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Amsterdam is blooming – in November

Heiner Siegmund
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Amsterdam is blooming – in November

From 04-06NOV25, floricultural professionals and thousands of visitors met at the Expo Greater Amsterdam in Vijfhuizen, where the International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFTF) took place. The organizers of the exposition speak of 290+ exhibitors from 30 countries displaying their products.

Amsterdam’s International Floriculture Trade Fair is the place where the flower industry meets frequently  –  courtesy: IFTF

The trade show reaffirms the Netherlands’ position as the world’s leading hub for the international flower industry. It is a vibrant sector that showcases Dutch innovation, collaboration, and sustainability. It also highlights the vital role that the AMS-based home carrier Air France KLM Martinair Cargo plays in connecting growers from Africa and South America with markets across Europe and beyond.

Originally known for tulip cultivation, the Netherlands has long since developed into a global center for floriculture and flower trade. However, this would not be possible without fine-tuned air freight transport of these temperature-sensitive items.

Closely-knit ecosystem
The Royal Flora Holland auction in Aalsmeer, located just a few kilometers from Schiphol, plays a key role within this extensive network, connecting growers, wholesalers, and international buyers. Together with the tightly knit air and road network surrounding Schiphol, this integrated system enables flowers to travel from greenhouse to global market within just a few days, ensuring freshness and quality.

Every single day, millions of fresh flowers arrive at Schiphol Airport by air from countries such as Ecuador, Kenya, and Colombia. Within hours, they are distributed to markets across Europe – a logistical feat that reinforces the Netherlands’ reputation as the floricultural gateway to Europe.

A trillion-euro business
The economic and financial impact of the Dutch floriculture sector is shown by these figures: In the first three quarters of 2024, flower and plant exports increased by approximately 3.5%, reaching around €5.5 billion. JAN25 saw a year-on-year increase of about 7%, totaling roughly €540 million. Looking ahead, the Dutch floriculture market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 4.7% until 2029 – expanding from approximately €4.9 billion to €6.2 billion. Meanwhile, global flower air freight services are expected to increase by about 5.1% per year, with European flows rising by roughly 4.2%. The flower trade contributes significantly to the Dutch national economy, supporting more than 150,000 direct and indirect jobs across horticulture, logistics, and air freight. The sector’s export value of over €6 billion represents a vital pillar of Dutch trade, innovation, and employment – with Schiphol serving as the beating heart of this ecosystem, illustrates Air France KLM Martinair Cargo in a statement.

GertJan Roelands is SVP Commercial at Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, photo: KLM Cargo.

Flowers, fish, vegetables and more
The cargo carrier handles a significant proportion of the flower transport. From its homebase at Schiphol, the company offers its customers tailored solutions for temperature-sensitive cargo. Its freighters, extensive route network, and state-of-the-art cold-storage facilities cement the carrier’s leading role in global floral supply chains. “Flowers are not just a symbol of Dutch heritage – they represent a sophisticated, time-critical logistics system that connects growers and consumers around the globe,” illustrates GertJan Roelands, SVP Commercial at Air France KLM Martinair Cargo. “Our results in the perishable segment have been growing year over year – from flowers and vegetables to fish.”

The executive went on to say: “A strong logistical ecosystem at Schiphol, combined with our specialized services and cool-chain solutions, is a winning combination. We continue to invest in these capabilities to further enhance our customer offering and maintain this unique competitive edge.”

He also points out that sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue for the flower industry. The sector continues to invest in digital logistics, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), smart temperature monitoring, optimized packaging, and data-driven efficiency – all aimed at reducing its carbon footprint.

TIACA’s ACF 2025: Of Ferraris and Firsts

Brigitte Gledhill
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TIACA’s ACF 2025: Of Ferraris and Firsts

TIACA’s first-ever Abu Dhabi edition of its well-established Miami-based Air Cargo Forum (ACF) took place 03-06NOV25 at the Etihad Arena on the UAE emirate’s Yas Island. TIACA reported that more than 1,000 people attended the event, which included an exhibition hall featuring 39 company booths and generous meeting area, a handful of less obvious company rooms in side-hallways, and a large plenary hall where all the panels, keynotes, and Oasis Side Chats took place. CargoForwarder Global was in attendance and here are the takeaways.

