An example from the Ukrainian region near Kharkiv, which was attacked by Russian troops, shows the disastrous consequences that wars can have not only for humans, but also for captive wild animals. There, two completely exhausted big cats left behind in cages by their owners, were rescued from starvation: a white tiger and a lynx. Thanks to a complex international effort supported and coordinated by DHL, they were taken to a sanctuary in the UK.
White Tiger “Aleks” after arrival at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park
Abandoned and left behind
Aleks, as the tiger is called, was discovered by Ukrainian soldiers behind bars in a dilapidated shed near Kharkiv. He was in extremely poor condition, suffering from parasites, skin infections, malnutrition, dehydration, and impaired liver and kidney function. Aleks was so weak that he could no longer stand. His former owner abandoned him when the war spread, without notifying any animal protection organization or official body. The lynx, Lothar, also appears to have gone through a similar ordeal. He was simply left behind in his cage by his owners, who fled as the Russian invaders came closer. There are no official figures, but NGOs report a constant number of wild cats kept illegally in private households. Many are purchased as cubs and later abandoned when they become too dangerous, too expensive or are simply no longer wanted. Sadly, their experience is not unusual. Wildcats kept as pets or in other inappropriate settings, often face severe neglect, and wars only intensify this untenable situation.
Lynx “Lothar “ – photos: courtesy of Lincolnshire Wildlife Park
From Ukraine to UK
After their rescue by animal rights activists, Aleks and Lothar were first taken to a Wild Animals Rescue Center in Ukraine to regain basic strength. Once the animals’ condition had stabilized, they began their approximately 2,600-kilometer journey in specially designed transport crates aboard a large transport van. They traveled from Ukraine to Calais (France), through the Eurotunnel to the UK, and continued by road to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park. Upon arrival on 27FEB26, they were examined by a veterinarian and then released into a specially built enclosure. Lincolnshire Wildlife Park is one of the UK’s largest facilities dedicated to rescuing animals and providing them with lifelong sanctuary. Working with the NGOs, Nadiya and Wild Animals Rescue Center, veterinarians, customs authorities, and Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, DHL helped coordinate and support the animals’ journey to their new sanctuary. Both animals are now beginning their next chapter in a safe, species‑appropriate environment.
Track record of rescue logistics “Aleks and Lothar were born in captivity and would not survive in the wild. They lack the instincts typical of wild animals, such as hunting. Facilities like ours are the only way animals like them can live a safe and fulfilling life,” explained Steve Nichols, Chief Executive Officer, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, upon the arrival of the wildcats. DHL has a track record of wildlife support and rescue logistics. In 2024, for example, the company transported the disabled female chimpanzee, Chocolat, from Kenya to her new long-term home in Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre, Dorset, UK. CargoForwarder Global reported: https://cargoforwarder.eu/2024/08/25/dhl-express-delivers-on-serious-monkey-business/
From little to large and big That same year, DHL flew 25 rare bongo antelopes from the United States to Kenya, as part of a program to release rare and endangered species into the wild again. Please see: https://cargoforwarder.eu/2025/03/30/17-bongo-antelopes-fly-from-florida-to-kenya/ Even heavyweights such as manatees and hippos, have traveled with DHL, the company notes in a release.“For us, every shipment entrusted to us is something special, and we always look for the best solution. But transporting animals is particularly complex. It requires an extra level of care – after all, they are living beings and they need our special attention. Together with all our partners and our combined logistics expertise, we were able to bring Aleks and Lothar to a place where they will finally receive the care they deserve and can begin their long path to recovery,” Nicola Leske, Head of Communications & Sustainability, DHL Group, concluded.
The contrast could hardly be greater. While the airspace over the Middle East is currently largely closed due to the war in Iran, it is reopening in Venezuela. Due to a U.S. blockade, the Latin American country had been cut off from international commercial air traffic since 04DEC25. The initial mission was the transport of 65,000 chicks, which were flown from Brazil’s Viracopos Airport to Valencia (VLN) in central Venezuela last week.
A Boeing 737-400SF belonging to the Colombian airline, Cargo Aerosucre, was used for the charter project. The company responsible for transporting the animals was Global GSSA, which claims to be ‘very experienced’ in managing delicate and special cargo flights. The entire project, valued at 6.5 million reais (USD 1.3 million), was carried out timely and successfully, confirms the agent.
Cargo Aerosucre transported 65,000 chicks from Brazil to Venezuela – credit: airline
Carriers are returning Next in line was Spain’s Plus Ultra, which resumed flights between Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) and Maiquetía International (IATA: CCS). The current two air services per week are to be increased to three from 01APR26, announced the carrier. At the same time as Ultra, Turkish Airlines resumed its Istanbul-Caracas route with a B787-9 Dreamliner. The flight schedule includes three weekly nonstop services on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. It stipulates that the outbound flight departs Istanbul at 3.30 p.m. and lands in Caracas at 9.50 p.m. In the opposite direction, flight TK 224 departs from the Venezuelan capital at 11.45 p.m. and arrives in Turkey at 6.30 a.m. the next day, local time.
U.S. airlines are also planning flights to Venezuela Also last Tuesday (03MAR26) the U.S. Department of Transportation approved a request from American Airlines to again offer passengers and cargo clients air services to Venezuela. These include the routes Miami-Caracas and Miami-Maracaibo. The flights are scheduled to be operated by Envoy Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group. The step follows a January move by Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, to rescind a 2019 order that barred U.S. airlines from flying to Venezuela. President Donald Trump directed the department to lift the restriction, reopening the market after more than six years without direct commercial service.
No safety concerns American Airlines began serving Venezuela in 1987 and was once the largest U.S. carrier operating in the country. It said the planned daily flights would support business, leisure and humanitarian travel. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration traveled to Caracas last week to review and inspect airport security procedures – a required step before flights can resume. The Transportation Department’s approval is valid for two years. American has not specified when service would restart.
