Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC) is delivering bespoke animal handling and containment training to the airport’s airside operations team. It will help staff respond to domestic, exotic, hazardous, and large animals in the event of an incident in a live environment. The training also covers animal behaviour, zoonotic risk, safe handling of dogs and cats, identification and containment of hazardous or exotic species, and response protocols for large animal incidents.
Peter Dunphy, chair of the port health and environmental services committee at the City of London Corporation, which owns HARC, said: “Heathrow Airport handles one of the most diverse live animal flows in the world. That demands more than basic awareness training in scenarios where speed, judgement, and control are critical.”Each year, around 100 farm animals, 300 horses, 1,000 birds, 20,000 dogs and cats, 120,000 reptiles and amphibians, 22 million ornamental fish, and billions of invertebrates arrive at Heathrow. “Airside Operations teams are not necessarily animal specialists, yet they are the first on scene when an incident occurs,” added the Corporation’s assistant director animal health and welfare, Susie Pritchard. “Our role as a leading provider in live animal care and compliance is to share our expertise, set clear standards, and ensure that safety, welfare, and operational continuity are treated as one integrated responsibility.” HARC is the UK’s only Live Animal Border Control Post approved to receive all species. It is IATA CEIV Live Animals certified and operates 24/7 all year round, caring for millions of animals annually, including zoo species and high value consignments.
Lufthansa Cargo’s revenue increased 4% to €3.4 billion in 2025 (previous year: €3.26 billion), while adjusted EBIT earnings rose 29% to €324 million. The adjusted EBIT margin improved by 1.8% to 9.5% (previous year: 7.7%). Available freight capacity also expanded in 2025 to 14.45 billion freight tonne kilometers (+ 5.4%). The average load factor improved by 1.1% to 63%.
The carrier added that its Bold Moves corporate strategy significantly contributed to its success in 2025with the goal of re-establishing Lufthansa Cargo among the world’s top three cargo airlines by 2030, based on revenue freight kilometers and atop five position has been targeted by the end of the 2026 financial year.
The company has been marketing the cargo capacities of Lufthansa Group’s Italian arm ITA Airways; since the winter schedule, excluding routes to and from the US and Canada until regulatory approval is granted.
Lufthansa Cargo chief executive Ashwin Bhat, commented: “We have taken decisive steps in a short period of time to continue improving quality, customer satisfaction, and efficiency at the same time – exactly where our customers experience the greatest value. In parallel, we are advancing our network in a targeted way: Our partnerships with ITA Airways and Swiss WorldCargo open additional opportunities for our customers. Both bring us closer to our goal of making Lufthansa Cargo one of the world’s top three air freight providers by 2030.”
With new A321F destinations such as Katowice, Rome and Beirut in 2025, the company strengthened its European presence as well as its position in the Middle East.
Last mile delivery platform SpeedX has appointed Tim Lock as chief product officer. SpeedX e-commerce deliveries now exceed one million shipments a day across a network serving more than 12,000 zip codes in the US.
He has held senior leadership roles at Maersk and DHL. In his new role he will focus on strengthening the company’s product vision and delivery to accelerate innovation, platform development, and customer impact across its logistics network.
Another rise in air cargo market demand in February 2026, up +6% year-on-year, continued the encouraging spike in volume seen over the previous two months, and signalled underlying market resilience, despite the level of global trade and economic turbulence experienced over the past year.
But, five days into March, and with conflict now escalating in the Middle East, the market outlook is, once again, open to question, says industry analyst Xeneta.
Demand growth last month continued to exceed available capacity growth of +4% year-on-year, boosting dynamic load factor two percentage points higher to 62%. Dynamic load factor is Xeneta’s measurement of capacity utilisation based on volume and weight of cargo flown alongside available capacity.
Boosted by a mini peak season rush ahead of the Lunar New Year, air cargo spot rates recorded their first monthly increase since May 2025, up +5% to US$2.58 per kg. As well as Lunar New Year, this increase was supported by the continued depreciation of the US dollar compared to a year ago.
At a corridor level, Europe-North America saw the biggest year-on-year increase in air cargo spot rates in February of +21%, while demand for semiconductors continued to invigorate Northeast Asia-North America rates. It was the only other corridor to see double-digit growth of +10% in February, compared to a year ago.
