’ve improved accuracy, speed and traceability across our operations. For our customers, it means greater visibility, faster reporting and increased confidence in the integrity of their stock. It’s a clear example of how technology can directly enhance service quality and operational excellence.”
The New Zealand pilot will be the blueprint for a global rollout, with Melbourne, Australia, scheduled for the next implementation.
YunExpress poised to start operations at UK’s East Midlands Airport
Cross-border logistics provider YunExpress has gained recognition as a Regulated Agent by the Civil Aviation Authority and ITSF (Internal Temporary Storage Facility) approval from Border Force, clearing the way for it to start operations at a new cargo handling facility it has developed at East Midlands Airport.
It will be the first Chinese cargo handling company to be based at a UK airport, giving it full plane-to-door cargo capability. Teams are on site preparing to handle its first flight on April 30.
YunExpress began operating its own Boeing 777F freighter flights into East Midlands Airport from China last May, in partnership with Central Airlines. It will initially handle cargo for Central Airlines flights – currently four per week each carrying 100 tonnes of cargo but it aims to provide services to other carriers in the near future.
The company has developed its new 7,000sqm facility in an existing warehouse at the airport. It will employ around 40 staff at the site.
East Midlands Airport’s commercial director Adam Andrew said: “We’re thrilled to have YunExpress on board as a cargo handler, following on from the flights they launched just under a year ago. This investment by YunExpress is further evidence of the importance of East Midlands Airport as the UK’s largest dedicated freighter airport, with YunExpress and their future clients able to take advantage of 24/7 unrestricted airport operations and access to 80% of the UK population within four hours.
“Their investment here is a shot in the arm for our cargo growth ambitions, which could see four large plots on the airfield developed with new cargo facilities. We fully anticipate YunExpress expanding their operation to support the growing number of cargo operators choosing East Midlands Airport as their UK hub.”
General manager of YunExpress UK, Orson Wang, said: “Following a thorough evaluation of potential locations, East Midlands Airport stood out for its central location, strong cargo infrastructure and efficient access to the wider UK market. With the necessary approvals now in place, we are pleased to begin operations and to further strengthen YunExpress’s global service network, which supports cross-border e-commerce flows across major international markets.
“We are looking at opportunities to work with airlines other than Central and believe we are particularly well placed to support Chinese operators as we really understand their needs. We are investing here for the long-term, with a view to developing our business into a fully integrated, end-to-end logistics operation under the YunExpress brand.”
A century of cargo service
American Airlines Cargo is reflecting on more than 80 years of service to customers around the world as it celebrates its centennial year and marks 100 years since its first mail flight in 1926.
The began formally on October 15, 1944, when a DC-3 carrying more than 6,000lbs of freight completed the world’s first scheduled air cargo flight between New York City and Burbank, California. But long before that historic 19-hour flight, the airline’s predecessors were flying airmail routes, including flights by transatlantic pioneer pilot Charles Lindbergh between Chicago and St. Louis.
In the 1940s, American became the first airline with dedicated cargo terminals, which allowed raised platform loading and more efficient freight movement at airports. American introduced the first coast-to-coast all cargo flight, the first air freight loading conveyors and the first corrugated shipping container created specifically for apparel. In 1954, the company introduced the first Unit Load Device in the industry, the Paul Bunyan Box. By the 1960s, American’s innovations continued with the Astroloader, the first powered cargo loader for the Boeing 707, and the Astroroller, the first in plane roller system designed to increase speed and safety in cargo loading.
In the 1950s, American designed the first standardized animal container and it has long been recognized for its care, expertise and commitment to safely moving animals across its network.
These early milestones were accompanied by remarkable shipments that became part of the company’s culture. During the 1970s, American’s 747 freighter transported a San Francisco cable car to New York City for a street fair. It helped museums move priceless objects, including artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb that were flown to Dallas for a major exhibition. The company also deepened its support of the cold chain pharmaceutical industry, carrying delicate vaccines and treatments that rely on precise temperature control and rapid delivery.
American’s role in supporting communities continued through the decades. After Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017, it was among the first to land on the island with critical supplies, including food, water and generators. Through its partnership with Airlink, it has supported shipments to Ukraine, Haiti, Maui, Brazil, Jamaica and many other regions.
In 2025, the cargo organization delivered one of its strongest operational performances, moving more than 475 million kilograms of freight and mail across its network.
At London Heathrow, it moved into a new, larger 120,000sq ft cargo facility that nearly doubled its previous capacity. Today, it operates one of the youngest fleets in the United States, with modern Boeing 787 aircraft with a schedule that includes 186 daily international widebody flights during peak summer periods and more than 4,000 monthly widebody flights between the US and Europe.
Enhancements to digital booking emphasize transparency, ease of doing business and operational efficiency. American Airlines Cargo has also developed a focused artificial intelligence strategy, applying AI in high impact areas across the cargo journey to improve decision making and customer outcomes.
DSV signs 11-million gallon SAF deal with United and Microsoft
Danish-owned forwarder DSV is collaborating with software firm Microsoft, United Airlines and supplier Phillips 66 to unlock 11 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). It expects to cut 100,000 tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional jet fuel.
By working together, the companies say they can secure more reliable SAF capacity and accelerate scaling at a level that would be challenging to achieve on their own.
United Airlines will use the fuel, while DSV and Microsoft participate through a book and claim methodology, allowing verified emissions reductions to be allocated independently of physical fuel use. United Airlines said it was the largest contracted SAF supply agreement with a single customer in the history of its Eco-Skies Alliance program.
Chapman Freeborn appoints India manager
Chapman Freeborn has appointed Danish Cutleriwala as country manager India. Based in Mumbai, he will lead Chapman Freeborn’s operations in India, with a focus on driving commercial growth across cargo and passenger charter services, while expanding the company’s footprint through strategic partnerships and enhanced customer engagement. He brings more than 19 years of experience in logistics, and joins Chapman Freeborn from Sciens Logistics, where he served as Country Manager. Prior to this, he held senior roles at FedEx, Crane Worldwide Logistics and Wiz Freight.
Huskies in pole position thanks to ACS
Air Charter Service (ACS) chartered a B757 to transport 36 huskies from Oslo to Anchorage for the 1,000-mile Iditarod sled race across Alaska in March. The broker had to find an airline that could fly directly without a fuel stop to minimise time in transit and identified a Boeing B757-200F as the ideal aircraft for the under two-tonne payload, which included the dogs and their equipment.
Another challenge was to arrange for the handling agent in Oslo to bring in extra staff, securing an outdoor space for the dogs to stretch their legs before the flight, and ensuring all health documents were in place including passports, health certificates, CDC Permits for the US customs).
One of the ACS cargo team flew with the aircraft, the dog handlers and the huskies, to ensure everything went smoothly at both ends. It secured airside access in Anchorage, so that the dog handlers could drive up to the aircraft and load the dogs for their short onward journey.
Following the successful race, the dogs flew to Seattle on another charter, this time on a McDonnell Douglas MD-83F, before picking up a ride back to Europe on a scheduled flight.