Each week, CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ brings a different segment of the air cargo industry to the fore, to illustrate the many functions involved in carrying cargo from A to B. Without pilots, there would be no air cargo. Pilots are key to the safe, efficient, and timely transportation of all kinds of commodities. They deal with ever-changing circumstances, and their responsibilities include aircraft handling, flight and route navigation, weather assessment, and team work with air traffic control and others to ensure optimal flight operations, minimal risk of delay, and best fuel use, for example. This week, Teresa Galán Barrios, Cadet Pilot at Aerodynamics Academy, takes us through her role and views.
Being a pilot in training is far more than just flying. Image: Teresa Galán Barrios
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities? TG: I currently hold the position of a cadet pilot and am in the process of completing an integrated ATPL [Air Transport Pilot License] course at Aerodynamics Academy in Málaga, Spain. My role involves the intensive study of topics like Mass and Balance, Performance, Meteorology, Human Factors, and Air Law. In addition to this, I also have to ensure the complete operational readiness of each flight. This includes analyzing METARs and ATIS messages, reviewing NOTAMs, performing performance calculations, mass and balance sheets, navigation logs, briefings, and flying the Tecnam P2008JC. To me, being a pilot in training is far more than just flying. It involves understanding each and every system of an airplane, memorizing each and every procedure, and dealing with hypothetical emergency situations with a composed and disciplined mindset. I know that the better I understand each and every topic on the ground, the better I’ll feel once I get into the cockpit. In aviation, every flight begins long before the engine starts.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you? TG: Certainly, a day in aviation is unlikely to be considered ‘normal’, but there are daily rituals that provide some structure to my day-to-day life. I enjoy reading about the latest happenings in aviation journals every morning. I value the importance of knowing the context of a situation in relation to my studies. I also appreciate the importance of knowing the current state of weather at my school’s nearby aerodromes. I am a frequent reviewer of METARs and ATIS reports. My days are sometimes spent studying at home doing preparation of documents for planned flights which includes draft meteorological analysis, NOTAMs, route drafts and Mass & Balance along with performance calculations. Other days, I am at the academy for ATPL classes where I am able to advance my knowledge of the various subjects and get my questions addressed by the teachers. The flying days can get quite intense. There’s meticulous planning involved for things like the route, the weather, NOTAMs, ATIS, aircraft mass, and balance. Then, an instructor briefing is done, and all the last-minute questions are solved before departure. After flying, a long debrief is done, and all things are analyzed like what went well, what could be done better and how to keep improving. Classroom days are just as important since they give me the chance to help solidify the theory and join the instructors’ experience. It happens when you look at the clock during the day, just to realize that it is already nighttime. When you are properly engaged, time tends to fly. I consider myself tremendously fortunate to be in the field even if I finish the day dead tired, because I get to do exactly what I love. Aviation teaches you that ‘preparation builds confidence’ – a saying that has been repeated by one of my teachers. He has been spot on every single time. This is especially true on the ground, because the more I learn, the more I am able to control the plane in the air.
CFG: How long have you been in aviation, and what brought you to it? TG: I started my flight school journey this past September, but my history is much longer and meaningful. My grandfather, who I never met, was a commercial pilot. He died in a plane crash while on his 800th hour of flying. Growing up, I developed a fear of flying and avoided anything to do with aviation. I even chose to become a biomedical engineer working in bionic prosthetics, which I thought was a great field to stay in for the rest of my life. Later, I moved into management consulting, which was interesting but didn’t feel like the right fit. A significant moment for me was an unplanned trip to Disneyland. A close friend of mine was flying the plane, and I was invited to the flight deck. I had a sudden revelation that my fear of aviation was irrational, and I was simply apprehensive of something I didn’t understand. I wanted to be part of that world. Still under the influence of my grandfather’s stories, I began looking into becoming an air traffic controller and took the selection exams for ENAIRE. I tried my best to visit control towers and flight decks, secretly hoping that one day I would be in the aviation world. Then, I got the unexpected chance to enroll in one of the top aviation academies in Spain, Aerodynamics in Málaga. There, I was able to train to be a pilot and say that I am in a place that I would love to be for the rest of my life. I am certain that my grandfather would also love to see me here.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job? TG: What stands out the most, is the sense of meaning behind every single action done in aviation. Things are not done habitually or instinctively. Decision making, communication, and checklists follow a set of guidelines designed to achieve specific outcomes. I appreciate being in a sphere in which being prepared is not optional and the burden of responsibility is taken without being asked. The strict adherence to guidelines and the high degree of control engenders an environment in which the entre practical and operational realms are held to a single standard end. I appreciate the collaboration and teamwork on this project. Apart from the obvious and from what many people may think, winning in this domain is not only about the people in the cockpit. Aviation is a highly elaborate and synchronized multidisciplinary team effort. Coordination from the pilots, air traffic controllers, ground operations, and maintenance and logistics teams is needed. The complexity of the system and the fluidity and ease with which it operates is mind-blowing. There is one instance, in particular, that is very personal to me and very difficult to fairly communicate to others. It is the instance where the engines spool up and the command inputs come to life. It is a technical engagement but it feels very personal. I think of my grandfather a lot, and I wonder if he experienced the same feelings of control and the mix of emotions. The most special and exciting thing about flying is that people have the misconception that it is all about the machine. The operator sitting in the front, is in control of a system that is not fully theirs to control. The owner of the machine is not the only one who can control the machine.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry? TG: The two primary obstacles I see as a pilot working toward an ATPL license are: Referral prospects: Aviation as a profession is very exciting. However, it is still very poorly understood. People don’t know what to study, how to go about it, whether to take a modular path or an integrated path, or what the financial requirements are. It is all very overwhelming. Because of this simple and accessible information, a lot more people would be able to enter the profession as a pilot. The job market: My training colleagues and I often speculate on our future prospects. Some people see themselves at airlines and others at executive aviation; some think of cargo operations, and others of more niche roles like aerial firefighting. But getting into a niche sector is not straightforward. I recall university and corporate webinars, and I think career focus initiatives like those would be very helpful for students after they get a frozen ATPL.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry? TG: You should first grasp the magnitude and the implications of the responsibility that comes with the job. Being a pilot is not just a matter of flying an airplane. You facilitate a crucial part of the world economy. Air transport of anything, from crucial medical supplies and industrial goods to thousands of people, is what keeps the world working. Understanding that is what should ultimately change your perspective on the training. Regarding preparation, a strong technical background is vital, as is having a good foundation in operations, logistics, flight training, engineering, or airport management, depending on the relevant career choice. Equally, if not more important, are the ability to think critically, demonstrate strong analytical capacity, having a solid culture of safety and the ability to work as part of a team. I recommend acquiring as much experience as you can, as early as you can. Aviation can be learned in books and, with the right experience, it can be understood through the entire system in operation. Most importantly, this is an industry of learning. Regulations change, technology is always getting better, and the way we operate is not the same for too long. Therefore, having knowledge of the industry is essential, but being curious and humble will be just as, if not more important.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be? TG: The Invisible Engine of the World. It quietly connects the continents, sustains tourism, supports supply chains and operations and keeps the world moving.