Tariff impacts, however, weakened China to US air cargo demand, while China to Europe volumes remained relatively stable, but neither corridor repeated the typical pre-holiday cargo rush at the start of 2025. This hints at what’s likely to happen in 2026. Some Asia-based airlines with strong exposure to e-commerce remain optimistic about growth prospects in 2026, while others are taking a more cautious, wait-and-see stance.
Even before the Middle East conflict escalated, indicators from some freight forwarders suggested they were less upbeat about 2026 and expected a downward pressure on rates as players chased market share, potentially pushing their sell rates to shippers lower.
Middle East
Demonstrating the volatility of international trade and how quickly the outlook picture can pivot, the outlook for air cargo now depends on the length and outcome of conflict in the Middle East.
Military strikes on Iran by the US and Israel, which commenced on 28 February, and Iran’s retaliatory response of targeting its neighbours in the region, brought Middle East commercial airspace to a virtual standstill. Airspace closures and flight cancellations withdrew 12% of global air cargo capacity from the market immediately.
Major regional hubs – such as Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi – temporarily suspended flight operations amid multiple airspace restrictions, causing an immediate impact on the Asia–Europe air cargo corridor. The revenue impact of disrupted flight timetables is just one of the concerns for airlines. Jet fuel, a major airline cost component, could also rise materially if crude prices continue to climb. Industry analysts already report Brent crude oil prices above $80 per barrel, and these could potentially exceed $100 if oil production infrastructure is targeted due to tensions in the region.
If the conflict is brief and flights to/from the Middle East resume quickly, markets will normalise faster and reduce concerns of a longer-term spike in oil prices, but protracted disruption lasting weeks is likely to mean prices on affected markets could double or even triple.
A further escalation of the conflict could trigger a global energy shock and stagflationary pressures reminiscent of the 1970s, with sharply higher oil prices and a significant correction in equity markets, both unwelcome developments in relation to trade volumes, shipping costs, and retail prices.
Security fears for shipping using The Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for roughly 20% of global oil shipments and about 30% of global seaborne oil trade, have already been heightened with attacks on vessels in waters off the Persian Gulf.
Carriers will need to reroute freighters via Central Asia for technical stops or deploy more direct Asia–Europe services, depending on traffic rights, airspace availability, and operational constraints. This situation reduces the flexibility shippers previously relied on during Red Sea disruptions. When Houthi-related risks disrupted ocean routes, some volumes shifted from ocean to air; this time, that option may be more limited. Ocean carriers such as MSC and Maersk, which had previously signalled a return to the Red Sea, have now suspended Suez routings and reverted to round-Africa diversions.
So long as airlines can resume normal operations to, from and over the Middle East region, disruptions to ocean carriers may, once again, rescue air cargo demand and see upward pressure on air freight rates across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Rate increases would be driven primarily by capacity constraints and the speed at which carriers can reallocate lift away from the conflict zone.
Reset
On 21 February, the main talking point for the month was expected to be the US Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down the Trump administration’s broad ‘emergency’ tariffs, the subsequent introduction of temporary 10% tariffs, what it would mean for countries such as China and India, and the outlook for air cargo.
Then, on 28 February, came the strikes on Iran and the start of everything that has happened since. “This is the world we are living in, and the reality for businesses facing one new challenge after another,” said Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s chief airfreight officer.
“If we only had February’s data to focus on, we would say the start of the year has been encouraging for the air cargo market. Now, the stakes are raised.
“Past reactions to previous macro-events show that the global airfreight industry is highly skilled in finding creating solutions. But it will come at the price of higher logistical costs for the owner of the goods. But I am sure they will temporarily have no issue with paying such additional fees as long as they can serve their customers on time. In the coming weeks, we might see (again) the vulnerability and strength of the airfreight industry in the spotlight,” he added.
East European specialist GSSA 4RCargo has appointed Olga Palec-Furga as chief operating officer. She brings over 20 years’ experience in airlines, GSSAs, and airports across Poland.
Palec-Furga will support the senior management team to drive expansion into new markets while maintaining the GSSA’s strong Eastern European ties.
The company recently operations in the Baltic region.
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) is to launch a Reading Room and a Future Thinkers platform in the second quarter of 2026.
