Amsterdam-based Wholesale By Vels (WBV) has launched a trade-only wholesale airfreight booking platform, CargoPilot. It says that it differs from existing online booking portals in that it is targeted at non-IATA freight agents, and uses WBV’s own IATA licence and CASS membership, giving users direct access to attractive airline rates which are not normally available to them, while carriers are relieved of any financial risk as WBV settles all billing on behalf of the booker.

While initially only available in Europe, it is looking for representatives to offer the service in other countries.

CargoPilot also produces live, dynamically-priced quotes for a choice of  carriers, just as if the agent were IATA-registered and booking direct. Rates are for next available flights – not deferred, block space agreements – so that agents can move their customers’ shipments more quickly, while also taking full advantage of the (often) lower rates offered for short-notice bookings.

CargoPilot also ensures that all shipments tendered for carriage have been vetted by WBV, and fully comply with all aspects of the IATA European Air Cargo Programme.

CargoPilot offers a choice of airport-to-airport, airport-to-door, door-to-airport and door-to-door services available for the next seven days for 26 major carriers. More will be added as data systems integration is completed.

Users add their required profit margin to the quote, and finalised PDF quotes are then generated. Saved quotes can then be converted to bookings, which are sent direct to the airline and any additional selected service provider. Once a booking is made through CargoPilot, the user has access to real-time tracking information.

CargoPilot co-founder Rinaldo Vels, who launched Wholesale by Vels in 2020 said: “We believe CargoPilot is truly different to anything available in the market today. It combines a powerful airline cargo rates quotation tool with a unique value-add quoting and booking facility. It makes dynamic prices on IATA carriers available to agents who do not have IATA recognition. That means their cargo moves faster and often more economically than it would using traditional wholesalers.”

WBV is about to open further offices in Germany and Italy, which will also offer the CargoPilot product. To extend CargoPilot’s reach to further markets, it is also creating a CargoPilot Alliance, which will recruit exclusive members to offer its services in their own territories.

Vels adds: “We are keen to talk to any professional airfreight business that is IATA-recognised and CASS-connected, and which will uphold our strict trade-only, best practice model. But we will only accept one member per territory.”

Pictured (left to right): Chris Notter (airfreight consultant) and CargoPilot co-founders Rinaldo Vels Mike Kroonenburg at the launch event