Cargo Pulse

Air cargo has been playing a vital role in contributing to the operating financial targets of flights in the air, and the need to start preparing for the post COVID-19 period is imperative. Air Cargo counts over 30-40 % of total revenue for some airlines, and hopefully we will see airlines paying more attention on air cargo as a product the years to come.

The year 2021 ended somewhat similar to 2020, as the COVID19 pandemic continued its hold on the world for a second year, resulting in a continued disruption of global shipping. Although more than 8.5 billion doses of vaccine have been administered globally, new and highly contagious variants, along with highly contrasting national strategies on coping with the pandemic, have continued to stretch supply chains, halt production lines, create demand swings that have resulted in multiple transportation bottlenecks.

They say hindsight is always 20/20 and if anyone claims that they had the foresight to predict what would happen in 2020 then, either they were lying or they are clairvoyants. Whilst 2020 turned the whole world upside down, 2021 did mark a remarkable recovery. Global vaccine roll-outs created optimism and in fact allowed to open up economies for some time until the Delta variant struck real hard around mid-year.

As 2021 drew to a close we looked back on 22 months of a Covid impacted world. Family and social interactions, business operations, end of year celebrations were all still far from what we would consider normal and with complex travel restrictions in place around the globe traditional international air operations were still heavily disrupted.

In a climate where action speaks louder than words, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) the world’s largest air cargo handler, is showing its commitment to protecting the environment through sustainable operating practices.

As the world’s eyes were on the UNFCCC COP26 discussions in Glasgow the last couple of weeks, the climate negotiations offered a powerful momentum for companies to build on and become truly sustainable. Based on the results of the first TIACA Air Cargo Sustainability Survey, run in late 2020, 81% of air cargo professionals agree that sustainability is a real strategic priority for their companies.

More companies are making serious commitments to achieve net-zero targets – but less companies are ready to act now. A recent survey by Swiss project developer and climate solutions provider South Pole, The Push and Pull of Net Zero: Drivers of Climate Action, found that – compared to last year – more companies are setting climate targets, but over 60% of them have either set their targets far out in the future, or have not announced any target years at all.

A quick google search for the word Sustainability generates over 1.3 billion entries demonstrating how the topic has become a critical component of our work, social, recreational, and family time. It is a key priority of the TIACA board and we are developing a number of programs addressing the three Ps of PEOPLE, PLANET and PROSPERITY.

On June 30 2021, the TSA’s new 100% screening requirements took effect. These regulations require all-cargo aircraft flights to go through the same security screening procedure as passenger flights. It will fall on the cargo airlines and certified screening facilities to implement effective screening practices to maintain the efficiency of processing cargo.