Thank you, Teresa.
If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.
Turkish Airlines closed the 2025 financial year with an operating profit of USD 2.2 billion. Its traffic and sales figures underscore the airline’s claim of being one of the world’s leading carriers. They were presented last Thursday (05MAR26) at the company’s Istanbul headquarters. Despite difficulties in aircraft delivery and engine supply issues affecting the industry, the company’s fleet expanded by 5% in 2025, ending the year with 516 aircraft in operation.
In its full year consolidated results for 2025, Turkish Airlines achieved a record revenue of USD 24.1 billion, up 6.3% in a year-to-year comparison. Key driver of the revenue increase was the passenger business, which grew by 7.4%. In contrast, cargo figures decreased slightly, from USD 3.5 to USD 3.4 billion. The slowdown reflects the general decline in yields in 2025, while volumes went up by remarkable 16.6%, reaching 2.2 million tons.
TK Cargo operates a mixed fleet comprising 11 Boeing 777F and 10 Airbus A330F – company courtesy.
Centennial vision Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board of Turkish Airlines, commented on the results for the 2025 financial year: “Despite an exceptionally challenging and unpredictable market environment, our financial success in 2025 once again demonstrated our ability to adapt quickly to changing economic and geopolitical conditions thanks to our diversified revenue structure. In line with our long-term value creation goals, the investments we made and commercial partnerships we entered into in 2025, were milestones that further expanded our global reach and advanced our company’s progress toward our centennial vision.” Turkish Airlines will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2033. By then and in line with its vision, the airline intends to operate 813 aircraft, transport 171 million passengers annually, and rank second in global seat capacity. This is backed by financial self-reliance.
Superior ground infrastructure What the executive did not mention while commenting on the 2025 annual result, but which plays a key role in the growth of Turkish Airlines, is the new airport located north of Istanbul on the Black Sea. Thanks to innovative technology, 24/7 operation, three runways, and an expanded cargo infrastructure, it has developed into a global aviation hub offering Turkish Airlines tailored slot opportunities. According to the EUROCONTROL European Aviation Overview Report, an average of 1,624 takeoffs and landings take place there every 24 hours. This means that the Turkish hub has surpassed Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, and even London Heathrow, in terms of daily flight operations. In cargo throughput, it ranks second in Europe, just behind Frankfurt.
MAD becomes joint hub In the current year, Turkish Airlines will continue to grow organically, complemented by M&A activities. As seen on 06NOV25, when the carrier acquired a 27% stake in Spain’s Air Europa (IATA code: UX), thus solidifying its intercontinental network. However, the relevant competition authorities still must approve the step, which could take six to twelve months from the date of the agreement. But this is considered a mere formality. The deal, valued at EUR 300 million, secures Turkish Airlines important intercontinental routes, linking Spain and Latin America including the Caribbean, Air Europa’s main international markets. Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) will become an important gateway for transiting Turkish Airlines / Air Europa travelers and cargo shipments alike.
Eyeing Sun Express In addition, Turkish Airlines has its eye on leisure carrier Sun Express, which it wants to take over completely, local media report. Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines each hold a 50% stake in the company, which has been in the market since 1990 and achieves positive margins. Lufthansa’s reluctance can also be explained by the fact that its subsidiary, Eurowings, and Sun Express closely coordinate their capacities as part of their codeshare agreement covering routes between Dusseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart, and Antalya. In addition, Lufthansa bosses expect the joint venture to continue its growth trajectory and produce satisfying financial results.
Driven by positive annual figures, the Frankfurt-based cargo airline managed to join the club of the leading top five global air freight carriers. This ranking is confirmed by business data cited in its annual balance sheet presented by Lufthansa Cargo management on 06MAR26.
In fiscal 2025, the company generated an operating profit of EUR 324 million (2024: EUR 251 million). This represents a strong increase of 29% compared to the previous year. Lufthansa Cargo thus made an important contribution to the Lufthansa Group’s adjusted EBIT of around EUR 2 billion in 2025 – up 19% compared with 2024.
