Icelandair Cargo has launched operations in Turkey with four weekly 737 Max flights between Istanbul and Keflavik with ECS Group subsidiary Globe Air Cargo Turkiye as local general sales and service agent. The flights will also provide connections to the US and Europe, for traffic such as textiles, automotive parts, and machinery.
WestJet appoints head of cargo ops
Canadian carrier WestJet has promoted Sabir Ebrahim to head of cargo operations. His responsibilities include ensuring smooth, effective services while maintaining safety and security compliance. Sabir and his team will identify areas for improvement in day-to-day operations and operational performance.
More freighters for Maastricht
Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands has added three weekly cargo flights following new agreements with airlines Turkish Cargo, and My Freighter.
From September, Turkish Cargo will add to its existing twice-weekly service with a Boeing 777 flight connecting Quito, Bogota, Miami, Istanbul, and Maastricht.
Uzbek airline, My Freighter, will operate a new, twice-weekly Boeing 767-300 full freighter service connecting Shanghai, Tashkent and Almaty.
Figures up to July 2025 indicate a 15% increase in cargo volumes at MST compared to the same period last year, driven in part by a series of Atlas Air charter flights, the arrival of Ethiopian Cargo, and the return of Turkish Cargo after a short absence.
Atlas Air signs 777 freighter deal with Eithad
Atlas Air has signed a long-term partnership with Etihad Cargo in the United Arab Emirates for the operation of a newly delivered Boeing 777 freighter, initially serving Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi and Madrid from August.
It will cater for growing demand for general air cargo, e-commerce, automotive, pharmaceuticals and perishable products across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Atlas Air chief executive, Michael Steen (pictured) said: “With our global scale and flexible, agile network, Atlas Air is enabling Etihad to expand their operations and serve their customers with confidence. With our industry-leading fleet of widebody freighters and deep operating expertise, Atlas Air is proud to be a trusted partner of choice, and we look forward to supporting Etihad’s continued success.”
Etihad Airways chief cargo officer, Stanislas Brun, added: “With Etihad Airways’ passenger fleet continuing to grow, it is essential that our freighter fleet expands in parallel to sustain this momentum and deliver end-to-end network connectivity. This additional capacity further enhances the reliability and agility of our services, ensuring the delivery of seamless and efficient cargo solutions worldwide.”
Kintetsu to enlarge Singapore site
Kintetsu World Express’s Singapore subsidiary KWE-Kintetsu World Express is to rebuild its headquarters warehouse in Changi South. The new facility is scheduled for completion in 2027. In recent years, Singapore’s pro-business policies and tax incentives have attracted a growing concentration of healthcare and semiconductor companies, particularly from Western countries and the country has become increasingly significant as a logistics hub for Southeast Asia.
Air One gets first 777 freighter
International airline network Air One has taken delivery of its first Boeing 777 Freighter at Boeing’s Everett production facility in Washington.
The production freighter is the first of two new 777Fs purchased by AeroTransCargo FZE, the aviation asset management company and subsidiary of Air One International Holdings. The second aircraft is due to be delivered later in 2025.
The first 777F will be placed on an operating lease with its UK arm, One Air.
Global GSA makes the IT security grade
Global GSA Group’s IT operations have been awarded ISO 27001 certification, the internationally recognized benchmark for information security management systems. The company has demonstrated rigorous technical and organizational controls, including data protection, access management, risk assessment and business continuity planning. It also supports the Group’s alignment with GDPR and other international data protection regulations. Airlines and logistics providers are increasingly seeking partners with proven cybersecurity credentials, says chief executive Aytekin Saray.
The company also undergoes regular SOC 2 Type 2 audits to validate the ongoing effectiveness of its security controls.
Charters support US supply chain in volatile times
It is a challenging time for supply chain decision-makers and managers in the US.
Airfreight is experiencing significant shifts, says Jack Burt, Senior vice president of cargo at broker Chapman Freeborn USA. The introduction of tariffs on a wide range of goods from markets across the globe has ramped up volatility, especially as many of the deadlines for these tariffs change regularly.
He explains: “The net impact of tariffs on air cargo market demand is likely to be negative, as high tariffs could lead to a reduction in international trade volume. Yet air freight has witnessed a surge in recent months with some industry sectors as supply chain managers scramble to move commodities before tariff deadlines kick in.”