Cutting the ribbon on the first-ever TIACA ACF in the UAE. Image: CFG

“Were you in Singapore last week? And will you be in Miami, next week?” were the main opening questions often posed when people met at the arena. And indeed, many had travelled in from the previous week’s air cargo Southeast Asia and would be heading out to the Air Cargo Americas the following week. The fact that these two events were taking place either side of the Air Cargo Forum meant that some companies had decided to reduce their presence having chosen between the many events on offer at this time of the year, given travel budgets limitations. Those companies with strong Middle East customer bases or wishing to expand there, reported having fruitful meetings, but some attendees lamented the fact that contacts from other parts of the world were missing, and the atmosphere overall seemed quieter than usual – which was a shame for an event in a destination with great promise, vision, and one that is located just 6 hours from everywhere. “If there are too many events happening, the quality of the individual events suffers,” Torsten Wefers, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Liège Airport, told CargoForwarder Global. A look at the joint Belgian air cargo community stand, however, which always appeared to be lively, showed little evidence of suffering. On the contrary – people were doing what they enjoy most: networking and getting the latest on air cargo developments and gossip.

A first for the Etihad Arena
The four days were very different in their layout. 51 people turned up for the golf tournament in 33°C, that took place on the Monday morning. A great many more attended the exclusive open-air Café del Mar beach-side networking kick-off that evening, with a generous buffet set up around a pool, an almost full moon, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Tuesday through to Thursday were held at the Etihad Arena – an establishment frequented by the likes of Rod Stewart, Backstreet Boys, Linkin Park, or the Musical ‘Beetlejuice’. TIACA’s ACF was its first attempt at hosting a conference and it may fare better with more conference-coordination through a local event manager for the next one, particularly with regard to ambient temperature and the refreshments and food on offer, for example – not to mention the arbitrary security checks and guiding people to the correct locations. The plenary and the exhibition hall were rather far apart from each other, and not all the rooms were easy to spot. Whereas Tuesday and Wednesday featured speakers and panels, and were the liveliest of the four days, Thursday was an exhibition-only day and far quieter, with around 100 people and stands being cleared around midday. One very definite highlight for many attendees, was the evening dinner and adrenaline-fuel rides at Ferrari World on the Wednesday evening – well organized with transfer buses to and from the event hotels, excellent and very varied food, and a raffle adding to the excitement of the evening.

A packed agenda
The many topics on the agenda held great promise. Unfortunately, since neither coffee nor lunch breaks were planned, this meant that the discussions scheduled around and post lunchtime saw far fewer attendees. Hopefully, next time, the agenda will be loosened up a little, and more time allocated to some of the more crucial topics such as sustainability, and a highly interesting Pharma.Aero’s Food & Farm for Health initiative, for example, that deserves far greater attention – and opening the floor up for questions – something that worked better on the Wednesday.

While an entertaining farewell to outgoing Chair, Steven Polmans, was presented to the plenary audience, the official handover from him to incoming Chair, Roos Bakker, was done at the exclusive press event on the Wednesday afternoon. Roos will be flanked by Vice Chairs, Tushar Jani and Emir Pineda, who Glyn Hughes predicted will provide: “ the perfect balance and good mix of continuity, new look, new vision, and a new approach”. Recapping the event, he highlighted that, among the 1,000 attendees were more than 65 unique airlines in attendance – a first for TIACA, “and reflects that the decision to move here was the right one – it is a way to engage with the global community who don’t get to Miami. The panels were exceptional from the level of engagement and the quality of speakers,” he said. The panel on the Middle East illustrated how the industry is moving on,and he felt that the“fast-paced 20-minute Oasis Side Chats were good.”