Around 50% of shipments flown by Lufthansa is transported in freighters, with the remaining 50% carried in the lower decks of the group’s passenger aircraft. Here, an A321F (in the foreground) and a B777F – courtesy LHC
New strategy pays off The main driver of Lufthansa Cargo’s positive results was the BOLD MOVES strategy implemented in 2023. The scheme concentrates on three pillars: A competitive core business, profitable growth, and a focus on employees and corporate culture. According to the scheme, Lufthansa Cargo should rank among the world’s top five cargo airlines by the end of 2026, based on Revenue Freight Kilometers. But data shows that this goal was already achieved in 2025 – a year ahead of schedule. Now, management has raised the bar for success even higher: the goal now is to secure a rank among the three largest freight carriers worldwide, come 2030.
Satisfying results When taking a closer look at the 2025 balance sheet, it becomes evident that Lufthansa Cargo succeeded in improving most of its business targets: Revenue increased by 4% to EUR 3.4 billion (previous year: EUR 3.26 billion), the adjusted EBIT rose by 29% to EUR 324 million. Available freight capacity also went up, reaching 14.45 billion freight ton kilometers (+ 5.4%). Sales increased by 7% year-on-year to 9.1 billion freight TKM. The average load factor improved slightly, reaching 63% (+1.1% year-over-year). Furthermore, quality measured in ‘delivery on time’ increased by 5% compared to 2024. However, management omitted to disclose the overall satisfaction level.
Multi airline and hub concept In 2025, Lufthansa Cargo grew both organically and through M&A activities. In mid-2025, the German freight carrier began marketing the cargo capacities of Rome-based ITA Airways. This includes nearly the entire continental and intercontinental network of the Italian airline. However, routes to and from the U.S. and Canada are excluded until regulatory approval is granted. With Rome as its fifth hub, Lufthansa Cargo strengthens its presence in Southern Europe and will expand global lower deck capacity by around 20% in the long term, its release states. Already today, Lufthansa Cargo is the home carrier in five of Europe’s ten most important air freight markets including Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, and Austria.
Success has many fathers Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, commented: “Being back among the top 5 global air freight providers already in 2025, is proof of the impact of our BOLD MOVES strategy and of the outstanding commitment and ambition of our team worldwide. We have taken decisive steps in a short period of time to continue improving quality, customer satisfaction, and efficiency at the same time – exactly where our customers experience the greatest value. In parallel, we are advancing our network in a targeted way: Our partnerships with ITA Airways and Swiss WorldCargo open additional opportunities for our customers. Both bring us closer to our goal of making Lufthansa Cargo one of the world’s top three air freight providers by 2030.” Gregor Schleussner, CFO and CHRO of Lufthansa Cargo, added that the annual result “impressively underscores the quality, reliability and economic strength of our business model. It is particularly noteworthy that we also exceeded our margin target – a clear sign of our consistent cost management and the high profitability of our operating business. This strong performance gives us additional financial leeway to continue investing in future technologies, infrastructure and high-quality services for our customers. At our hub Frankfurt alone, we are currently investing EUR 600 million in our new, modern freight center.”
Network grew further Further to this, the carrier managed to expand its own regional and intercontinental network during the last 12 months, both in terms of long-haul routes and routes within the EU to North Africa and the Middle East. These are served by leased A321P2F aircraft. New destinations include Katowice (KTW), Rome (FCO), and Beirut (BEY). However, flights to Lebanon have been suspended until 28MAR26, due to the war in Iran. In intercontinental traffic, freighter connections to Almaty (ALA) and a new route from Shanghai (PVG) to Los Angeles (LAX) across the Pacific were launched, complemented by a broad offering of up to 50 weekly frequencies in Asia-Pacific and more than 30 destinations served in North and South America.
Level playing field still not in sight The freight carrier also strengthened its competitive position in the fields of high-value products such as pharmaceuticals, automotive components, aviation items, and semiconductors. But like its European peers, Lufthansa Cargo is constantly facing headwinds resulting from unfair competition by airlines based in the Middle East, Turkey, and China. Thanks to government subsidies, these cargo players are facing a lower cost base compared to their European rivals, Lufthansa Cargo, Air France-KLM Cargo, Finnair Cargo, or SAS Cargo.
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) launched a tsunami of press releases last week, in the wake of its media web-conference on 04MAR26. While the press conference detailed a great many points from member growth, through to white papers on e-commerce or food & farm for health, its sustainability survey, and an overview of recent and upcoming events, the emphasis on the following initiatives showed a clear focus on learning from and preserving experience so as to pass it on to future generations, as well as promoting the ideas and inspiration from the air cargo industry’s new talent. Here’s a summary.
Two completely new knowledge-sharing initiatives were unveiled: the TIACA Reading Room and TIACA Future Thinkers are planned to go live in the second quarter of this year. Both platforms will be hosted on the association’s website, reinforcing TIACA’s mission to promote education, innovation, and cross-generational collaboration within the global air cargo community.
Glyn Hughes urges for a ‘bigger, better and improved’ version, as with every TIACA activity. Image: TIACA
The Reading Room The TIACA Reading Room will act as a digital library, referencing books and thought leadership from industry figures, academics, and researchers. It will showcase curated titles covering all kinds of background information on air cargo, sustainability, digitization, and logistics, along with detailed author profiles and information on how to access each publication. TIACA invites industry authors to submit their works, so as to create what it describes as a ‘living library’ of sector expertise and insight. TIACA explains that the motivation to set up the Reading Room is ‘the belief that knowledge shared becomes wisdom gained’.
Future Thinkers The TIACA Future Thinkers platform will feature graduate and postgraduate research related to aviation and logistics, offering visibility to students and recent graduates whose projects explore innovative or emerging industry themes. The initiative aims to connect academic talent with cargo businesses seeking new ideas and potential collaborators. Roos Bakker, TIACA Chair, explained: “These two initiatives reflect what TIACA stands for at its core, bringing our industry together not only to do business, but to share knowledge and cultivate future leadership. The Reading Room honors the experience and insight that have shaped air cargo over decades, while Future Thinkers ensures we are listening to the new voices that will define what comes next. Strong industries are built on both legacy and fresh perspective.” Glyn Hughes, TIACA Director General, added: “Our industry thrives when ideas move freely across generations and geographies. With the Reading Room, we are creating a home for industry intelligence and thought leadership. Through Future Thinkers, we are opening the door for emerging talent to step into the global conversation. These initiatives strengthen the bridge between academia and industry and help ensure that innovation remains at the heart of air cargo’s evolution.”
