Menzies Aviation issued two press releases this week. The first announced the creation of a new role – that of Chief Safety & Training Officer, to which it has appointed Yogesh Parekh. Yogesh’s career with Menzies began in precisely this field back in 1990 and since then, he has held numerous positions in operations, safety, audit and risk. In 2020, he became SVP Group Risk, moving to SVP Risk & GSE MEAA in 2024. From 01DEC25, he will take up his new position as Chief Safety & Training Officer – a role that has been created to demonstrate and ensure the company’s global safety culture, built on a fully trained and resilient workforce. Yogesh is based in Dubai, and will continue to develop risk management tools and policies to maintain professional quality levels across Menzies’ global network.

Philipp Joeinig, Group CEO, Menzies Aviation, said: “Safety is our number one priority and having highly experienced safety leaders across our business is critical. The creation of the Chief Safety & Training Officer role reflects our commitment to continually raising the bar and we are pleased to see Yogesh stepping into this position. Yogesh has been a trusted safety leader within our organization for many years and is highly regarded within the industry. His expertise will enhance our global safety and training culture as we continue to grow our company.”

In other news, Menzies Aviation revealed that it is another step closer to net-zero 2045, in London Heathrow and London Gatwick, since it has increased the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as opposed to diesel fuel at these airports. “At Heathrow, around 60% of Menzies’ GSE fleet now runs on HVO and more than 50% at Gatwick, with the remainder of all GSE equipment electric,” the release states, speaking of an annual usage of 65,000 liters of fuel and saving of up to 165 tons of CO2e through the transition to HVO: “the equivalent of removing more than 35 passenger cars from the road”. Similar transitions have taken place at Gothenburg (GOT), Stockholm Arlanda (ARN), and Amsterdam (AMS), San Diego International Airport (SAN) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). John Geddes, Chief Governance & Sustainability Officer & Company Secretary, explained: “Advancing the use of HVO at two of our largest UK ground handling operations represents another important milestone in our journey to decarbonize and achieve net-zero by 2045. HVO provides an immediate reduction in emissions while we continue to invest in electric ground support equipment as part of our Electric First initiative. By combining renewable fuel alternatives with our long-term electrification strategy, we’re taking tangible action to support our customers’ sustainability goals and the wider industry’s net zero ambitions.”

Things are beginning to take shape with Lufthansa Cargo’s LCCevo transition. The company proudly announced that the first of four phases of the largest infrastructure project in its history has now been completed. It cut the ribbon on its renovated headquarters at Frankfurt Airport last week, though the building authorities still need to give their final approval before people can start moving into their new office workspaces there. This is planned to happen mid-DEC25, and in the first step, 60 workspaces will then be operational. According to Lufthansa Cargo, the construction plan is running as per schedule with the second phase due for completion towards the end of next year and two further phases taking place until early 2028. 10,000 m² of modern office space will make up part of the Lufthansa Cargo Campus, which is also getting a new cargo hub. Once finished (in 2030), LCCevo will measure 330,000 m², or, as the company press release put it: the equivalent of circa 46 soccer fields. Work is ongoing whilst daily operations continue at what is planned to become “the most modern air freight location in Europe in the future,” according to Lufthansa Cargo, including a 42 m high high-bay warehouse which will become one of the tallest buildings at the airport. “The Lufthansa Cargo Center has been operating continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week, since 1982 and has since established itself as a central hub in global air freight traffic. With 1.4 million tons of freight per year, around 80% percent of the company’s global freight volume is handled there,” it states. Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, enthused: “The new headquarters is more than just a building – it is a place where our culture comes to life and a clear commitment to the future of our company and our location in Frankfurt. With our modern workspaces, we are creating space for collaboration, innovation, and growth – and thus sending a clear signal about our ambitions to shape the air freight of tomorrow. In addition, the modernization of our cargo hub forms the basis for offering our customers reliable and high-quality transport solutions around the world.”