TIACA is growing and has plans
TIACA has much to be proud of: Membership has now surpassed the 500 mark, thanks to 60% growth since its transformation in 2019 – with every new member, it becomes more relevant for the industry. It continues to be active in Sustainability with its Roadmap and BlueSky assessments, as well as the survey and the awards – the latter will be presented at the Executive Summit in Warsaw, Poland, on 02-04JUN25. It published its first White Paper on e-commerce, earlier this year and is now working on a joint project with Pharma. Aero: Farm Fresh Economic Empowerment. Alongside an online training library for smaller businesses, and a Climate Action investment platform, TIACA represents the industry at ICAO, and similar authorities. And it has plans to nurture and encourage Startups. It recently signed an MoU with the German HOUSE 61 startup incubator, and is establishing a dedicated Startup pavilion at the ACF26, where contenders will be invited to pitch in front of investors, à la Dragon’s Den. The Miami ACF will take place 26-29OCT26. Over 200 exhibitors have already registered, TIACA says, and around 4,000 attendees are expected.

Just some of the information takeaways
Abu Dhabi is the world’s safest and fastest developing city and fastest growing airport in the region. It is being developed into a regional cargo powerhouse by 2030, with a new East Midfield Cargo Terminal that will be able to handle 1.5 million tons of cargo per year, when it opens in 2027.

Overall, the air cargo industry has seen strong growth this year – at nearly 4% demand and 6% capacity growth, driven by tariff frontloading and supply chain shifts. SE Asia and India key growth regions; capacity will tighten due to delays with new freighter deliveries. 2026 expected to be more muted but positive with continued growth in SE Asia and India. Freighter profitability stable, with capacity shortages expected especially in widebody freighters. The Middle East order book is the largest globally, signaling continued growth focus.

AI is evolving from reactive management to predictive and collaborative tools. Trust in data and AI-driven decisions essential.

E-commerce now accounts for about 20% of global air cargo volumes and is projected to double in the coming decade. Airports must actively choose to support e-commerce – without strategic intent, they will miss out on growth opportunities.

Conclusion
The idea of holding an event in Abu Dhabi is definitely the right one, given the shift in trade lanes and the growing importance of the region as a global cargo hub. The many posts on LinkedIn from attendees, confirms that they found it useful and inspiring. TIACA would be well advised to plan the next event at a quieter time part of the year, to avoid conference-fatigue.

UPS freighter crashed near Memphis

Heiner Siegmund
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UPS freighter crashed near Memphis

On Tuesday, 04NOV2025, a UPS-operated MD-11 freighter crashed shortly after take-off near Louisville, Kentucky, the package delivery company’s global hub. The plane was en route from Louisville Mohammad Ali International Airport (SDF) to Daniel K. Inouye Airport (HNL) in Honolulu. According to Washington’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the accident claimed fourteen lives including three crew members. MD-11Fs represent about 9% of the integrator’s overall fleet.

The huge plume caused by the crash could still be seen from a great distance – source: private

UPS and FedEx said they are grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes “out of an abundance of caution” following the deadly crash of UPS Flight 2976 on 04NOV at the U.S. integrator’s global aviation hub in Kentucky. It was the deadliest plane crash in the integrator’s history.

TheFAA is leading the investigation supported by the National Transportation Safety Board. National Transportation Safety Board investigators working to determine a cause of the crash have said the outbound MD-11’s left engine detached from the wing during takeoff. The aircraft involved in Tuesday’s crash was manufactured in 1991.

The flight suspensions affected the integrator’s global network
Immediately after the crash, flight operations at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport were temporarily suspended. The company’s Worldport is more than 5 million square feet where 12,000+ UPS employees process more than two million packages a day, according to the integrator.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F is a freight plane manufactured originally by McDonnell Douglas at its plant in Long Beach and taken over by Boeing in AUG1997. The variant is primarily operated by FedEx Express, UPS Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo which retired its last MD-11F in October 2021. In total, LH Cargo operated 19 MD-11F units from June 1998 until that date.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear delivers update on the UPS crash near Louisville Airport

Converted from pax to cargo
The aircraft, which is powered by three engines and is therefore considered to be very tail-heavy, also served as a popular wide-bodied passenger aircraft after it was first flown in 1990 by Finnair, the former Swissair and some other operators.