New sponsor for Inspirational Leader Award Cargo Service Center India has stepped up to serve as the official sponsor of the TIACA Inspirational Leader Award from 2026 to 2028. As part of TIACA’s broader Air Cargo Leadership Awards program, the Inspirational Leader Award highlights those working in airlines, airports, freight forwarding, ground handling, technology providers and other industry stakeholders, who drive progress, support digital transformation, and inspire future generations within the sector. Nominations for the 2026 edition are open until 08APR26, and the winner will be recognized during TIACA’s Executive Summit 2026, in Warsaw, Poland, from 01-03JUN26. Roos Bakker commented: “Strong leadership is essential to ensuring the continued resilience and evolution of our industry. The Inspirational Leader Award recognizes individuals who motivate others, drive innovation, and help shape the future of global air cargo.” Tushar Jani, Chairman, Cargo Service Center Group, underlined: “CSC believes in the individual leadership and collective spirit of people, companies and communities. We are proud to be associated with this very special recognition which reflects our values of a People-First approach and purposeful inspirational leadership.” Glyn Hughes added: “Recognizing inspirational leadership helps foster a culture of innovation and collaboration across the air cargo ecosystem. We are delighted to welcome Cargo Service Center India as sponsor of this important industry award.”
Rising Star Award The Executive Summit in Poland will also honor a Rising Star in the industry and TIACA’s Rising Star Award is now being sponsored by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. (HACTL) through to 2029. This award celebrates young professionals under the age of 35 who demonstrate excellence, innovation, inspiration and outstanding contributions to the air cargo and logistics community, and nominations here are also possible until 08APR26. Roos Bakker said: “We are delighted to partner with HACTL in fostering the next generation of leaders in air cargo. This collaboration highlights the importance of nurturing young talent and supporting innovation that will shape the future of our industry.” Michelle Choi, Acting Chief, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (HACTL), stated: “Nurturing the leaders of the future is vital in any industry. It’s a commitment to ongoing success and that’s why HACTL is delighted to take on the long-term sponsorship of TIACA’s Rising Star Award. For the last half century we have designed, developed and implemented training programs which enable us to grow our own future management, so it is only fitting that we become the sponsor of this award.” Glyn Hughes announced: “We are deeply grateful to HACTL for their generous and continued support of the association by sponsoring the Rising Star Award for the next three years. This long-term partnership reflects a shared commitment to investing in people and ensuring our industry’s future is shaped by talented, passionate professionals. HACTL’s dedication to recognizing and empowering emerging leaders sends a powerful message about the importance of developing the next generation of air cargo leaders.”
“Five years have flown by tremendously fast,” Glyn Hughes. Picture: TIACA
Who will be TIACA’s new Director General? While it is difficult to imagine TIACA with Glyn Hughes who has held the Director General position since 2021 – 5 years that, he said, “have flown by tremendously fast” – (pun may or may not have been intended – one of his many skills), he announced that he will be leaving, though left the precise date open-ended, since it depends upon a smooth transition to the next Director General. He confirmed that he will stay on for as long as it takes to on-board his successor and announced that applications are now open for the position. “As Chief Executive Officer of the Association, the Director General operates under the direction of the Board and is responsible for supervising the affairs of the Association, ensuring both financial and operational success,” the release explained, going on to add other responsibilities such as: leading the execution of TIACA’s vision and strategy, being accountable for delivering agreed projects and programs while providing robust operational and financial reporting, being TIACA’s primary representative and spokesperson, maintaining strong relationships with members, partners, media, and industry stakeholders worldwide, and developing and implementing a commercial action plan to ensure TIACA remains relevant, attractive, and financially sustainable. Roos Bakker emphasized: “The Director General plays a critical role in shaping the future of TIACA and ensuring we deliver measurable results for our members and the broader air cargo community. We are seeking a visionary yet practical leader who can execute our strategy with discipline, strengthen our global partnerships, and drive sustainable growth. This is a unique opportunity to guide a respected international association at a time of significant industry transformation.” Glyn Hughes concluded: “Serving as Director General since 2021 has been an honor. Together with our Board, members, and team, we have reinforced TIACA’s global presence and strengthened our value proposition. The next Director General will inherit a strong platform and an engaged global community, and I am confident they will continue to advance TIACA’s mission with energy and purpose.”
Through the takeover (100%) of Cargofive, cargo.one is creating a provider of an integrated air and ocean rate infrastructure, facilitating booking processes for forwarding agents, airlines and shipping companies alike. The players have not disclosed any specific financial details. However, Moritz Claussen, Founder and Co-CEO of cargo.one, emphasized in a call with CargoForwarder Global, that the deal is being financed from his company’s own funds and not through loans. He also stressed that cargo.one’s customers were the main driving force behind the move.
Cargofive is a technologically advanced platform, well established on the maritime market. Claussen emphasizes that the Portuguese firm’s rates quality is outstanding and its digital system is very user-friendly. The collaboration between the two companies will provide the market with a unified booking platform for air and sea freight quotations. Users will no longer have to switch from the air freight to the sea freight platform or vice versa when requesting quotations, as the system will offer them both options at a glance.
