Canadian carrier WestJet plans to launch flights between Calgary and London Heathrow in spring 2022, operated by 787 aircraft, according to Routes Online. The carrier already plans to fly from Calgary to London Gatwick and has already launched services to Amsterdam Schiphol. It also expects to fly seasonal services between Toronto and Dublin, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
DHL doubles Miami hub with $78 million investment
DHL Express has invested more than $78 million in renovating and expanding its hub at Miami International Airport and has added flights to and from Europe, Asia Pacific, South America – including Chile, Mexico – and other US cities.
DHL Express now operates an average of 193 weekly flights (arrivals and departures) at Miami, through a combination of B737F, B757F, B767F, B777F, and A330F aircraft.
The investment, part of a larger $360 million plan for the region to increase capacity in the DHL Express Americas network by nearly 30% by the end of 2022, includes fully automated package sort system which almost doubles the facility’s hourly capacity.
DHL has also installed two automated energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) Machines at the hub, which provide high-quality 3D CT images and enables advanced automated explosives detection in a high-speed in-line system at the first level of screening.
Warehouse space is also almost doubled to 206,000sq ft with twice the load positions for conveyable packages. By the end of the year, employment at the hub will increase 70% year-over-year to 731 employees.
DHL says that the Americas region experienced B2C shipment growth of 44% in 2020 (YoY), and 21% in 2021 year to date through September, driven by the pandemic and the surge in online consumer purchasing.
Etihad to use AI to boost cargo capacity
Etihad Cargo has entered into a proof-of-concept agreement to use Speedcargo’s artificial intelligence (AI) products to boost capacity on its flights.
Etihad will become the second aviation company it use its Cargo Eye dimensioning system, and among only a few global carriers to trial its Cargo Mind planning and utilisation software.
Cargo Eye, developed with Microsoft’s Time-of-Flight sensing technology, captures imagery of incoming cargo and calculates accurate dimensions based on its type, size and packaging while integrating the data into existing warehouse management systems. It also feeds data into Cargo Mind to accurately build load plans, monitor and promote data compliance and identify damaged cargo to reduce potential claims.
The software could allow the carrier to boost capacity by more than 3,000 tonnes a year while manpower savings could reach 3,720 hours a month while minimising leakage and optimising offload recovery by up to a third. Billing should also become more transparent and accountable and there will be faster response times for freighter charter quotations.”
Etihad Aviation Group senior vice president for sales and cargo, Martin Drew (pictured, left, with Speedcargo founder Dr Suraj Nair), said: “The Proof-of-Concept will confirm whether these advanced Speedcargo products can boost efficiency, productivity and revenue returns through digital technology solutions, with the plan to integrate them into our operations in 2022.”
Activists call for end to monkey flights
Animal protection organisation Action for Primates has called on Spanish holiday charter airline, Wamos Air, to immediately stop transporting monkeys for research laboratories following the deaths this week of several on board its flight from Cambodia to the US.
On Sunday 14 November a consignment of 720 long-tailed macaques was discovered on Flight EB998 from Cambodia to Houston confined inside small transit crates for a flight of 24 hours and a six hour stop-over in Tbilisi, Georgia – in addition to several hours spent in transit to and from the airports.
In recent months, animal protection groups Action for Primates (UK), One Voice (France) and Stop Camarles (Spain) have spearheaded a campaign across Europe calling on Wamos Air to stop transporting monkeys after discovering the Madrid-based airline was flying thousands of monkeys to the US for research.
Co-founder of Action for Primates, Sarah Kite, stated: ”This tragedy exposes the shocking reality of the suffering inherent in the transportation of these intelligent and sentient beings. It is simply not possible to confine non-human primates to small crates, away from familiar surroundings, and transport them on long journeys across the world without causing considerable distress. It is time for Wamos Air to join the long list of airlines that now refuse to be a part of the cruel global trade in monkeys for research.”
The long-tailed macaque is the most heavily traded primate species for the global research and testing industry, with the US being one of the world’s largest importers. In 2020, imports of long-tailed macaques from Cambodia by the US increased by 82.8% to 15,664 animala. Wamos Air, formerly Pullmantur Air, primarily operates passenger charter flights to holiday destinations and is a subsidiary of the Miami-based Royal Caribbean Group.