As fuel costs increased, most of the three engine jets were converted to freighters which can uplift between 85 and 92 tons of cargo per takeoff depending on such as range and the specific configuration of the aircraft.

This is the second serious accident involving a UPS freighter, following one on 03SEP2010 when a Boeing 747-44AF, on way from Dubai to Cologne, crashed in an unpopulated area in the outskirts of Dubai killing the Captain and the First Officer.

Investigators determined that a rapidly progressing fire caused by lithium batteries was burning in the forward main cargo deck area. Within four minutes of the first flight deck warning, the fire had severely damaged the flight control systems, making it impossible for the crew to manually control the aircraft.

Swissport welcomes Steven Polmans

Heiner Siegmund
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Swissport welcomes Steven Polmans

From TIACA to Swissport – a smooth transition. Steven Polmans is moving from his honorary role as Chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) to ground handling agent Swissport. The company announced this in a statement aired 02NOV25. As new “Global Senior Vice President Cargo,” Steven’s first day in office will be 15NOV2025.

After his graduation in 1995, Steven Polmans stepped into ground handling and is now continuing his impressive career at Swissport Int’l – photo: CFG/hs

Not only does the energetic manager deserve congratulations on his new position, but so does Swissport. With Polmans, the agent has gained an extremely experienced manager who is well connected in the industry, drives innovation and – it should be added – is a person of high integrity. Together with Dirk Goovaerts, Global Cargo Chair of Swissport, he is likely to take the agent’s business to a new level.

Extensive work package
Steven’s appointment aligns with Swissport’s policy to strengthen its leadership team with industry experts who can drive sustainable growth and operational excellence across its global network. It is a very extensive work package with an enormous amount of responsibility, especially in a company where processes are well established and not everyone is likely to cheer when well-trodden paths come to an end and innovations are introduced. Internal persuasion is therefore another key aspect that is likely to be on Polman’s to-do list. 

Growing Swissport’s market position
His main task is navigating Swissport International’s global air cargo operations by developing and driving the agent’s air freight strategy, enhancing its commercial performance, and positioning the Zurich, Switzerland-based company as an innovative, value-adding service provider in the air cargo market.

In his new role, Polmans will be responsible for identifying key growth opportunities through both organic expansion and strategic M&A activities. As the key point of contact for all commercial matters and business development initiatives, he will play a crucial role in strengthening the company’s global reputation and ensuring Swissport maintains its position as a market heavyweight in the sector.

It is no surprise that the reactions by the Swissport leadership team to Polmans’ appointment were very positive. Dirk Goovaerts, CEO Continental Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and Global Cargo Chair at Swissport stated: “His extensive experience in transforming cargo operations, building strategic industry partnerships, and driving innovation makes him the ideal leader to further enhance and grow our cargo services worldwide. Steven’s deep industry knowledge and forward-thinking approach will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position as a global leader in air cargo handling.”

Wide-spread network
Polmans joins Swissport with an extensive background in the air cargo industry. He served as Director of Cargo & Logistics at Brussels Airport Company, where he played a key role in developing BRUcargo into a leading pharmaceutical logistics hub. In JAN2021, Steven moved on and joined Nallian as their Chief Customer Officer, a data sharing company building amongst others the innovative BRUcloud platform. In addition to his latest professional activities as an independent air cargo consultant he served eight years as Chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), demonstrating exceptional leadership in fostering collaboration across the air cargo supply chain. His wide-spread network and deep understanding of global cargo markets will be valuable assets to Swissport as it pursues delivering best-in-practice services to airlines and freight forwarders, optimizing revenue, and driving operational efficiencies.

Focusing on China and the APAC region
Swissport’s Air Cargo division handles over 5 million tons of air freight annually across 117 cargo warehouses worldwide. Only recently, Swissport inked a commercial agreement to manage and jointly operate the new Digital & Intelligent International Cargo Terminal at Shanghai Pudong Airport in partnership with Smargo, a joint venture between AVINEX Logistics and China Eastern Airlines Logistics.

