FedEx MD-11Fs Ready for Service in May
FedEx announced that its fleet of 29 MD-11 freighters will return to service in May, ending a six‑month grounding triggered by an FAA emergency airworthiness directive after a fatal UPS MD-11 crash. The directive required extensive inspections of the aging aircraft, most of which are over 30 years old, with the oldest reaching 36 years. FedEx’s move contrasts with UPS, which plans to retire its MD-11s in favor of newer Boeing 767Fs. The restart restores a key segment of FedEx’s domestic cargo capability.
K+N ‘Well Positioned’ to Manage Any Potential Jet Fuel Shortages
Kuehne+Nagel says it is "well‑positioned" to manage jet‑fuel shortages that could arise from a Strait of Hormuz closure. CEO Stefan Paul is scenario‑planning with large shippers, noting that Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand have the lowest fuel capacity, while China holds...
First 777-8F Spotted at Boeing’s Factory
Boeing revealed the first near‑complete 777‑8F freighter at its Everett facility, a month after assembling the mid‑fuselage and composite wings. The aircraft, designated WG001 for launch customer Cargolux, follows the creation of the first wing spar and the start of...
Çelebi Aviation Enters Kenyan Cargo Handling Market
Turkey‑based Çelebi Aviation has entered Kenya’s air‑cargo market by acquiring Africa Flight Services, the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport ground handler, for $40.1 million. The deal adds cargo handling, warehousing and ground‑service capabilities to Çelebi’s portfolio and is billed as a key milestone...
US Carriers See Mixed Q1 for Cargo as United Adds ‘Disruption Fee’
U.S. airlines posted mixed cargo results in Q1 2026. United Cargo’s revenue slipped 1.6% to $422 million and it announced a new weight‑based “Market Disruption Fee” effective May 1 to offset rising jet‑fuel costs. In contrast, American Airlines saw cargo revenue surge...
AmWorld Group Swoops on Crossflight to Expand Offering
AmWorld Group has acquired UK‑based courier specialist Crossflight to broaden its logistics portfolio. The deal adds courier, mailing, storage, fulfilment and project‑events capabilities to AmWorld’s existing freight services. Post‑integration the combined entity will offer international and domestic road, sea and...
K+N Sees Airfreight Revenues and Profits Slide in Q1
Kuehne+Nagel reported a 9% year‑on‑year decline in Q1 airfreight revenue to Sfr 1.6 bn (≈$1.76 bn) and a 4.3% drop in EBIT to Sfr 111 m (≈$122 m), even though volumes nudged up 0.4% to 516,000 tonnes. The revenue dip was partly due to a weaker...
Geosky Airlines Begins China-Denmark Freighter Flights
Geosky Airlines, a Georgian cargo carrier, has launched regular freighter services linking Xi’an, China, with Copenhagen, Denmark, via a stop in Tbilisi, Georgia. The route is operated with Boeing 767‑300 passenger‑to‑freighter aircraft and expands Geosky’s network that already reaches 66...
Ethiopian Adds Hong Kong-Prestwick E-Commerce Freighter Flights
Ethiopian Airlines has begun scheduled freighter flights between Hong Kong International Airport and Glasgow Prestwick, operating three times a week. The service supports the surge in e‑commerce shipments, complementing Prestwick’s recent upgrade that saw Terminal E handle 25 million parcels in February. The...
Forwarders Welcome Cathay Cargo’s New Medium-Haul Fuel Surcharge
Hong Kong freight forwarders welcomed Cathay Cargo's introduction of a medium‑haul fuel surcharge for South Asian routes, but they continue to protest overall surcharge hikes. The carrier's long‑haul surcharge rose from HK$3.2 to HK$18.6 per kg (≈$0.41 to $2.38), short‑haul...
My Freighter Adds 10th Freighter
Uzbekistan‑based cargo carrier My Freighter added a tenth aircraft, a Boeing 767‑300BDSF, on 17 April after a ferry flight from the United States via Ostrava. The 30‑year‑old plane previously flew for Cargojet, which signed an interline agreement with My Freighter in December 2025....