Turkish Cargo signs Unilode ULD repair deal
Turkish Cargo has appointed Unilode Aviation Solutions to maintain and repair its ULD fleet under a three-year agreement.
Unilode will repair Turkish Cargo’s standard and heavy-duty pallets, pallet nets, cargo and special containers at 22 locations at its EASA and FAA-certified repair network in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas, complementing Turkish Airlines’ in-house repairs in Istanbul.
Vural Ursavas, senior vice president of cargo operations at the carrier, said it would give higher availability and better utilisation of assets while ensuring consistent quality and repair compliance.
Hactl is Hong Kong cargo central
Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) has opened a new Integrated Hactl Control Centre (iHCC), creating a 24-hour single command point.
It centralises operations control, systems control and maintenance control for the first time, with duty managers monitoring the entire SuperTerminal 1 facility – from traffic management at its truck parks through the many different functional areas of the terminal, to airside cargo dispatch.
Monitoring and control was previously decentralised to individual departments, which created a time lag in data collection and sharing.
The iHCC provides comprehensive real time data, and workload forecasts for the coming eight hours, enabling instant adjustments to be made to staffing and resources to cope with any unexpected workload peaks.
It also serves as a fully-integrated emergency centre to ensure effective decision-making and proactive responses to crises.
Hactl’s self-developed cargo management system connects all stakeholders such as government bodies, airlines and freighter forwarders, and processes around a million data transactions a day. There is also a comprehensive 3D Schematic Display System, which graphically shows the position of all cargo and equipment in the terminal’s cargo handling systems; clicking on any ULD or box displays its details and status.
The iHCC is equipped with a CCTV monitoring system covering all 1000+ cameras located throughout the terminal and a flight tracking system assists in predicting aircraft arrivals, and a unit-building monitoring system shows the progress of building and breakdown of units at the terminal’s 466 workstations. AI-based workload forecasting assists managers in making more informed and consistent decisions.
The centre is already proving its value is dealing with the problem of empty containers taking up storage locations in Hactl’s container storage system, due to severely-reduced passenger flight frequencies. Real time data allows the duty manager to make decisions ahead of time.
The big chill
Cold chain airfreight specialist Envirotainer has launched a CryoSure platform for pharmaceuticals requiring transport at -70oC.
Whereas most temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals have involved temperature ranges of 2–8°C and 15–25°C, many pharma products and biospecimen samples require below -70°C shipments. Moreover, many new cell and gene therapy, clinical development, other non-finished products as well as mRNA vaccines have to be transported below -70°C.
The CryoSure platform is based on Linde Seccurus technology and offers duration of up to three weeks.
New Emirates deal to deliver the goods
Emirates SkyCargo signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Post Group at the Dubai Airshow to will work together to develop an e-commerce end-to-end global logistics platform serving the Middle East, Africa and West Asia.
The carrier says it will be the first partnership between an airline cargo carrier and a national postal operator and will combine the global network of Emirates SkyCargo with the last-mile delivery expertise and partnerships of EPG’s ‘Emirates Post’ business.
Nearly two thirds of the world’s population can be reached within an eight hour flight from Dubai, it adds.
Cathay cargo up by a fifth
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific carried 136,949 tonnes of cargo in October, an increase of 19.8% compared to October 2020, but a 25.2% decrease compared with the same period in 2019. The month’s cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) rose 21% year-on-year, but was down 14.9% compared to October 2019. Load factor increased by 4 percentage points to 82.9%, while capacity, measured in available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs), was up by 15.2% year-on-year, but down 30.3% versus October 2019.
Handler on the rise in Pittsburg
Miami-headquartered handler Alliance Ground International (AGI) is expanding its presence at Pittsburgh International Airport with new ramp and warehouse operations. It is also recruiting up to 40 new members of staff to operate services through a 25,000-square-foot facility currently operated by AGI sister company Cargo Force.
Pittsburg is equidistant between Chicago and New York giving access to two major markets within a short drive.
AGI recently announced the expansion of operations New York JFK as well as new facilities at Newark, and last month acquired Chicago-headquartered handler Maestro.