According to Swissport, the opening of additional stations in China stand high on the expansion program. A task that Steven Polmans must now focus on.

Liège Airport twins with Chicago Rockford International Airport

Brigitte Gledhill
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Liège Airport twins with Chicago Rockford International Airport
Zachary Oakley and Torsten Wefers shake hands on closer collaboration. Image: Lemon Queen

Against the backdrop of the Air Cargo Southeast Asia (ACSA) event in Singapore last week, the two airports signed a ‘sister airport relationship agreement’, witnessed by top management from both airports as well as other industry leaders. What that means is that they will now work together to promote cargo traffic between their airports. On the commercial side, this will be done through joint marketing and sales initiatives aimed at attracting new cargo operators and logistics partners. For improved service quality and smoother processes on the operational side, the two will also collaborate on digital and process projects. “This landmark partnership marks a new chapter in transatlantic air cargo collaboration, reinforcing both airports’ commitment to innovation, growth, and operational excellence,” the release proclaims.

Torsten Wefers, VP Sales & Marketing of Liège Airport, said: “This agreement is a testament to our shared vision for the future of air cargo. Together with Chicago Rockford International Airport, we are building a robust transatlantic corridor that will benefit shippers, carriers, and the global supply chain.”

Zachary Oakley, Executive Director of RFD, concurred: “Liège and Rockford are both cargo-centric airports with complementary strengths. This partnership formalizes our collaboration and sets the stage for exciting new opportunities.”

PIK focuses on Indian market growth

Brigitte Gledhill
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PIK focuses on Indian market growth
Nico Le Roux, Business Development Director, Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Image: Meantime Communications

After the many Chinese-related press releases, Nico Le Roux, Business Development Director, PIK, speaking at the Air Cargo Southeast Asia Expo, Singapore on 29OCT25, shared that Glasgow Prestwick Airport is expanding its India-focused cargo operations to meet surging demand for premium Scottish exports, particularly salmon and whisky. This initiative leverages the UK’s recent free trade agreement with India, which is set to eliminate tariffs on Scottish salmon and sharply reduce duties on Scotch whisky – from 150% to 75%, with further decreases projected. As a result, Scotland’s salmon industry, which will likely see the current 30% tariffs fall away altogether, gains full access to the world’s third-largest fish market (12 million metric tons of seafood consumed in 2021), while whisky volumes shipped to India already hit record highs in 2024, with 192 million bottles exported – over 200% growth in a decade, making it Scotland’s largest whisky export market by volume. Scotch whisky exports to India have reached approximately GBP 248 million in value, and tariff reforms could potentially drive figures up to GBP one billion within five years. Prestwick is now seeking new full freighter services and partnerships to support these booming UK-India trade flows, building on past successes in direct cargo routes to key Asian markets. Nico Le Roux, Business Development Director, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, said: “The Indian subcontinent, on the back of the recent Indo-Anglo trade agreement, is a key target for Glasgow Prestwick Airport for 2026. Scotland’s national export ambitions to India are well defined and Prestwick will provide an unrivalled European gateway for India’s pharmaceutical, medical equipment, and garment industries. We are looking to mirror the successful collaborations we created with Chinese carriers, and are actively seeking out full freighter airline partners to serve the Indian market. Expanding our connections with India will ensure faster, more efficient routes for Scotland’s key products to reach one of the world’s fastest-growing markets while offering Indian manufacturers a superb hub in Europe.”