DHL Achieves 10% SAF Blending Ratio in 2025
DHL reported that its own aircraft reached a 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending ratio in 2025, the highest level in years. The German logistics firm aims to lift SAF usage to 30% of its air transport fuel by 2030....
CharterSync Tackles Charter Pricing Visibility Challenge
CharterSync has upgraded its digital pricing platform with an enhanced quote format that displays all ancillary costs, giving freight forwarders a transparent view of charter aircraft pricing. The new layout simplifies comparisons and reduces back‑and‑forth negotiations. The upgrade follows a...
GSSA of the Year Award Open for Entry
The Air Cargo News Awards have opened entries for the 2026 GSSA of the Year category, sponsored by Etihad Cargo. The award targets ground service suppliers that have launched new products, services, or significant investments in the past year, emphasizing...
Geodis Adds Chicago Pharma Cross-Dock Facility
Geodis has launched a 78,000 sq ft cross‑dock and bonded facility near Chicago O’Hare, featuring a 5,200 sq ft temperature‑controlled area split into deep‑cold (15‑25 °C) and refrigerated (2‑8 °C) zones. The site earned IATA’s CEIV Pharma certification and Certified Cargo Screening Facility status, marking the...
Seasoned Broker ACS Steps in on Urgent Condiment Shipment
Air Charter Service (ACS) stepped in to prevent a Nicaraguan meat‑product plant shutdown by chartering an Airbus A330‑200F to move 18 tons of seasoning from Mexico. The client initially sought a next‑flight‑out (NFO) service, but ACS proposed a single 51‑ton charter...
Hactl Appoints Cathay’s Frosti Lau as CEO
Hong Kong’s leading air‑cargo handler Hactl announced the appointment of former Cathay Pacific executive Frosti Lau as its chief executive, effective 8 June 2026. Lau succeeds Wilson Kwong, who departed after an eight‑year tenure to join MTR Corporation. The new CEO brings more than...
MSC Air Cargo Targets APAC Growth with Shanghai Station
MSC Air Cargo officially opened a dedicated station at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, cementing its push into the Asia‑Pacific market. The move follows a 2025 partnership with China‑based parcel leader SF Express and Shanghai Airport Authority Logistics Development Co. (AVINEX) to...
Airbus’ A350F Cargo Door Arrives with Test Flights Set for H2
Airbus received the 4.3‑metre main‑deck cargo door for its A350F freighter prototype in Toulouse on 21 April, and integration begins the next day. The door completes the last major hardware piece, clearing the path for first flight trials slated for September‑October...
LATAM Cargo Teams up with Quick Cargo Service on SAF
LATAM Cargo has partnered with freight forwarder Quick Cargo Service to deploy Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on its Frankfurt‑São Paulo cargo flights during the 2025‑26 winter season. The agreement calls for 24,000 litres of SAF, delivering an estimated 55.8 metric tons of CO₂e...
MASkargo and Teleport Team up on Southeast Asia Cargo
MASkargo and Teleport have formed a partnership to add dedicated Airbus A321F freighter capacity on intra‑Southeast Asia routes, starting with Kuala Lumpur‑Phnom Penh. The deal gives MASkargo, Malaysia Airlines’ cargo arm, greater flexibility and faster transit times amid rising e‑commerce, perishables...
YunExpress Adds East Midlands Airport Cargo Facility
YunExpress has opened a 7,000‑sq‑m cargo hub at East Midlands Airport, now certified as a Regulated Agent and approved for temporary storage by the UK Border Force. The facility will handle its first flight on 30 April, supporting four weekly Boeing 777...
Brussels Airport and United Cargo Target Virginia Pharma Volumes
Brussels Airport, United Airlines and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership have signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a dedicated pharmaceutical cargo corridor between Brussels Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. United Cargo will operate a daily flight focused on...
Airfreight Rates Continue to Rise Despite Demand Weakness
Airfreight spot rates surged in mid‑April, reaching $3.76 per kilogram, a 37% year‑on‑year increase and over 40% higher than pre‑war February levels. The rise occurs despite an 8% drop in demand and a modest 3% decline in capacity, as airlines...
