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.
Norwegian based transatlantic carrier Norse Atlantic Airways has selected technology firm CargoAi to digitise its cargo operations. It gives over 27,000 forwarders access to its cargo capacity and pricing — via both the CargoAi marketplace and direct connections to transport management systems. Norse Atlantic operates a modern fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners on transatlantic routes between Europe and North America.
Emirates SkyCargo is deploying two additional weekly freighters, to Mumbai and Ahmedabad in India. It currently serves India with three weekly freighters – one to Mumbai and two to Ahmedabad – as well as bellyhold capacity in 167 passenger services to nine gateways.
The new freighter service to Mumbai will launch on 4 March 2026, and connect Dubai, Singapore and India, while the Ahmedabad service will be a direct and dedicated freighter, and also launch in March.
The carrier will also deploy a dedicated weekly freighter to Dhaka, Bangladesh, from April 2026.
Emirates SkyCargo has also built a trucking system with over 1,000 vehicles transporting almost 5,500 tonnes of cargo across India. It recently added Coimbatore and Goa to the network.
IAG Cargo has launched a dedicated Aircraft on Ground (AOG) service for the urgent transport of aircraft parts.
The service capitalises on IAG’s network of more than 250 destinations and also benefits from its presence near major manufacturing and maintenance hubs in Europe and North America.
Shipments booked through AOG are managed by specialist teams available 24/7 who provide rapid triage and real time updates.
Recent market research valued the AOG logistics sector at US$3.14 billion in 2025 and anticipates this will grow to $4.16 billion by 2032, driven by increasing air traffic, ageing fleets and leaner inventory strategies.
DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Express have helped rescue eight big cats from captivity in Honduras and brought them new lives in the US after a complex international rescue.
The animals – five tigers and three lions – had been living in conditions that, despite the care provided, could not meet their long term species specific needs. Now, following months of recovery and preparation, they have been transported from San Pedro Sula to accredited sanctuaries where they will receive lifelong, specialized care.
Around the world, wildlife experts continue to encounter big cats kept in makeshift zoos, private backyards or improvised attractions but when rescued, they cannot simply be returned to the wild. They need places where they can heal.
For Guru, Sultan, Amir, Deborah, Aira, Cyrus, Zephora and Juancito, the mission was a new beginning.
DHL created a transport plan designed entirely around the animals’ well-being. An isolated section of the airport was secured to give the big cats a quiet, calm environment during loading. Specially certified crates were prepared to reduce noise and stimuli. DHL Express provided a dedicated freighter aircraft for a direct flight to Miami, chosen specifically to reduce stress and shorten travel time. On board, four veterinarians never left the animals’ side.
When the aircraft touched down in Miami, the cats were transferred to two accredited facilities: Carolina Tiger Rescue and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge.
There, they will finally have the chance to stretch, explore, rest in shaded quiet, feel grass beneath their paws, and rediscover behaviors that captivity had denied them.
US/UK express specialist Mark 3 International has acquired the Tricargo air cargo sales solution.
Created by the independent, non-profit Federation of Airline General Sales Agents (FEDAGSA), Tricargo will continue to allow freight forwarders to search for airfreight capacity and pass booking requests to general sales and service agents (GSSAs) and airlines.
Mark 3 chief executive Matthew Ware, said: “For too long, the air cargo market has been fractured, making it difficult for freight forwarders to easily access the right airfreight options while GSAs have also found it hard to connect with the right forwarders. Our custodianship of Tricargo will ensure it remains a neutral, trusted space where freight forwarders and GSAs connect to ensure best value for their customers.”
FEDAGSA is a neutral, international, not for profit federation representing GSAs who act as local representatives and sales partners for airlines in various markets worldwide, handling sales, marketing, and providing significant service support.
Mark 3 recently announced a partnership with DPD, new warehousing facilities at New York JFK and soon Los Angeles, and a partnership with New York-based Dobby AI, to develop advanced tools for optimising data management.
General Secretary at FEDAGSA, Glenn Shires, added: “We are very happy to see Mark 3 taking on responsibility for Tricargo, which can be trusted by many GSAs and forwarders around the world. “With Mark 3’s backing, we’re confident Tricargo will deliver a neutral window to enable our members to connect with more freight forwarders who need their services, providing one window to view all options.
“Mark 3 has a proven track record of investing in technologies that deliver value, improve productivity, and meet the challenges of a volatile trading environment.”
Picture: Tima Miroshnichenko
Etihad Cargo said it delivered a strong performance in 2025, increasing revenue by 8% year-on-year while transporting 703,000 tonnes, a 9% rise. It said the results reflect sustained demand across key trade lanes and the continued strength of its specialised product portfolio.
Significant growth was recorded across core verticals. FlyCulture – the transportation of artwork, cultural heritage and museum exhibitions – increased by 89%. LiveAnimals grew 121% year-on-year, supported by specialised handling expertise. PharmaLife expanded by 22% and the luxury vehicle service, FlightValet saw a 174% increase.
With its partnership with SF Airlines, Etihad Cargo became the largest cargo operator between mainland China and the Middle East.
Etihad Cargo achieved a Delivered As Promised rate of 88% alongside an On-Time Performance (OTP) of 81%,.
It expanded freighter services across key global hubs, including Shenzhen, Ezhou, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Paris, and Frankfurt, alongside new deployments from Phnom Penh and East Midlands. It also secured dedicated Boeing 777 freighter capacity operated by Atlas Air, bringing its total freighter fleet to six aircraft.
