FedEx reports significant 4Q loss due to economic weakness, trade issues

This week, Memphis-based FedEx reported a 3.0% year-over-year increase in revenue for its 4QFY19, ended 31 May, to US$17.80 billion. Operating income during the quarter was mostly flat at 0.9% to $1.31 billion, and the company reported a net loss of $1.96 billion, down from $1.13 billion income for 4QFY18.  The Express segment saw weak performance for […]

• Chelsea Toczauer
• June 26, 2019

UK retailers expect overseas demand spike this summer, says Royal Mail

This summer, 66% of SME retailers in the United Kingdom expect an increase in sales, and 39% expect to see an increase in overseas sales, according to a June report from the U.K.’s Royal Mail postal service.   The retailers surveyed reported that increased demand for summer goods will push the anticipated spike, thanks to warmer weather and vacation season. Almost three-quarters of retailers surveyed […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 26, 2019

Norwegian airport operator Avinor commits $1 million to biomass fuel

Avinor, the state-owned operator of Oslo Airport (OSL), Stavanger Airport (SVG) and other Norwegian airports, agreed to spend US$1 million on biomass fuel from Quantafuel, a manufacturer that converts plastics and now wood waste into jet fuel.   “[The] end game and goal is to produce jet fuel from biomass,” Quantafuel Chief Executive Kjetil Bøhn told Air Cargo World. The biomass fuel, which isn’t ready for the market yet, […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 26, 2019

FedEx sues U.S. Department of Commerce

Yesterday, FedEx filed a suit in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), which seeks to enforce prohibitions contained in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The suit follows FedEx’s accidental diversion of several Huawei packages shipped from the United Kingdom to the United States earlier this month.   In the filing, FedEx argued that the current […]

• Chelsea Toczauer
• June 25, 2019

UPS to launch ‘Women Exporters Program’

UPS announced the launch of its “Women Exporters Program” workshops for U.S. businesses at the U.S. Women’s Business Enterprise National Council National Conference and Business Fair beginning today. The program will provide training to women-owned small and medium size businesses, with the intent of strengthening their access to global marketplaces.  UPS’ program will include workshops for women on:  […]

• Chelsea Toczauer
• June 25, 2019

North American cross-border airfreight flat in April

Freight as valued in USD between the United States, Canada and Mexico bucked trade tensions to increase 1.8% year-over-year during April. However, that gain was realized primarily from oceangoing vessels, pipelines and trucking, while airfreight – making up the smallest overall modal share at $3.8 billion – was flat compared to April 2018.  Despite the dissolution of the North American […]

• Caryn Livingston
• June 25, 2019

Amazon launches Anchorage flights 

Amazon Air will begin flights to Anchorage International Airport (ANC) later this week, on June 27. According to a post ANC published on Twitter last week, Amazon Air will operate daily services to the airport utilizing its 767 freighter network.  The e-tailer will operate out of ANC’s Kulis Business Park, south of the airport’s east-west runways, according to the post.  While the move further expands […]

• Chelsea Toczauer
• June 24, 2019

Qatar Airways adds first route to Portugal

Qatar Airways, in its latest expansion effort, touched down its first passenger flight at Lisbon Airport (LIS) in Portugal today.  The new daily direct flight between Doha (DOH) and LIS, operated using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, is offering 70 tonnes of cargo capacity to and from Portugal per week and includes direct connections to Europe, […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 24, 2019

FedEx may move to boost express volumes with air service re-pricing

FedEx may soon offer two-day air services at the same price as ground delivery for customers in its Express network. The move would serve to boost the integrator’s cargo volumes within the program. The decision, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes on the heels of FedEx’s plans, announced earlier this month, to break […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 24, 2019

Iran airspace restrictions set to impact major cargo carriers

The current Iran-U.S. military confrontation, which today led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S.-registered aircraft from operating over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, is set to have major cargo implications for European and Asian carriers. Following the FAA notification, the European Organization for the Safety […]

• Caryn Livingston
• June 21, 2019

Canadian North, First Air merger plans move forward

Yesterday, Canadian North and First Air announced their impending merger into a new pan-Arctic airline, under the name “Canadian North.” The new Canadian North carrier will provide northern communities scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services year-round.   Their respective ownership groups, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) and Makivik Corporation, already received regulatory approval for the merger. With this approval, both companies are preparing to formalize […]

• Chelsea Toczauer
• June 21, 2019

Virgin Atlantic to expand network and fleet

Earlier this week, Virgin Atlantic Cargo announced its order for 14 A330-900neo aircraft.Of the 14 aircraft ordered, the carrier will purchase eight and lease six, with the option to order six more moving forward.   The order, valued at $4.1 billion, is one step in Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s program to replace 100% of its aircraft […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 21, 2019

United Cargo adds temperature-controlled SkyCell containers

U.S.-based United Cargo signed a lease with SkyCell, the temperature-controlled container manufacturer and lessor, earlier this week to enhance its TempControl pharmaceutical services. Demand for United Cargo’s TempControl services is “increasing rapidly,” President of United Cargo Jan Krems said in a press release, adding that  SkyCell containers will help the carrier offer “extremely precise, long-duration […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 21, 2019

Cargolux 747 relocates live belugas from China to Iceland

A Cargolux-operated 747 freighter carrying two live beluga whales landed at Iceland’s Reykjavik Keflavik Airport (KEF) on Wednesday after a 6,000-mile flight that began on the other side of the world in China. Ahead of the flight, the belugas were loaded into custom-fit slings within specially-designed containers and were trucked from Changfeng Ocean World to […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 21, 2019