Moritz Claussen is co-founder of cargo.one and CoCEO of the company, courtesy: cargo.one
No more multiple portal juggling Most freight forwarders are still stuck in the stone age when it comes to rate procurement, comments Hugo Martins, Director IT at Iberia-based OREY Shipping. “Copying rates from one portal, pasting them into Excel, formatting them, comparing them manually, all while hoping you didn’t make a typo that could cost thousands.,” Martins illustrates possible hiccups. Each carrier has its own portal, its own login process, and its own way of presenting rates. So far, “it’s like trying to conduct an orchestra where every musician is playing from a different sheet of music.” In contrast, a platform that unifies air and ocean freight data into a single robust foundation, is a quantum leap. It increases workflow efficiency and accelerates processes. In addition to the main freight routes by air or vessel, the uniform system also offers quotations from the source to the final destination of a shipment, emphasizes Hugo.
Becoming ‘Cargonauts’ cargo.one has lately seen annual triple-digit growth. Meanwhile, it cooperates closely with nine of the world’s 20 largest freight forwarders. “Because of this development, we have been looking around for possible players in the market for some time now in order to grow further through a takeover,” explains Claussen. When the opportunity arose, Cargofive promised to be a good fit for the portfolio, he adds. Similar to cargo.one, its approximately 50 employees work largely remotely in 30 different countries. They will all become ‘Cargonauts’ – in other words, be taken over by cargo.one, Claussen assures.
AI is gaining ground To streamline future processes and optimize bookings, cargo.one relies heavily on artificial intelligence. To this end, the company raised USD 20 million from Bessemer Venture Partners and other leading technology investors. This influx of funds positions cargo.one as the leading infrastructure layer for AI transformation in global logistics, claims the company. “When evaluating AI partners, logistics leaders should look beyond individual features to the underlying foundation,” says Bob Goodman, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. “Features become commoditized quickly; what matters is having a partner with comprehensive data infrastructure and industry-specific expertise that can evolve with your needs. cargo.one has built exactly that foundation for multimodal logistics.” However, despite massive investments in AI in the industry, most solutions remain bolt-on tools that sit disconnected from the most relevant knowledge source: structured data. The result is a fragmented technology landscape where AI promises efficiency but delivers complexity and does not progress beyond the pilot phase. cargo.one’s multimodal AI-native operating system addresses these challenges with a unified approach where agentic workflows and operational data exist natively in a single system. At the end of the day, success depends on data quality, because without accurately transmitted data, even the most sophisticated AI is overtasked, says Claussen.
Doing away with data silos Unlike bolt-on AI tools that require integration with separate systems and third-party data, cargo.one’s workflows operate natively within the same platform. Nevertheless, humans will not be replaced by AI; they will remain in the driver’s seat for all processes. “Humans and AI work side by side using the same data, ensuring teams maintain full control while automation handles repetitive tasks.” Sebastian Cazajus, Founder and CEO of Cargofive, looks ahead optimistically. “Across the industry, forwarders are asking for integrated air and ocean solutions that eliminate data silos. cargo.one has already set the standard in air. Together, we are bringing that same quality and scale to ocean freight, creating a truly multimodal operating foundation to enable agentic workflows,” the executive concludes.
In Parts 1 and 2 of our 3-part series on air cargo automation, Manuel Wehner (MW), Project Manager and Research Associate at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, took us through the overall autonomous robot testing/maturity situation in the industry, and a more detailed look at the robot projects being trialed by Fraunhofer IML and its Digital Testbed Air Cargo (DTAC), at Germany’s Munich (MUC) and Stuttgart (STR) Airports. Part 3 now addresses the issues of robots and circular economy, cybersecurity, and the human element in a future-oriented, automated air cargo industry.
Some future team members will be robots. Image: Fraunhofer IML, Vinzenz Neugebauer
CFG: Are robots being built with a Circular Economy in mind? What happens after their lifespan ends? MW: This is an important question, not only for robots but for all types of sustainable upgrades to traditional diesel airport vehicles. Automation can contribute to more efficient operations and usage of resources, and to a reduction of accidents. Retrofit approaches can help re-use outdated solutions. Sustainability is more than just CO2 reductions, which sadly not everyone in the industry seems to have fully understood yet. Comparing an electric robot vehicle with a regular electric vehicle, the sensor technology needs to be considered additionally in terms of a Circular Economy approach. When the lifespan of a robot ends, sensors can be deployed in other robots, and mechanical parts can be re-used just like those of our normal road cars. Battery technologies remain a major factor for the Circular Economy. There are some interesting and promising approaches, for example, for recycling Nickel, Lithium and other battery elements, or to using old batteries as temporary energy storage.
CFG: What have been the greatest learnings in testing these robots? MW: All solutions tested and observed so far have deficits. Positively speaking, there is still lots of potential for creative minds, start-ups and corporates to solve the most striking airport challenges. For all other operations, including repetitive transport and handling tasks, there are many solutions that can be tested and implemented in the airport context tomorrow. Level 5 autonomy still remains a major challenge for robot development and centralization of control.
CFG: How many different types of robots will be needed in a future warehouse? MW: Most airports nowadays are ‘zoos’, showcasing many different vehicle types thanks to competition laws, tenders at different times, technological advances, etc. We do not expect this to change anytime soon for the vast majority of airports. Adding robots to this already complex environment, while slowly decreasing the number of traditional vehicles, probably will not significantly change the total number of vehicle types in operation. For a while, we should see a constant, maybe even slightly increasing number of vehicle types due to the introduction of new robots. At some saturation point, we might see a decrease because vehicles and robots could be used more strategically, for example, to handle both luggage and cargo, to transport both passengers and crews, to fulfill more than one task for the aircraft turnaround, etc. Additionally, there might be superior robots that clearly outperform others at some point and, thus, become the preferred solution for many airports. However, we do not see this happening in the next five years. There are more and more robot manufacturers entering the market and discovering airports as an exciting new application field with good scalability.
