CARGOCONNECT-JUNE2026 - Flipbook - Page 46
COVER STORY
AIR CARGO ASCENDS
Airlines are prioritising high-value
specialised cargo instead of pursuing low-margin,
volume-driven freight growth.
centralised operational visibility designed
to improve both decision-making speed
and process predictability.
Singh believes one of the biggest advantages for emerging carriers lies in the ability
to redesign cargo work昀氀ows from a clean
technological slate. Rather than retro昀椀tting
fragmented systems, digital-native cargo
models are increasingly enabling airlines to
integrate booking, handling, tracking, and
operational planning into uni昀椀ed ecosystems
capable of delivering end-to-end visibility
and signi昀椀cantly greater operational control.
He also notifies how self-service digital
tools, automated work昀氀ows, and centralised
documentation systems are simultaneously
streamlining customer interaction while
improving shipment transparency and
scheduling predictability.
For airports, however, digital transformation extends far beyond airline systems
alone. Increasingly, the e昀케ciency of modern
cargo ecosystems depends on how e昀昀ectively
multiple stakeholders, such as airlines,
cargo handlers, freight forwarders, customs authorities, and terminal operators
are digitally connected within a common
operational framework.
Schwab notes that Frankfurt Airport is
steadily advancing digitalisation across its
entire cargo value chain through integrated
cargo community platforms and AI-enabled
operational coordination systems. Notably,
Frankfurt’s Cargo Community System,
FAIR@Link, is enabling real-time collaboration, intelligent process control, and seamless
data exchange across cargo stakeholders,
helping reduce operational friction while
improving throughput visibility and process
transparency.
A similarly integrated digital ecosystem approach is also becoming increasingly visible across Indian airport cargo
infrastructure. Chandra points out that
BLR Airport’s Airport Cargo Community
System (ACS/CargobyBLR) and Airport
Truck Management Facility (ATMF) have
emerged as critical enablers of operational
e昀케ciency, visibility, and predictability across
the airport’s cargo ecosystem. Acting as a
uni昀椀ed digital backbone, CargobyBLR seamlessly connects airlines, Customs authorities,
freight forwarders, ground handlers, and
logistics partners through a single integrated
platform, signi昀椀cantly reducing manual
intervention while improving real-time
46 | CARGOCONNECT JUNE 2026
milestone visibility and coordination across
cargo 昀氀ows. Simultaneously, he indicates, the
airport’s fully automated and paperless truck
management ecosystem has substantially
improved landside operational e昀케ciency
by synchronising truck movements with
terminal readiness, reducing average truck
turnaround times from nearly four hours
to close to one hour.
At the same time, Fraport’s joint venture
with DAKOSY under the ‘allivate’ initiative
is accelerating the adoption of AI-driven
analytics and automation across cargo operations. Schwab explains that these systems
are increasingly supporting smarter process
coordination, operational predictability, and
more responsive cargo handling capabilities
at scale. In many ways, the future cargo
hub is no longer being defined solely by
physical infrastructure capacity, but by the
intelligence, visibility, and interoperability
embedded within the ecosystem itself.
From Volume-Led Growth
to Value-Driven Cargo
Strategies
This transition toward intelligent cargo
ecosystems is steadily rede昀椀ning the competitive parameters of global air freight.
What is becoming increasingly evident,
however, is that the next phase of cargo
competitiveness will not be determined
purely by network scale or shipment volume.
As operating costs rise, capacity remains
constrained, and supply chains become
more time-sensitive, industry stakeholders
are steadily recalibrating towards far more
selective and value-centric cargo strategies.
Singh believes this transition is fundamentally reshaping how airlines position
themselves within global supply chains. At
Riyadh Cargo, he emphasises, the focus is
no longer merely on transporting freight
across markets, but on enabling supply-chain
continuity through specialised, digitally
enabled, and reliability-focussed logistics
ecosystems. As Riyadh Air’s network and
fleet continue expanding, the carrier is
increasingly evaluating cargo solutions
based on commodity integrity, customer
requirements, and long-term commercial
sustainability rather than pursuing indiscriminate volume growth alone.
Singh points out that quality, operational reliability, and specialised handling
capabilities are steadily becoming stronger
The industry is
operating within a
structurally elevated
cargo demand
environment. While
export dynamics
continue to remain
influenced, the
broader trajectory
for Norwegian air
freight remains firmly
upward.
EVA BEATE LANDE
DIRECTOR OF CARGO,
AVINOR
