CARGOCONNECT-JUNE2026 - Flipbook - Page 49
COVER STORY
AIR CARGO ASCENDS
and handlers to prioritise faster throughput,
shorter dwell times, and further standardise
coordination across customs authorities,
airlines, and logistics operators. Within this
scope, Schwab points out that standardised
handling frameworks and close customs
coordination are becoming essential for
ensuring compliant, secure, and e昀케cient
e-commerce processing at scale.
A similar transformation is steadily
unfolding across India’s airport cargo
ecosystems as well. Chandra points out
that e-commerce and express logistics are
increasingly in昀氀uencing both cargo volumes
and infrastructure planning at BLR Airport.
As customer expectations shift towards
faster ful昀椀lment cycles and time-de昀椀nite
deliveries, particularly across pharmaceuticals, electronics, and e-commerce sectors,
the airport is evolving its cargo ecosystem
around speed, predictability, and precision.
Rather than relying solely on physical capacity expansion, BLR Airport is prioritising
process optimisation, digital integration, and
ecosystem-wide collaboration to accelerate
cargo movement e昀케ciency.
Chandra further notes that strategic
partnerships with Menzies Aviation and WFS
are strengthening terminal design, cold chain
capabilities, and operational work昀氀ows while
supporting faster turnaround times alongside
stringent regulatory compliance. Simultaneously, the Airport Truck Management Facility
(ATMF), developed in partnership with Shell
Mobility, is signi昀椀cantly improving landside
efficiency through fully automated and
paperless truck movement coordination,
reducing waiting times and enabling more
synchronised cargo 昀氀ows. Infrastructure
developments such as the BLR Logistics Park
are also steadily enhancing integrated cargo
operations through co-location models and
shared logistics infrastructure, helping the
airport build greater resilience and agility for
high-growth, time-sensitive cargo segments.
For Oslo Airport, however, the
e-commerce and express logistics story is
evolving through a slightly di昀昀erent strategic
lens. Lande explains that Avinor’s larger
objective is not merely capturing rising
import demand, but fundamentally restructuring how Norwegian-bound air freight
enters the country. A considerable share
of cargo destined for Norway still arrives
through major European gateways such
as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, or Copenhagen
before being trucked into the Norwegian
market, increasing both transit complexity
and overall supply chain costs. As a result,
she explains Avinor as an operator being
increasingly focussed on strengthening
direct freighter and belly cargo connectivity
into Oslo itself.
Taken together, the deliberations re昀氀ect
a far larger transformation underway across
global air cargo. E-commerce is no longer
simply adding incremental shipment volume;
it is actively reshaping how cargo ecosystems
are designed, how infrastructure investments
are prioritised, and how airlines define
long-term pro昀椀tability itself.
The Next Big Challenge:
Eliminating Structural
Bottlenecks
Even as global air cargo enters a more technologically advanced and value-driven phase,
signi昀椀cant structural bottlenecks continue
threatening to slow the pace of long-term
growth. The challenge ahead is no longer
simply about expanding cargo volumes, but
about ensuring that infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, multimodal connectivity,
and operational ecosystems evolve fast
enough to support increasingly complex
supply chains.
Sutch believes India’s long-term cargo
ambitions will ultimately depend on how
effectively the broader ecosystem can
synchronise airlines, airports, logistics
providers, and multimodal transport networks into a far more coordinated operating environment. While infrastructure
development across India has accelerated
considerably in recent years, Sutch points
out that network e昀케ciency remains heavily
in昀氀uenced by directional trade imbalances
and uneven cargo 昀氀ows.
Currently, import-heavy corridors from
the East continue to outweigh outbound
volumes on several routes, while exports
towards Western markets often face inconsistent return 昀氀ows. Such asymmetry directly
impacts aircraft utilisation, freighter economics, and overall network sustainability. Over
time, however, Sutch notes that expanding
Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and maturing
trade relationships are expected to gradually
create more balanced cargo 昀氀ows, improving
long-term network stability for airlines and
logistics operators alike.
At the same time, India’s transship-
As carriers expand
long-haul operations
and airport
ecosystems mature
alongside them,
India is steadily
positioning itself
closer to becoming
an integrated global
cargo hub rather than
merely a point-topoint market.
MARK SUTCH
CHIEF COMMERCIAL
OFFICER – CARGO, INDIGO
(INTERGLOBE AVIATION)
Airports are investing in automation
technologies including AGVs, robotics, AI-assisted
scanning, and smart cold chain systems.
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