CFG: What about security risks – could these robots be hacked and manipulated? MW: This is another important aspect, and we mentioned cyber-security in Part 1 of our interview series. Just like drone operations, driverless ground vehicles must remain controllable and stoppable in case of hostile intentions. This is why we prioritize on-premise software solutions to complement the existing airport IT systems in a critical infrastructure environment. There will never be 100% security for any of these critical infrastructures, which is unfortunately being proven in several conflicts worldwide as we speak. On-premise solutions in direct stakeholder control will certainly help shape secure operation environments for robots at airports.
CFG: What about the cost aspect – robot versus human employee? MW: It is not a secret, and it has been proven in many industries that automation investments can easily pay off within a few years, given the scalability and endurance of the employed solutions. Most business cases we have come across so far in the air cargo industry, focus on labor costs as the main variable. From a research point of view, it is interesting to explore more factors – especially those difficult to quantify: scaling-up fleets, synergies between different vehicle types, global stations and autonomous functionalities, long-term maintenance considerations, AI-enabled fleet management, 100% automation zones, Circular Economy and dark warehouse concepts, and many more.
CFG: What areas will never be able to be taken over by robots and why? MW: Never is a big word. Who would have thought in the 1960s that Orwell’s 1984 dystopia might become so scarily realistic so soon? Who would have thought in the late 1990s that the dystopia shown in the movie ‘The Matrix’ with AI-enabled machines in human form, could become reality in the military and service sectors so soon? Personally, I hope that human factors will always play an important role in our societies and economies. Undoubtably, robots can be fantastic helpers, and logistics can be made much more automated and autonomous than it is now. We covered the human factors topic in another scientific paper called “Testing Autonomous Cargo Vehicles at Airports – An Analysis of the Basic Requirements Focusing on Staff-Related Human Factors”. It was published recently in the Journal of Air Transport Studies. Only time will tell to which extent machines will be able to learn and take over. I enjoy developing and interacting with robots, but they should perform certain tasks for humans as tools, definitely not take over informed decision-making entirely. We 8.3 billion humans must remain aware of how important it is not to become too lazy to think for ourselves. This would be rather sad for both our professional and our private lives, and it would probably lead to more global problems than benefits.
Thank you, Manuel Wehner, for your extensive insights!
This concludes our three-part series. You can find the links to the two previous articles here:
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Food Waste Index Report, an estimated 1.05 billion tons of food – about 19% of global food available to consumers – is wasted annually, with another approximately 13% lost before retail, due to handling, storage, and transport inefficiencies. This gap is even more striking against the persistence of global hunger: the latest UN FAO figures estimate more than 700 million people remain undernourished, with progress toward Zero Hunger (SDG 2) stalling well before the 2030 target.
The so-called reactive supply chain (inefficient handovers, lack of data visibility, and poor coordination between actors) can mean more spoilage, higher costs, and missed opportunities to extend product life. CargoForwarder Global spoke with Hilde Havermans, Director Cargo Communities and Custom Solutions at Nallian, to explore blind spots and scalable solutions in today’s logistics networks.
Food waste was a major topic at the recent trade fair Fruit Logistica – courtesy: Messe Berlin
From “boat grapes” to process pressure In the early 20th century, products had to survive weak logistics. Grapes from Dalías (specifically the Almería region in Spain) known as ‘boat grapes’ or Uva de Embarque, were historically exceptional for export due to their unique ability to survive long journeys, their thick skin, late harvesting season, and high-quality, sweet taste. Their qualities were already reported in 1915 by the Agricultural Journal. Today, that logic has flipped. Modern logistics infrastructure has improved, but the pressure has shifted from the product to the process. Losses now occur less because food cannot survive transport, and more because supply chains fail at forecasting, with delayed handovers, inconsistent temperature control, and siloed data coordination.
Environmental and operational impact Havermans explains how the reduction of CO₂ comes through tangible measures with more energy-efficient planes, electrified vehicles, lower fuel consumption, and smarter logistics. But improvements in handover processes and quality controls also lead to faster transit times, smoother operations, and less damage and spoilage. “If you move perishables one day faster, you gain one extra day of shelf life in stores, consumers have more time to purchase and use the product, and less food is thrown away,” Havermans adds. Food waste is a significant sustainability issue. Reducing waste cuts unnecessary production, lowers environmental impact, and increases the amount of food available for people who need it.
Logistics blind spots Today’s supply chain still lacks real-time visibility and shared data. The actors react after the previous step is completed. In air cargo perishables flows from Africa to Europe, for example, handling preparation at destination frequently starts only once goods physically arrive. This increases dwell time, raises temperature-excursion risk, and increases spoilage. Brussels Airport’s Digital Green Lane, enabled by Nallian’s BRUcloud platform, shows how these blind spots can be removed. Advance data sharing and digital time-slot booking enable preparation ahead of arrival, reducing bottlenecks in ground handling, and lowering temperature deviation risks for perishables. Consistent exchange of data across the whole supply chain improves transparency and forecasting so the stakeholders can plan ahead. This removes logistics blind spots and allows parallel preparation instead of step-by-step waiting. The impact: faster handovers, shorter lead times, and less waste – especially for perishables, Havermans adds.
Meat and pharmaceutical goods: even higher environmental footprint Optimizing logistics won’t change consumer diets, but faster delivery means fresher products, longer shelf life in-store, and lower production costs – especially for high-impact products. Eurostat reports food waste in the EU at roughly 130 kg per person per year. Causes such as aesthetics, confusion about ‘best before’ versus ‘use by’ are directly linked to the final consumer; however, a short shelf life in retail and cold chain failures have disproportionate impact for meat and pharmaceuticals. Meat has a much higher environmental footprint than plant-based food due to its production intensity. Even more critical is the waste of pharmaceutical products which need special processes to minimize the environmental impact of their chemicals.Temperature excursions – defined as exposure outside the specified thermal range – directly degrade sensitive medicines and vaccines and are a well-documented risk in cold chain logistics. Cold-chain failures in pharmaceutical logistics are estimated by industry analyses to cost the sector tens of billions of dollars annually, primarily due to temperature excursions and handling deviations. CEIV Pharma and IATA’s Temperature Control Regulations focus on rigorous, standardized handling to reduce these risks.