Lufthansa Cargo merges two subsidiaries

Brigitte Gledhill
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Lufthansa Cargo merges two subsidiaries
Merge two companies into one with two Managing Directors. Image: Lufthansa Cargo

Lufthansa Cargo announced on 31OCT25 that its EU customs clearance subsidiary, CB Customs Broker, and digital e-commerce transport solutions subsidiary, heyworld, will merge to become a single company from 01JAN26. At the same time, the respective companies’ Managing Directors, Uwe Glunz who has held the position since mid-2021 and Boris Hueske, who took on the role in early 2023, will be stepping down to take up new roles within the Lufthansa Cargo Group. The press release includes thanks to the gentlemen from Lufthansa Cargo’s Executive Board, “for their dedicated service and significant contributions in the past years.” In their stead follow two new Managing Directors, who will jointly lead the new company: Murat Odabas for CB Customs Broker, and Nikola Todic for heyworld GmbH. “Both leaders are committed to ensuring a smooth integration and continued excellence in customer service,” the release underlines – but it fails to explain whether the merged single company will have a new name.

Reason for the merger? Apparently a strategic move “to create new opportunities for growth and innovation [and creating] a unique one-stop offering for cross-border logistics solutions at parcel level. […] Customers with high volumes of cross-border parcel shipments will gain access to a superior level of service and expertise through the newly formed company. Tailored logistics services will combine advanced customs brokerage with cross-border transport solutions and seamless digital integration. This holistic approach is designed to improve speed, transparency, and efficiency across the entire supply chain.” If both companies have been so successful in their respective fields thus far, is the merger really necessary or is it a cost decision, perhaps?

Ashwin Bhat, CEO Lufthansa Cargo AG, announced: “The merger of CB Customs Broker and heyworld represents a key milestone in our strategic ambition of developing beyond airport-to-airport solutions. By combining their complementary strengths and expertise, we are creating a unique offering in the field of cross-border parcel logistics – one that further enhances our market position and enables us to serve customers with even greater value and precision. Over the past years, both companies have made valuable contributions to Lufthansa Cargo’s success and growth in this dynamic segment, driven by their entrepreneurship and innovative spirit.”

Murat Odabas commented: “I’m looking forward to bringing both teams together to ensure seamless business continuity and to further develop tailored and innovative logistics solutions for our customers.” Nikola Todic stated: “Combining our strengths will allow us to deliver smarter, more integrated services while driving innovation and efficiency across borders.”

Cargojet begins direct cargo service to Liège

Brigitte Gledhill
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Cargojet begins direct cargo service to Liège
Building a bridge between Canada and Europe. Image: Cargojet

Starting 01NOV25, Cargojet will operate a B767-300 from Canada to Liège in Belgium. Initially, this will be one direct flight per week, linking Canada’s main cargo hubs with the key cargo gateway to Europe. However, as demand grows, the airline plans to expand the schedule accordingly. The new European connection is a significant milestone in the airline’s strategy as it focuses on underlining its position as a reliable partner in the global logistics market. “This weekly service marks a significant expansion of Cargojet’s global network, providing customers with dependable, time-sensitive capacity and enhanced connectivity across continents. Integrated within Cargojet’s domestic overnight network, the route will offer streamlined connections across Canada, improving overall transit times and providing greater flexibility for freight forwarders, logistics providers, and shippers,” the release emphasizes.

Pauline Dhillon and Jamie Porteous, Co-Chief Executive Officers, issued a joint statement: “Leveraging Cargojet’s industry-leading record of on-time performance and reliability, we are strengthening the ties between Canada and Europe while expanding opportunities for our customers. This service allows Cargojet to be at the center of transatlantic trade, supporting the forwarder community’s evolving needs with faster transits, reliable service, and enhanced flexibility for shippers across both continents.” Torsten Wefers, VP Marketing & Sales, Liège Airport, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Cargojet to Liège Airport, recognized as one of Europe’s very best cargo hubs. This partnership represents a major step forward for the Liège community and for Europe – Canada logistics, unlocking new potential and connectivity for our customers and partners.”

