It feels slightly old now, but the airline association has published its air cargo stats for the three months ending April. And yes, the news has been good for air freight – unless, of course, you are a shipper. Cargo yields were up 4.5%, (seasonally adjusted); freight tonne km up 10.5%; and air f...

This low worker retention rate does not only affect the cargo handler, but its clients (airlines), the clients of its clients (forwarders) and the clients of the clients of its clients (stay with me – the shippers). Despite these knock-on effects, current market conditions prevent cargo handlers b...

Historically, multinational companies have found access to the Indian market challenging. However, the payoff is significant for those able to navigate this relatively complex market. One such company is GAC India, which has grown rapidly since its establishment in 1983 to become a key player in the...

For the best part of 25 years – from the perspective of international trade and the transport and logistics industries that support that trade – there was a broad consensus on economic policy across the UK’s political spectrum. And anyway, as a European Union member, the UK’s trading positio...

Consultancy McKinsey states in one article that by 2025, 15-20% of air freight shipments will be booked directly by the shipper with the airline. Flexport, a freight forwarder, highlights in a blog that “airlines are poised to bring freight consolidation in-house”. However, in my view,...

This, of course, is positive news for retailers and the wider logistics industry; however, it can put enormous pressure on the supply chain, particularly at peak times like Christmas. With customers now demanding next- or same-day delivery, including weekends and bank holidays, the challenge lies in...

The second quarter of the year is often relatively slow. It is, however, a period in which airlines will experience how they managed their forwarding clients during the most recent peak season. Most airlines ended 2016 on a high. They benefited from the “capacity frenzy” and could charge (nearly...

During my years within the logistics industry, I have been frequently asked questions along the lines of “can I change the shipper and consignee’s names within a bill of lading?” or “what is a switch bill of lading for?”. Imagine a scenario: company A based in the UK sells gardening tools ...

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Numerous shippers were interviewed on their experiences and expectations in dealing with airlines and forwarders. A recurring theme in these interviews was that shippers felt “the biggest air freight problems are those associated with ground support and handling (airport congestion, pickup and del...