Value proposition Digital process control reduces waste, emissions, and cost at the same time, turning ESG goals into measurable business results. Profitability is essential – without it, the model doesn’t work. Sustainability initiatives also need a clear business case; people make decisions on tangible benefits and “what’s in it for me”, Havermans says. Inefficiencies across the chain directly impact cost, pricing pressure, and profitability. Helping customers extract the real business value from digitalization and automation by streamlining workflows and making process performance measurable, creates operational value that can be shared by making processes transparent and explainable, even in complex, multi-party supply chains. Today we operate in high-pressure environments where ESG targets are pushed down the chain. This pressure eases when profits and benefits come along.
Final note UNEP and FAO show that food waste and supply chain inefficiencies remain structurally high, with most waste occurring downstream, while significant losses still occur during handling, storage, and transport. Globally, around 1.05 billion tons of food waste are generated annually, according to the latest UNEP estimates. Logistics cannot solve hunger alone, but faster handovers, better cold chain integrity, and real-time data sharing directly reduce avoidable loss. Sustainability targets only become realistic when efficiency gains translate into measurable commercial value. That is where logistics moves from being part of the problem to becoming part of the solution.
CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ looks at a different aspect of the air cargo industry each week, to illustrate the huge variety of careers available. Given the ongoing struggle to find new air cargo talent and the managers of tomorrow, one area of importance – and one that should be highlighted and accessed far more often – is the world of academia. Not only is it a hotbed of possibility when it comes to delving into new ideas, researching and developing answers to existing issues and potential future ones, but it also offers a bridge through people who can shed light on and spark interest in the air cargo industry and what it has to offer – whether this is through visiting guest lecturers or full-time academics and training professionals such as Diarto Aalders, Senior Lecturer Aviation Operations at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. He takes us through his perspectives, experience, and advice for those looking to join the air cargo industry, this week.
Good discussions help form students into critical thinkers. Image: Diarto Aalders
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities? DA: Primarily, I am a senior lecturer at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences’ Aviation Academy. My main responsibilities entail the delivery of different subjects across our 4-year bachelor Air Transport Management program. Moreover, I supervise students working on both group and individual research projects. Such projects are often performed for organizations in the industry for which I serve as main coordinator. This requires me to be out in the industry regularly, procuring assignments both ad-hoc and strategically. Secondly, I get to combine my academic work with industry training delivery at IATA Training where I serve as external instructor. There, I deliver a broad range of courses from the cargo and logistics portfolio.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you? DA: To some extent, yes, there is such a thing as a normal day. Higher education is highly structured as a year has two semesters with two study blocks each. Those follow a predetermined pattern ranging from kick-off to teaching to examining and assessing. Within those periods, ample variety exists, of course. Students are rarely ever all on the same page, leading to interesting debates. Just yesterday, students were ranking different developments in the ground handling industry based on impact, viability, etc. Unbeknownst to them when starting, there is no single solution, only good discussions that help form the students into critical thinkers. That is something I love about my job since often I, myself, learn to see new perspectives on situations.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?‘ DA: September 2013 is when I formally started working full-time in air cargo with Swissport Cargo, so that brings me up to 12.5 years. Informally however, I started at the cargo ramp with Martinair Cargo, as a student back in the summer of 2011, which makes my cargo career specifically span 15 years to date. While initially it was my childhood love for aviation that brought me to pursue a degree in aviation engineering, my student job at the airport exposed me to a much more interesting industry than MRO; ground and cargo handling. Before graduating, I decided to double down on cargo, joining the Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo’s corporate purchasing team for my thesis, learning about the world of sub-contracting GHAs. From there, the step to a GHA after graduation was an obvious one, which brings me back to the start of this paragraph; September 2013.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job? DA: Working with students with whom I have a shared passion for aviation is incredibly rewarding. Not just because I get to talk about the industry I care about so much. But also because many young people come into aviation initially with the idea of becoming a pilot. Through interactions, discussions, guidance coaching, they learn about a much bigger ecosystem of stakeholders, departments, and jobs. To that end, every student who realizes that there is more to aviation than being a pilot is somewhat of a personal win for me.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry? DA: Particularly in Europe, we see increasing pressure to reduce emissions in our industry. While I support this wholeheartedly, I also acknowledge that this will be hard to swallow. With the existing tight margins and cut-throat competition that we see, emissions reductions won’t happen by themselves. If I compare this upcoming transition to net zero or significantly reduced emissions, to how we have been digitalizing our industry, we have decades of work ahead of us. Much more can be said about this but that’s a topic for another time.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry? DA: Before answering, it’s probably important to mention that most people I know didn’t choose to get into air cargo at all. To me, that is symptomatic to a larger problem and that is that we are taken for granted by everyday people. It’s the hidden engine of our economy that should deserve more, much more attention. Programs, or project weeks in high schools, local initiatives, and overall education could help start closing that gap. That said, many introductory trainings exist which are instrumental in getting an understanding of the different stakeholders, processes, and abbreviations we have. Whether that’s with a local (vocational) school, in-company, or with global organizations such as IATA, any start is a good start. There are so many different areas within air cargo where talent can bloom. It is exposing yourself to the larger ecosystem before diving into a specific role that I see as valuable, and then train and learn from an area of passion, not an area of chance.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be? DA: I love metaphors but I’m terrible at questions like these. Still, following my previous point that we’re not seen enough, I’d say we title our book “The invisible lifeline”.
Thank you very much, Diarto.
If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.