Menzies Expands in New Zealand with New Auckland Terminal
Menzies Aviation has opened a 32,000 sq m dedicated airside cargo terminal at Auckland Airport, the first of its kind in New Zealand, secured under a 15‑year lease. The facility aims for IATA CEIV Pharma certification by year‑end and will use Nallian’s Truck...
Busy Start to the Year for Liege Airport’s Cargo Business
Liege Airport reported a solid start to 2026, with cargo volumes climbing 15.6% year‑on‑year to 342,845 tonnes and aircraft movements rising 7% to 7,247 flights in the first quarter. Export freight surged 20% YoY, propelled by e‑commerce, perishables and international...
Cathay Cargo Volumes up in March but Middle East Challenges Persist
Cathay Cargo reported an 11% year‑over‑year increase in March cargo volumes, with available freight tonne kilometres rising 2%. The growth was driven by heightened demand for priority shipments as shippers adjusted to market shifts caused by the Middle East conflict....
Lufthansa Cargo A321Fs Grounded Due to CityLine Cuts
Lufthansa Cargo’s four Airbus A321 freighters have been temporarily grounded after Lufthansa CityLine’s 27‑aircraft fleet was removed amid cost‑cutting measures. The grounding follows a broader Lufthansa Group plan to shed excess capacity, including the upcoming retirement of four A340‑600s and...
Middle East War Dampens Schiphol’s March Cargo Volumes
Air cargo at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol slipped 2.6% in March, handling 128,281 tonnes, as the Middle East conflict curbed regional shipments. Full‑freighter movements rose to 59% of the mix, gaining three points year‑over‑year. While inbound volumes from the Far East,...
Wings OBC Renews and Expands with Air Logistics Group
Wings Onboard Courier (Wings OBC) has renewed its exclusive General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) agreement with Air Logistics Group, extending coverage across the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, France, Portugal, Italy and Spain, and adding Germany effective June 1. The partnership,...
IATA Calls on Regulators to Suspend Airport Slot Rules During Middle East Crisis
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is urging governments to temporarily suspend the 80/20 airport slot utilisation rule by invoking the Justified Non‑Use of Slots (JNUS) exemption. The request targets a rolling six‑week period to accommodate airlines unable to meet...
ACN Awards: Enter the Air Cargo Pharma Category
The Air Cargo News (ACN) Awards have launched a new Air Cargo Pharma category, sponsored by Hong Kong handler Hactl, inviting entries from any air‑cargo stakeholder that introduced an innovative pharmaceutical transport solution in the past year. The competition, part of...
Boeing Delivers Three 777Fs in March
Boeing delivered three new‑build 777F freighters in March 2026, raising the year‑to‑date total to eight. Two aircraft went to Emirates and one to MSC Air Cargo, adding to earlier deliveries for Silk Way West, CES Leasing, Qatar Airways and National Airlines....
BIFA Parts with Smart Freight Centre on Emissions Training
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has partnered with Smart Freight Centre (SFC) to provide emissions‑reporting training for its members. The SFC Academy will offer discounted courses covering the GLEC Framework, market‑based measures, and road‑freight electrification. The collaboration responds to...
Nippon Express and Nikon Sign SAF Agreement
Japanese logistics firm Nippon Express and camera maker Nikon have renewed a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) agreement for air cargo shipments, marking the second consecutive year of collaboration. The deal leverages Nippon’s NX‑GREEN SAF program to issue CO₂‑reduction certificates for...
A4E Calls for Measures to Help Airlines Manage Middle East Impact
Airlines for Europe (A4E), representing 80% of European traffic, urged the EU to adopt temporary measures to cushion airlines from the Middle East conflict’s fallout. The group asked for slot‑protection rules to cover airspace closures and fuel shortages, a relaxation...
National Airlines Adds First of Four 777Fs
National Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing 777‑200F freighter in April 2026, the first of four ordered in 2024. The new‑build aircraft joins a fleet that already includes nine 747‑400 freighters, six of them conversions. The 777F adds longer...