It stands to reason that CARGOLAND, which has been defining itself as a key European e-commerce cargo hub over the past years, should get involved (again) in hosting the EU CBEC next year. EU CBEC stands for the ‘EU Cross-Border E-commerce Forum’ and has been held annually since 2019. It is a joint Belgium–China initiative that seeks to bring together retailers, brands, and global logistics leaders with digital platforms and technology providers, so as to ensure innovation, progress and smooth operations in this field. The 2026 version will actually be the fourth time that air cargo stakeholders involved in e-commerce, will convene at Liège Airport, to discuss what is one of the world’s fastest growing segments these past years. It will take place on 08-10SEP26, at the prestigious Palais des Congres Liège. The CBEC will include focused panels on the CBEC stage, and a large exhibition area. Around 300+ companies, 100 freight forwarders, 60 airlines, shippers from a wide range of sectors, and 15 trade media outlets are expected to attend. In the past, the event has played host to numerous innovations in the fields of digital systems, smart fulfilment, and advanced cargo handling solutions aimed at improving efficiency across global logistics networks. Next year’s event will continue with the mission to drive innovation and digital transformation, and will offer a dynamic mix of seminars, networking sessions, expert panels, keynotes, exhibition booths, B2B meetings, and company visits.

“The 2026 edition will expand its focus beyond e-commerce, addressing the major trends of the air cargo industry, from digitalization, multimodality, and sustainability to safety and security. Dedicated e-commerce sessions will explore cross-border trade trends, emerging growth drivers, and strategies for airlines and airports navigating the sector’s continued expansion. Complementary topics such as digital marketing, data integration, and regulatory compliance will also feature on the agenda,” the release explains.

Frédéric Brun, Head of Commercial Cargo & Logistics at LGG, revealed: “The event has more than doubled in size since we first hosted it in 2019, and it continues to grow in scale and influence. We already have 60 airlines confirmed, 53 renowned speakers, and expect more than 850 participants, possibly even breaking the 1,000-attendee mark in 2026. If you’re active in air cargo, this is where you need to be.”

Torsten Wefers, Vice President Sales & Marketing at LGG, added: “The EU Cross-Border e-commerce Forum provides exceptional networking opportunities to connect with senior decision-makers and leaders from across the logistics spectrum, shippers, freight forwarders, technology innovators, airlines, and e-tailers, all gathered in one place.”

The freight arm of Kenya’s first low-cost airline, Jambojet, has opted to publish its cargo capacities on Freightos’ WebCargo platform. Jambojet Cargo, which is billed as Kenya’s leading regional carrier, operates a fleet of 7 De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 which each offer up to one ton of cargo space. From its main hub in Nairobi and secondary hub in Mombasa, it serves nine main routes linking Kenya and Tanzania. Its network destinations are Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Malindi, Diani, Lamu and Zanzibar. As its cargo business grows, the airline plans to establish interlining agreements in line with customer demand. The airline currently carries mainly fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce. Now that its capacity is available on WebCargo, it will reach a greater customer base and WebCargo users will have access to cargo routes across East Africa. “With Jambojet Cargo now live on WebCargo by Freightos, and in the future available to interlining agreements, freight forwarders can compare live rates, book shipments instantly, and manage air cargo digitally, improving visibility, reducing manual coordination, and ensuring faster, more reliable service. Freightos processes an annualized run rate of over 1.6 million transactions on its platform,” the release elaborates.

Zvi Schreiber, CEO of Freightos, commented: “Partnering with Jambojet Cargo expands WebCargo by Freightos’ reach in one of Africa’s most dynamic logistics markets. By bringing more regional carriers online, we’re continuing Freightos’ mission to make global trade smoother and more efficient – helping forwarders and shippers access the capacity they need, when they need it and where they need it.” Karanja Ndegwa, MD & CEO at Jambojet, confirmed: “Digitalization is reshaping air cargo across Africa, and Jambojet is proud to be at the forefront of this change, providing our customers with a modern and easy-to-use booking experience. By joining WebCargo by Freightos, we’re giving freight forwarders faster, smoother, and more reliable access to our network – supporting the region’s expanding trade and connectivity. Looking ahead, we’re excited to make our capacity available for interlining on WebCargo by Freightos’ platform, helping strengthen links between African markets and the world.”