Both initiatives will be hosted on the TIACA website and are designed to create accessible, practical resources that support professional development, research visibility, and cross generational learning across the global air cargo community.
The TIACA Reading Room will be a dedicated digital hub showcasing books and literary contributions from industry thought leaders, academics, and researchers. The platform will feature a curated and growing list of relevant book titles, including author information, summaries, categories, and links for access or purchase.
Industry authors are invited to submit their published works for inclusion, creating a living library that captures the evolution of air cargo expertise and thought leadership.
Complementing the Reading Room is the Future Thinkers initiative, a new section of the TIACA website designed to spotlight graduate and postgraduate research focused on aviation, air cargo, sustainability, digitization, and logistics.
The program recognizes that tomorrow’s industry solutions will come from fresh perspectives and emerging talent. Future Thinkers will provide visibility to students and recent graduates who have completed research projects relevant to the air cargo ecosystem, offering the industry direct insight into innovative thinking and emerging trends.
Graduates who wish to share their research are encouraged to submit their work for inclusion, further strengthening the bridge between academia and industry
TIACA chair Roos Bakker, said: “These two initiatives reflect what TIACA stands for at its core, bringing our industry together not only to do business, but to share knowledge and cultivate future leadership. The Reading Room honors the experience and insight that have shaped air cargo over decades, while Future Thinkers ensures we are listening to the new voices that will define what comes next. Strong industries are built on both legacy and fresh perspective.”
TIACA director general, Glyn Hughes, added: “Our industry thrives when ideas move freely across generations and geographies. With the Reading Room, we are creating a home for industry intelligence and thought leadership. Through Future Thinkers, we are opening the door for emerging talent to step into the global conversation. These initiatives strengthen the bridge between academia and industry and help ensure that innovation remains at the heart of air cargo’s evolution.”
On 4 March, Virgin Atlantic said it had restartedlimited flights between London Heathrow and Dubai and Riyadh after Middle East airspace reopened to limited operations It said future operations would depend on evolving security conditions and ongoing risk assessments.
The first Dubai–Heathrow service departed Dubai International Airport at 11:50 am local time.
Chapman Freeborn has been arranging emergency cargo and passenger charter flights, including evacuation missions, amid the current turmoil in the Middle East.
With more than 2,000 flights to and from major Gulf airports cancelled, the broker said it had been working with government ministries and authorities ins multiple countries to deliver critical air including cargo charter flights and time-critical cargo charters.
With airspace restrictions shifting hour by hour, Chapman Freeborn’s global flight support and charter teams are operating 24/7 to keep aircraft moving.
Much Middle Eastern airspace has been temporarily closed or has restricted access while authorities evaluate safety, following the outbreak of attacks in the Middle East. Most carriers have suspended services or diverted aircraft to avoid affected areas, which in turn have increased flight times. Airfreight shippers are urged to check with carriers on the latest situation.
Oman Air said that flights to and from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Dubai remain suspended while flights across the rest of the network may be delayed as a result of longer flight paths. Extra belly hold capacity will also be added to the network over the coming days through new flights between Oman, the UK, Europe, India, and Asia.
Shipping routes have also been badly affected with the Straits of Hormuz now effectively closed to most vessels.
The Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) arm of global handler SATS has completed its acquisition of Aviapartner Cargo at Brussels Airport.
The purchase has now received full regulatory approval and will add full freighter ramp handling, towing, and airside transportation to WFS’s capabilities. Over 200 Aviapartner Cargo employees will join WFS under the terms of the agreement.
WFS opened its own operation in Brussels in 1992 and already provides warehouse handling for over 50 airlines at two facilities totalling nearly 30,000sq m. It also has a presence in Liège, offering ramp and warehouse handling for 12 airlines as well as e-commerce logistics specialist Cainiao.
Aviapartner has provided cargo handling services at Brussels Airport for 75 years, including warehousing for freight forwarders. As part of the acquisition, WFS will take over Aviapartner Cargo’s 33,000sq m cargo terminal at the airport, which houses two specialist pharmaceutical handling areas, a Phyto Sanitary inspection point, and dedicated mail and courier handling services. Aviapartner will continue to deliver ground handling services for passenger airlines and executive/private aviation at Brussels Airport.