Etihad publishes expanded Winter 2025 freighter schedule

Brigitte Gledhill
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0
Etihad publishes expanded Winter 2025 freighter schedule
Working on becoming a key global cargo hub. Image: Etihad Cargo

In addition to Etihad recently announcing that 16 new destinations (Addis Ababa, Algiers, Almaty, Baku, Bucharest, Chiang Mai, Kazan, Krabi, Medan, Medina, Phnom Penh, Tashkent, Tbilisi, and Yerevan) will be taken up in its passenger network between November 2025 and March 2026, Etihad Cargo has now also published its expanded freighter schedule. Its Winter 2025 flight plan includes more frequencies on key routes, as well as a new service to the UK’s East Midlands airport. The move is in response increasing demand across major trade, manufacturing, and distribution markets in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The new dedicated route to East Midlands – one of the UK’s main cargo hubs – began on 27OCT25 and now offers two direct weekly flights from Abu Dhabi – directly supporting domestic and broader European distribution. In Asia, Etihad Cargo will substantially boost capacity including one additional flight each to Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Ezhou, and six more weekly services to Shenzhen, reflecting increased manufacturing exports in the region and aligning with its participation in Air Cargo Southeast Asia (ACSA) 2025 in Singapore, where it focused on regional growth in reach and business.

Additional flights will also be added to Riyadh (+2), Paris Charles de Gaulle (+1), and Frankfurt (+1), ensuring more flexible, reliable options for customers and supporting high-value trade flows across Etihad’s freight corridor network. “The enhanced winter 2025 schedule reaffirms Etihad Cargo’s role as a key global connector, linking major economic hubs through efficient, high-quality air freight solutions. As the group expands across new horizons, it remains focused on supporting partners with smarter, faster, and more seamless ways to move cargo around the world, building connections that truly go beyond borders,” the release states. Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer of Etihad Airways, stated: “Every shipment represents a connection that matters. As we enter the busy winter period, increasing our network capacity and introducing new trade routes means giving our customers more ways to move their goods with reliability and care. Through this strategic expansion, we hope to continue empowering businesses and communities to thrive.”

WestJet Cargo assists CAAT in volunteer vet mission

Brigitte Gledhill
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0
WestJet Cargo assists CAAT in volunteer vet mission
Bringing help to communities that otherwise don’t have vet access. Image: WestJet Cargo

At the end of AUG25, WestJet Cargo embarked on a social responsibility mission with its support in getting vet equipment and medication to Canada’s Nunavut territory – in particular, Pangnirtung – a remote Arctic community. Working in collaboration with a national non-profit organization – the Canadian Animal Assistance Team (CAAT) – which focuses on improving animal welfare in underserved communities, the airline arranged the transportation of a 191 kg shipment to and from the small community. The shipment consisted of 12 cases of surgical tools, saline and medical supplies and equipment. It took off from Vancouver via Calgary to Ottawa, landing there on 01SEP25. From here, WestJet Cargo ensured smooth connection to its airline partner, Canadian North, which carried the cargo on its final leg to Pangnirtung. After a two-week volunteer vet mission which included several days of surgery, follow-ups, and community animal care, the equipment embarked on its return journey to Victoria, arriving there on 16SEP25. The project required careful planning, coordination and care, since the shipment had to arrive in time to enable the travelling volunteer vets to carry out their mission.

“CAAT’s ‘MASH-style’ (mobile army surgical hospital) clinics bring fully equipped, temporary veterinary hospitals directly into communities where access to veterinary services is limited or unavailable. Beyond treatment, CAAT works hand-in-hand with local leaders to create Community Animal Care Plans, long-term strategies that promote sustainable animal health and welfare,” the press release explained.

Taylor Nadeau, Cargo Sales Representative at WestJet Cargo, emphasized: “Every community deserves access to basic veterinary care – no matter how remote. These animals are family, workers and part of the community. We were honored to assist CAAT by transporting the specialized equipment that makes their work possible. CAAT’s volunteer teams have tight schedules, with flights and accommodation arranged around community needs. Any delay in the cargo’s arrival could impact the entire mission. We worked closely with Chris from CAAT to prioritize and monitor the shipment at every stage, ensuring it arrived exactly when needed. At WestJet Cargo, we’re proud to support organizations like CAAT whose compassion and commitment reach places few others can. Helping them deliver care where it’s needed most reflects what we believe in – connecting communities in ways that matter.”

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