It’s old news that COVID-19 has caused unprecedented damages to the airline industry. Since its outbreak, the passengers’ numbers have been decimated, and many airliners have suffered huge financial losses. Commercial aviation has taken the hardest blow. However, not everything is that bleak. From a logistics standpoint, certain air cargo trends in a pandemic world might be the silver lining for the future of air transport. The national shipping company of Saudi Arabia will share more on the topic with you in this text.
What Are the Most Prominent Air Cargo Trends in a Pandemic World?
As leaders in the field of air cargo Jeddah we’ve witnessed many changes in the past couple of years. New air cargo trends in a pandemic world are on the rise, as a response to market demands and supply. Here are the top 3 most prevalent ones:
- Cold chain logistics is in the limelight
- The use of so-called preighters
- E-commerce and digital transformations in air freight operations
Cold Chain Logistics and COVID-19 Vaccines – One of the Biggest Air Cargo Trends in a Pandemic World
As the entire world contends with COVID-19 for the second year, medical research is passing the baton to the air cargo industry. The vaccines are approved, and now they have to be delivered around the globe. In this scenario, cold chain logistics has the main role. Big pharma companies use air cargo as the most reliable and efficient solution. Vaccines and other medications have specific requirements, that only climate-controlled shipping units can provide. So, cold chain logistics turns out to be one of the biggest air cargo trends in a pandemic world. Besides, operation networks for air cargo are gradually rebuilt, and issues with capacity are tackled. Let’s see how in continuation.
The use of Passenger Planes as Freighters – Preighters
Due to the drastic shrink of passengers number, and the increase in air cargo demands, a lot of passenger planes are converted into freighters. These are called preighters and are one of the most prominent air freight trends in a pandemic world. Simply, operators remove passenger seats, so there is more space for cargo. So, this is the solution for the capacity issue we’ve mentioned before. This trend is likely to continue throughout this year, and well into the next one as well. As you may conclude so far, freight forwarding has faced many challenges. Yet, it’s flexible enough to come up with a solution each time.
E-Commerce and Digital Transformations in Air Freight Operations
During the pandemic, e-commerce has grown more than ever. Air cargo is the logistical answer for online businesses, as well as the need for fast delivery. Hence, air cargo trends are on the rise in a pandemic world, to meet these demands. This creates the necessity for the digital transformation of air freight. In other words, the parts of a value chain need better integration. In this way, communication between shippers and airlines will be easier, processing costs will decrease and customer service will improve also. The aim is to make the air cargo process paperless. This will make it more efficient and safer. So, digitalization is no longer an option, but a necessity.
COVID-19 has changed the world. However, the industry has found ways to adapt and turn this into a chance for growth. Above we’ve mentioned the air freight trends in a pandemic world, that are changing the industry, and the world. We hope you find this information useful, and stay safe.
