Challenge has added a further Boeing 747-400 freighter to its fleet. The Belgian based carrier now operates ten aircraft, including six Boeing 747-400F and four Boeing 767-300F freighters, and has trebled its fleet in less than three years. The new aircraft will help meet rising demand for perishable transportation out of Africa, e-commerce shipments from China, and transatlantic trade.
Carriers make cautious return to Libya
Turkish Airlines is returning to Benghazi in Libya after suspending flights for over a decade.
It plans to introduce three times a week Boeing 737-800 and 737-900 flights between Istanbul Airport and Benina International Airport from 14 January. The carrier suspended operations to Libya in November 2014 from the start of the unrest that led to the downfall of General Gadhafi.
Turkish Airlines has already resumed five times a week flights to the Libyan capital Tripoli in April 2024.
Other carriers that have introduced or reintroduced flights to Libya include Afriqiyah Airways. Berniq Airways, Libyan Airlines, Belaviaand Egyptair while Italy’s ITA Airways is planning to start services to Tripoli in January.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) currently warns airlines to avoid Libyan airspace due to a high risk of attacks on civil aviation but allows exceptions for flights to coastal airports under certain conditions including approaches from over the sea.
IATA launches tracker safety scheme
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched an Air Cargo Device Assessment Program to validate air cargo tracking devices, data loggers and sensor-equipped devices for compliance with industry safety standards. The Assessment validates compliance with IATA’s Recommended Practice 1693, which provides critical safety guidance for electromagnetic compatibility and battery safety. Validation data will be accessible via ONE Source which provides a single access point to stakeholders searching for approved tracking devices.
It streamlines the validation process by eliminating repetitive documentation requirements, facilitates easier access to airline contacts for device authorization, and enhances visibility in the global market. Airlines benefit from safer operations with fewer undeclared devices, simplified internal approval processes, and a consolidated repository of approved devices. Shippers and forwarders also gain centralized access to approved device information, enabling better planning for routing and carrier selection.
First flights for new Dubai freighter operator
New Dubai-based cargo carrier SolitAir has launched its first daily scheduled flights between its home country and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The 737-800 freighter service, between Dubai World Central (DWC) and Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport is carrying cargo on both legs of the journey and operates five days a week, Tuesday to Saturday. It is operated by one of two SolitAir’s narrow-body Boeing 737-800 freighters, with a capacity of 23 tonnes.
A further Boeing similar freighter will join the fleet in January next year to enable the company’s immediate expansion plans which include routes to India and Bangladesh, key markets across Africa, central Asia and other Middle Eastern hubs. Eventually, SolitAir aims to connect over 50 Global South cities within a six-hour flying radius from Dubai.
Rhenus joins carrier SAF scheme
Global forwarder Rhenus has joined the Air France KLM Martinair Cargo Investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) program. to help cut emissions in aviation. The scheme by the French-Dutch carrier enables companies to contribute to the use and development of SAF for their shipments, derived from renewable sources such as waste oils and agricultural residues. The investment in SAF also supporta Air France KLM Martinair Cargo’s efforts to scale its production.
Charlotte Elpers to lead KLM Cargo operations
KLM Cargo has appointed Charlotte Elpers as vice-president worldwide operations, effective from 1 March 2025. She will the Dutch carrier’s global cargo operations, bringing nearly two decades of leadership experience within the KLM Group, most recently as vice president passenger services at Schiphol. She succeeds Koen Bolster who becomes executive vice president hub operations on 1 February.
Delta signs deal with Cargo.one
Delta Cargo has signed a long-term agreement with digital air freight procurement platform Cargo.one to expand its services and presence to more freight forwarding branches. The deal will allow Cargo.one’s user base of more than 20,000 forwarders to discover, quote, book and track Delta Cargo capacity via the platform.
Starting in spring of 2025, Cargo.one will offer Delta Cargo capacity for general cargo bookings in select markets.
Menzies Macau wins Li-batt mark
Menzies Aviation has been awarded IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators Lithium Batteries (CEIV Li-batt) certification for its cargo operations at Macau International Airport. Macau is the first location across the Menzies network to receive this certification, with other locations set to follow.
Qatar interline bookings go online
Qatar Airways Cargo is offering online bookings with instant confirmations to interline partners through its Digital Lounge portal. Interline partners can now manage online bookings without having to contact local station staff, reducing the manual exchange of booking emails.
The Interline booking feature is currently being used by American Airlines Cargo and Latam Cargo to manage all their bookings on Qatar Airways Cargo flights and Qatar Airways aims to extend Digital Lounge to all its interline partners in the coming months.
Digital Lounge features also include tracking and tracing, uploading of multiple dimensions per shipment, notifications configuration per air waybill, BUP bookings with ULD details, allotment bookings and a 24/7 in-house technical support team.
Recently, Qatar Airways Cargo introduced a ‘My Allotments’ feature on the portal, providing real-time visibility, prevents overbooking, and optimised shipment planning.
Hellmann appoints airfreight head
German forwarder Hellmann has appointed Martin Habisreitinger as chief operating officer airfreight, with effect from February 1, 2025.
Martin Habisreitinger brings over 20 years of experience in global airfreight management, having held senior roles at Kühne & Nagel, DB Schenker, and most recently DHL Global Forwarding, where he served as vice president for Starbroker Asia Pacific.
He will succeed Jan Kleine-Lasthues, who, after 13 successful years with Hellmann, has decided to pursue other opportunities. Martin Habisreitinger will report to Madhav Kurup, who will assume the position of COO airfreight, seafreight, and contract logistics on the Global Management Board at the beginning of next year.