According to Xeneta, air freight levels were up 5% in July. In times of volatility like this, air cargo charters are at the leading edge of the industry as they provide premium express deliveries. While tariff uncertainty continues – with higher US-China tariffs postponed for another 90 days – air charter cargos offer supply chain managers a viable option for expediting deliveries and navigating the current complexities in global trade.
On August 12, China and the US agreed to extend a truce in their ongoing tariff war, with the imposition of the much higher tariffs pushed back until November 10. While this is certainly welcome, it extends a period of unprecedented chaos and volatility for US supply chain managers, with no end in sight. Decision-makers have limited visibility in terms of the tariffs that could occur for global purchases. This makes it very hard to make decisions on how to spend capital for a corporation in a smart manner without incurring tariffs.
“It is the arrival date of a shipment in the US, rather than the date of purchase, that matters,” notes Burt. “For this reason, expediting delivery becomes an important tool in supply chain management. This explains the 5% increase in air cargo witnessed in July.”
He continues, “Air cargo charter is at the leading edge of expedited delivery. As a result, when the market shifts or there is any kind of imbalance between supply and demand, it is typical to see a jump in air cargo charters, which is what has occurred in recent months.”
Road, ocean or rail may not be fast enough to navigate these changes, and therefore air freight becomes the preferred option, with regional cargo charter addressing the premium end of the market.
“At present, there has been ample capacity for air charter brokers to handle the current increase in load factor resulting from tariff uncertainty,” Burt observes. “Because globally demand is down, partially as a result of lower trade levels caused by tariffs, aircraft and crews are available so air charter brokers can successfully match supply with demand.”
Of course, this can change quickly and certain regions are more challenging. For example, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia more generally, has less available capacity to meet demand. And naturally, the cheapest air freight capacity is snapped up first. For specialty aircraft, such as heavy lift craft, there is limited capacity, but this is not related to tariffs, there is simply a limited number of these aircraft.
Diverse commodities
A diverse range of products are being transported using air cargo charters. This is partly because the landscape as to which products from which countries are affected by tariffs is continually changing. Tariff rates are unique to individual countries, and then each country has a list of specific commodities that are included or exempted.
“This causes a lot of confusion and also means that products of all sizes and types might be air freighted, everything from textiles to industrial machinery,” says Burt. “High end electronics and computer servers has been one common area for this service. Prior to tariffs in Europe kicking in, expedited delivery on servers used for cryptocurrency mining were popular. Another common commodity type is industrial machinery that needs delivery prior to tariff rates kicking in.”
Burt emphasizes the adaptability of his organization: “In the case of Chapman Freeborn, there has been no need to hire additional staff to cover the uptick in demand. That is because, as an air cargo broker, we’re already set up to respond rapidly to emergencies or urgent requests.
“Our services include humanitarian and disaster relief flights, which are coordinated in a matter of hours. These services depend on a widespread global network of partners. Therefore, increases in demand caused by trade limitations like tariffs can be managed without the need to hire additional staff.”
Naturally, it is important to remain nimble and adaptable in order to respond to ever-changing economic realities.
“It is worth noting that retainer services are also a potential option for supply chain managers,” Burt adds. “In this case, a full consultation is provided to put together a tailored plan which means products can be transported as and when needed. However, even without such a retainer, organizing air cargo shipments within 48 hours is entirely possible.”
Looking ahead
Burt assesses: “The current levels of disruption and uncertainty caused by tariffs show little sign of easing in the coming months. The postponement of higher US-China tariffs will likely result in another push in terms of demand for air cargo charters.
“Supply chain decision-makers will likely wish to ensure essential goods reach the US prior to higher tariff levels being imposed. More generally, we can expect a decline in air cargo as international trade slows. Capital decision makers may also choose to wait for things to settle.
“What is clear is that, despite the current volatility, experienced cargo charter brokers have the network, know-how and team to provide expedited deliveries as and when supply chain managers need them,” he concludes.
Opening Minds in New Jersey
Events and entertainment logistics provider Freight Minds has opened an office in New Jersey. Building on its presence in London and Los Angeles, the New Jersey office extends Freight Minds’ reach into key markets such as Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and other major cities and give around-the-clock support across all US time zones. Freight Minds offers solutions including air and ocean freight, domestic trucking, warehousing, screening, and pallet building.
DoKaSch opens Atlanta station
DoKaSch Temperature Solutions has opened a service station in Atlanta, Georgia. Operated in collaboration with SEKO Logistics, it is located near Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and close to key life science clusters in the Southeast, including Raleigh–Durham. The station will ensure high availability of Opticoolers controlled temperature containers at short notice.