Kuwait-based Agility has finalized its acquisition of UK-based airfreight handler John Menzies PLC and will combine the business with its National Aviation Services (NAS) business. Agility, which sold its Global Integrated Logistics freight forwarding arm to DSV in August 2021, said the combined company will operate as Menzies Aviation and will be the world’s largest aviation services company by number of countries (58) and second largest by number of airports served.
It will provide air cargo services, fuel services and ground services. Customers will include Air Canada, Air China, Air France-KLM, America Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, EasyJet, Emirates, Ethiopian, FlyDubai, Frontier Airlines, IAG, Jazeera, Qantas Group, Qatar Airways, Southwest, Turkish, United Airlines, WestJet and Wizz Air.
Agility-Menzies merger creates world’s largest handler
CargoAi recruits IATA talent
The CargoAi technology group has appointed Veronica Ibarra as its vice president of operations, based in Miami, and Asako Sakurai as head of finance, in Singapore.
Both have worked for over a decade at the IATA trade association, Ibarra’s most recently as global billing operations manager and , Sakurai as settlement operation manager for Asia Pacific.
Launched in 2019, CargoAi aims to bring the best available technologies to airfreight and offers a range of digital solutions to freight forwarders, airlines and GSAs, including a SaaS booking application available either as a marketplace and under White Label, an API Suite that integrates directly into TMS and ERP systems, an AI-powered Cargo Business Intelligence as well as an integrated Sustainability solution that spans the entire portfolio.
Etihad firms up freighter order
Etihad Airways has firmed up an order for seven new generation Airbus A350F freighters, following its earlier commitment announced at the Singapore Airshow, adding to its existing order for passenger versions, five of which have been delivered. The freighter version offers a 109 tonne payload, a large main deck cargo door and fuselage length and capacity optimised around standard pallets and containers.
Virgin to use Envirotainer’s Releye
Virgin Atlantic Cargo has approved the use of Envirotainer’s Releye RLP and RAP containers for pharmaceutical and life science traffic.
The carrier says that the Releye solutions offer the best in live tracking updates and ensure consistent and evenly dispersed cooling, managed through a service ‘control tower’.
The containers can maintain temperature for more than a week (170hrs), longer than other solutions, says Virgin.
More freighters for Air Canada
Air Canada Cargo is to further expand its freighter fleet with the acquisition of two factory-built Boeing 777 freighters, due to enter service in 2024.
The carrier took delivery of a second Boeing 767 converted freighter this year while a further two brand new 767 freighters will enter service in 2023.
Air Canada Cargo vice president Jason Berry said it had been “another exciting quarter” as the carrier reported its second quarter 2022 financial results on 2 August.
He said: “we continue to strategically build our business and invest in our future. The ongoing growth and support from the forwarding community across our global network has been a key to fuelling our future.
“Our careful and targeted investments in our freighter fleet and our self-handled cargo-only ground operations in our major hubs throughout Canada and internationally together with staying laser focused on our quality of service to the vast forwarding community we serve, are key strategies as we continue to strengthen and grow as North America’s only combination carrier.”
Overall, Air Canada reported operating revenues of $3.981 billion, increased almost five times from the second quarter of 2021 but operating expenses increased $2.264 billion to $4.234 billion from the second quarter of 2021.
WACO gains US recruit
The WACO System forwarders’ network has appointed Radiant Global Logistics (RGL) as its US member.
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, RGL is a third-party logistics company with over 100 locations across North America.
It delivers domestic and international freight forwarding services, truck and rail brokerage services and other supply chain management services, including customs brokerage, order fulfilment, inventory management and warehousing.
Chief Commercial Officer, Arnie Goldstein, said: “We look forward to working closely with WACO members and are ready to do business immediately.
“We particularly look forward to meeting all WACO members at the forthcoming Extraordinary General Meeting in November (in Dubai)”
A helping hand (or wing) for Bob the Pigeon
IAG Cargo, oner of British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus among other carriers, has transported a racing pigeon Bob back home after he took an unscheduled 4,000-mile detour to America.
In June, Bob took off from Guernsey for what should have been a ten-hour flight home to Gateshead in North-east England but somehow found himself stranded in Alabama after taking a wrong turn. Clearly, his onboard navigation system is not up to british Airways standards.
Luckily for Bob, and his owner Alan Todd, the Monroe County Alabama Animal Shelter took Bob in and were able to identify who the pigeon belonged to via his microchip.
IAG Cargo and British Airways have worked together to reunite Alan and Bob – and have flown them both back home to the UK.
Bob’s owner commented: “I am delighted to be able to have Bob back with me in Gateshead and that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of IAG Cargo. The cargo staff haven been supportive throughout and have guided me through the process on how they will bring Bob back home.”
In terms of what is next for the star pigeon, Bob was unavailable for comment but according to owner Alan… “He will be treated like royalty. I will give him a nice hot bath and make sure he has his favorite seed in.”
Record earnings for Etihad cargo
Etihad Cargo has announced record-breaking results for the first half of 2022, achieving year-on-year revenue growth of 6% compared to H1 2021 and contributing 35% of Etihad Aviation Group’s operating revenue.
Contributing to this growth have been enhancements to its PharmaLife capabilities, including improved thermal covers that dramatically increase the protection of pharmaceutical cargo during aircraft loading and offloading. Etihad Cargo also posted a 52% increase in the performance of its LiveAnimals service.
The carrier also reported an 81% electronic airway bill penetration rate. It has added more features to its new online booking portal in 2021, which resulted in 57% more bookings made via the portal.
‘Tensions’ boost Geodis revenue
French owned forwarding and logistics group Geodis achieved revenues of €6.748 billion in the first half of 2022, an increase of 34% compared with the previous year. It said that growth was driven by all activities and in particular by freight forwarding. The sustained increase was achieved in a context of extreme tension in maritime and air transport, reflected in high freight rates and shrinking market volumes, it added.
(Picture: Franck Vogel)
IAG revenue on the up
IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group which includes British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, reports second quarter revenue of 2022 €411 million for the period from April 1 to June 30 2022, taking half year revenue to €843m, up 9.6% on the first half of 2021.
IAG Cargo’s Q2 2022 tonnage was up 4.6% whilst overall yield reduced by 2.0% at constant currency versus the same period in 2021.
IAG Cargo says it now offers more destinations into North America from London-Heathrow than pre-pandemic. Route expansion included opening a new service to Portland from London-Heathrow, and new services into Dallas and Washington from its Madrid hub, while flights also restarted services into Pittsburgh.