Icelandair Renews and Expands with ACL Airshop
Icelandair has renewed and expanded its partnership with ACL Airshop, signing a five‑year agreement to manage its unit load device (ULD) fleet. The contract adds dedicated fleet management for scheduled flights, short‑term ULDs for charters, global MRO services, consumables, logistics...
CH Robinson Says Air Cargo Capacity Lower than Schedules Indicate
CH Robinson warns that usable air‑cargo capacity is tighter than scheduled figures suggest, as longer routings, fuel‑saving measures and selective cancellations bite into lift, especially on Europe‑bound services from Asia impacted by Middle‑East airspace closures. Global air‑cargo capacity is down...
ACS Helps Get Huskies to Alaska Sled Race
Air Charter Service (ACS) arranged a nonstop charter flight from Oslo to Anchorage, transporting 36 husky dogs and their handlers for the Iditarod sled race. The company selected a Boeing 757‑200F to keep the payload under two tons and avoid...
Alaska Airlines Selects Kales in the UK, Ireland and Italy
Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier Hawaiian Airlines have appointed Kales Airline Services to provide ground‑side sales agency (GSSA) services in the UK, Ireland and Italy. Kales will deliver online agency support in the UK and Italy and offline assistance...
Global Airfreight Tonnage Drops 4% in March
WorldACD data show global air‑freight tonnage slipped 4% year‑on‑year in March, reversing the double‑digit gains recorded in January and February. The Middle East and South Asia (MESA) region bore the brunt, with a 21% volume drop, while Africa, Europe and...
Jazeera Airways Adds Air-Land Cargo Operation to Navigate Airspace Closures
Kuwait‑based low‑cost carrier Jazeera Airways has launched an air‑land cargo service from Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Qaisumah‑Hafar Al‑Batin to bypass the closure of Kuwait International Airport amid the US‑Iran conflict. The cargo is processed by...
Avianca Cargo Adds Quito-Miami Flights Using Amazon Capacity
Avianca Cargo has added a new Quito‑Miami service, operating five flights per week. The flights use lift capacity provided by Amazon Air Cargo, extending the partnership that began in 2025 with Bogotá‑Miami. The route is aimed at meeting rising demand...
Lufthansa Cargo Warns of Potential Delays as Pilots Strike
Lufthansa Cargo warned customers on April 13 that a two‑day pilots strike could delay shipments across its network. The strike, involving pilots from Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Airlines and CityLine, is slated to end at midnight on April 14. While flights...
March Sees Airfreight Rates Surge with More Increases to Come
Airfreight rates surged in March, with the TAC Index showing a 9.4% rise over four weeks and a 10% year‑on‑year increase. Rates on the Hong Kong‑Europe lane jumped 13.2% YoY to $4.97 per kilogram, while Hong Kong‑North America slipped 3.4%...
MASkargo Resumes Freighter Operations to Ho Chi Minh City
MASkargo has restarted its scheduled freighter service between Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Ho Chi Minh City, re‑establishing a key Southeast Asian trade lane. The airline operates three Airbus A330‑200F aircraft, each capable of carrying 61 tonnes of cargo. The resumption comes as MASkargo expands...
Air Europa Cargo Renews with WFS in Madrid and Barcelona
Air Europa Cargo has signed a five‑year renewal with ground handler Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) for its cargo operations at Madrid and Barcelona airports. The agreement builds on a partnership that began in Madrid in 2018 and in Barcelona in...
Rates Remain Elevated and Return to Normal Not Expected Soon
Airfreight rates climbed again as jet‑fuel prices stay high and supply bottlenecks persist, prompting the TAC Baltic Air Freight Index (BAI00) to jump 5.1% week‑on‑week and sit 15.8% above last year. The most active China‑Europe and China‑US lanes posted roughly...
Cathay Cargo Upgrades Booking Systems for Customer Modifications
Cathay Cargo has launched a Manage Booking upgrade that lets freight forwarders modify cargo bookings online. The new tools enable changes to shipper or consignee details, flight dates and shipment size, and provide a real‑time dashboard with cost‑impact visibility. Automated...