The amount of press releases this year announcing Chinese connections out of Glasgow appear to know no end. Now, in the week of the e-commerce annual highlight, Black Friday, the Scottish Airport announces that it has doubled the number of weekly Air China Cargo flights linking it with China. Now eight instead of four weekly freighter services carry freight between the two countries. This is because Air China Cargo has also begun flying from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), China, in addition to its existing flights out of Guangzhou (CAN). Chengdu-Prestwick connections began on 22NOV25, and are served by an A330 freighter.

“Air China Cargo established its UK cargo hub at PIK in June earlier this year, and the airport also services regular scheduled flights from China Southern Air Logistics and Beijing Capital Airlines,” the release states. Hong Kong Air Cargo also began flying to Glasgow very early on this year. CargoForwarder Global has reported on the airport’s growth throughout. See: https://cargoforwarder.eu/?s=Glasgow+China&post_type=post

Glasgow Airport states that the growth in services has resulted in an increase of 200 jobs at the airport, and its one-million-pound investment “in new equipment and a dedicated cool chain team allowed the airport to launch a new Scotland to China seafood export service in September”.

Ian Forgie, Chief Executive Officer, PIK, detailed: “Air China Cargo’s decision to double its flights from Prestwick, is a strong vote of confidence in our team and our cargo capacity. The past six months have been among the busiest in Prestwick’s history, as we have welcomed three new scheduled cargo operators and expanded our facilities to support sustained growth. This has been a transformational year, and we expect this momentum to continue into 2026 as we deepen our role as a strategic gateway between the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.”

From the company known for its ‘origami’ ULDs as CargoForwarder Global reported back in 2019, 2022 and 2023 (with fun titles such as “Two have and to fold” – sadly those articles are no longer available since we changed websites), VRR has now answered a growing customer requirement and has added pallets to its ULD range for the first time. Available in the two industry standard sizes of 88” and 96”, and in differing thickness, the aluminum pallets belong to its newly launched ‘We Keep It Simple’ range – likely with more ULDs to come. The tare weights of the pallets have not been disclosed, but VRR states that they were designed with weight saving and sustainability in mind and are thus as light as possible, without losing strength and durability. That durability is estimated to be in line with industry norms – in other words: an average lifespan of 7–10 years per pallet. After that, they can be fully recycled thanks to their aluminum material.

“The big change here, is that VRR has always focused on more complex products – such as horse stalls – completely customized solutions and highly innovative products. Pallets is an entirely new product group we offer, so as to be able to support even more customers with our solutions,” VRR tells CargoForwarder Global. “We thoroughly tested the pallets, as we do with all our products. We want to ensure that they are strong, safe, and durable. The certification process went smoothly.”

The new aluminum pallets have been ETSO-certified as airworthy, are therefore fully accepted by aviation authorities, and are compatible with a wide range of aircraft types – both passenger and cargo variants. “The ‘We Keep It Simple’ pallet range is designed to give operators exactly what they need for safe, efficient and cost-effective freight transport,” the release states, going on to emphasize that, with this launch, VRR has extended its “engineering expertise into one of aviation’s most competitive sectors”. The company also announces that each pallet can be customized as per customer wish: “Optional logo and color branding to align with customer livery,” the release invites. Geert van Riemsdijk, Managing Director of VRR, explained: “VRR has a long history of making complex air cargo challenges simpler for our customers. By applying that same philosophy to pallets, we’ve created a straightforward product that delivers on durability, certification and handling – without unnecessary extras. The timing felt right to move into pallets. Operators are asking for certified, sustainable equipment, and we’re in a strong position to deliver it.”