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SolitAir moves into Africa

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UAE dedicated express cargo airline SolitAir is expanding its network based at its Dubai World Central hub into Africa with destinations including Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Eldoret and Nairobi in Kenya, Benghazi in Libya, Johannesburg, Lusaka and Harare.

Earlier, the carrier signed an agreement with World Star Aviation for two Boeing 737-800 freighter aircraft, the first of which was delivered earlier this month and the second due to join the fleet in October.

SolitAir aims to have a fleet of 20 aircraft by 2027, connecting over 50 cities within a six-hour flight radius from Dubai, specialising in temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, e-commerce and hazardous materials.   

Cathay to resume Seattle service

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Cathay Pacific is to relaunch services between Hong Kong and Seattle in April 2026, a route that has not operated since the beginning of the pandemic. It will be maintained five times a week by Airbus A350-900 aircraft. No other carrier currently flies direct between the two cities, Delta Air Lines having dropped the route in 2018.

Cathay’s service from Hong Kong to  Dallas-Forth Worth, launched in April, will increase from four flights a week to daily flights from October 26.

Airfreight tracking gets smart

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Etihad Cargo has officially launched SmartTrack premium real-time shipment visibility service. Unveiled earlier this year at Air Cargo Europe 2025 in Munich, SmartTrack it is now available to customers worldwide through the Etihad Cargo website.

SmartTrack delivers live location updates and condition monitoring using cellular, GPS and Wi-Fi connectivitywith instant alerts on temperature, humidity, shock, tilt and light events. It has also introduced a dedicated 24/7 SmartTrack Control Centre, providing live case tracking, severity-based alert prioritisation, and actionable workflows for real-time intervention, repair and resolution.

A new customer dashboard  offers a single, intuitive interface for shipment monitoring. Accessible via secure single sign-on across mobile and web platforms. Users can track shipments in real time by AWB, origin, destination or product type, monitor live sensor data and receive proactive SLA notifications, access custody chain insights g pre- and post-Etihad Cargo handling and receive instant alerts on milestone delays, geofence violations and temperature excursions.

Cargolux handler to go digital with IBS

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Luxcargo Handling, a subsidiary of European all-cargo airline Cargolux has partnered with IBS Software to streamline its ground handling operations. It will implement iCargo CTO (Cargo Terminal Operations) to update legacy systems including barcode scanners with real time data capture. It will also benefit from accelerated adoption of paperless processes and  digitised workflows through mobiles. It will also serve as a foundation for adoption of new industry standards like Cargo One Record.

DHL Post to restart shipments to US

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The Post & Parcel Germany division of DHL Group says it is one of the first service providers to resume shipments from Germany to the US for business customers. Four weeks ago Deutsche Post/DHL and many other postal service providers had to suspend this type of shipping to the country due to the suspension of De Minimis duty concessions.

The service will restart on 25 September.

DHL says this is made possible by the ‘Postal Delivered Duty Paid’ (PDDP) service, which it previously offered only for goods shipping to Norway, the UK, and Switzerland but which will now be extended to the US. It has also overhauled data collection, customs reporting, and payment of applicable customs fees to comply with the new customs regulations.

Business customers who wish to send goods valued up to and including $800 by post to the US should note that goods valued up to and including this amount have been subject to customs duties since 29 Augus. A duty-free threshold of $100 applies only to private gifts.

The PDDP service is mandatory for postal goods shipping via DHL, where the sender covers all import duties for their recipient customers in advance. Senders must provide complete and accurate customs data, particularly the customs tariff number and country of origin for each item.

The price for the PDDP service to the US is €2 per shipment and fees from the service provider – referred to as the “Qualified Party” – and the customs duties themselves will be passed on to business customers without any markup.

Packages from private individuals to private individuals with a value up to $100, declared as “gift,” are not affected by the new regulations. However, these shipments will be monitored more closely than before to prevent misuse.

Swisspoint appoints North America VP

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Swissport has appointed Ajay Barolia  as executive vice president cargo for North America. He joined the airfreight handler in June 2024 as senior vice president North America, and brings three decades of industry expertise, including digital transformation, quality, health, safety, and environmental standards. Barolia leads a regional team of four vice presidents overseeing the East, West, Express, and Canada.

Qatar adds space to the Americas

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Qatar Airways Cargo is increasing bellyhold capacity between its Doha hub and Sao Paulo from 14 to 18 weekly flights while Toronto goes up from five to seven weekly flights. There are also increased to London, Dublin, Madrid, Berlin, Frankfurt Casablanca, Cape Town, Johannesburg and the Far East. It has also upgraded its Zanzibar route toi a widebody aircraft.

Global K9 signs Dutch deal

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US-based air cargo security firm Global K9 has signed a partnership with Het Twickelerveld Cargo Screening in the Netherlands. Het Twickelerveld, established in 2005, is specializes in training and handling canines for cargo security. The two companies will collaborate across not only in canine operations, but X-ray, Explosive Trace Detection (ETD), and authorized representative work.

It follows Global K9’s acquisition of UK-based screening company, Dog Detectives, at the end of 2024.

Founder and chief executive, Eric Hare (pictured) said: “By combining our proven detection services with Het Twickelerveld’s local expertise, this agreement is aimed at replicating our successful US operations, providing enhanced security solutions across the region.  Our goal is to provide the same level of excellence in Europe that our clients have come to expect in the US, building upon our growing global presence.”

Turkish Cargo launches aerospace offering

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Turkish Cargo has launched TK Aero, a logistics product for the aviation industry. It offers two variants – TK Aero Spare for transportation of aircraft parts, including landing gear, wings, and avionics systems. There are no weight or size limitations and shipments enjoy priority handling and loading, with shipments directed to the first available flight at the SMARTIST facility in Istanbul Airport, shipments handled quickly are directed to the first available flight.

TK Aero Advanced is for large, heavy aircraft engines and helicopter components. Before each transport, an engineering analysis is conducted based on the component’s structure and aircraft type, and a customized loading scenario prepared and, for engine transport, standard 0perating procedures) specific to each type are applied.

A Certified Aircraft Loadmaster team ensures the operational plan is correctly implemented on site.

Requests for engine shipments are received digitally via the TKGO platform or website.

FedEx Express opens freight facility in British Midlands

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Federal Express has opened a new 19,000 sq. ft facility at East Midlands Airport. It operates independently from the company’s existing parcel sorting operations and will enhance freight handling efficiency, while providing better connections to FedEx’s global network.

The location has multiple trailer docks and recessed building pits for safer handling, enabling a more streamlined and efficient process for preparing freight.

Managing director of UK Air Operations, Steve Johnson, said: “This new freight facility builds on the momentum of our recent expansion in Manchester and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to strengthening our operations across the UK. Together, these commitments create a more resilient and connected FedEx network, enabling us to support the increasing flow of goods between the East Midlands, the Northwest, and international markets. For businesses in the East Midlands, the additional capacity and enhanced safety features mean more efficient access to the US, Asia-Pacific, EU, and beyond – helping them seize growth opportunities in a rapidly evolving global trade environment.”