Category Archives: Aviation

Kenya Airways Cargo is looking to expand its freighter fleet following the success of its cargo-only flights during the Covid pandemic. Speaking at an event, Kenya Airways’ cargo director Dick Murianki said the carrier would initially look to add to its existing short-haul freighter fleet, which currently consists of two B737-300Fs. Murianki said that the carrier was hoping to add two B373-800Fs, which have better range and can reach further afield than the existing freighters. “They can go from Nairobi to the Middle East and India and even have the range to reach Istanbul and southern Europe carrying around 20 tonnes,” he explained. He said that once the two B737-800Fs are in place, the carrier would then examine long-haul freighters. On the reasoning behind the freighter investments, Murianki said that during the Covid crisis the airline had expanded its cargo operations using its passenger aircraft. “We developed a customer base during the Covid time that is yearning for more, especially to the Middle East and India,” he said. Kenya Airways chief executive Allan Kilavuka also added that two B787-9 Dreamliners had been used on cargo-only flights to long-haul destinations in China and Europe during the pandemic, with each aircraft able to carry around 50 tonnes per flight.

Southeast Asian air cargo charter services provider Asia Cargo Network (ACN) has teamed up with Bahraini aviation services provider MENA Aerospace to begin operations out of Bahrain. The partnership is operating under the MENA Cargo brand (the cargo subsidiary of MAE Aircraft Management, itself the aircraft and management division of MENA Aerospace), with flights managed by ACN on its Bahraini air operator’s certificate, said the Bahrain Economic Development Board. ACN invested $135m to acquire a 49% stake in MAE Aircraft Management in 2022. The joint venture (JV) started with two Boeing 737-300 freighters and there are plans to add five more aircraft (B737-800Fs and B767-300Fs) by the end of 2023. Additionally, the JV plans to develop an extensive network of cargo flights across the region. On delivering the first aircraft to MENA Cargo Airlines in late 2022, ACN said: “Cargo routes will extend to Dubai, Iraq, Kuwait and Sudan from Bahrain International Airport five times per week and [are] expected to carry an average of 16 tons per flight.” MAE Aircraft Management managing director Iman Marco said that the Kingdom of Bahrain’s advanced infrastructure, and its strategic location at the crossroads between Asia, Africa, and Europe, will play a vital role in ACN’s growth plans to expand and serve its customers in the MENA region and beyond. Ahmed Sultan, executive director for business development of manufacturing, transport and logistics at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, highlighted the Kingdom’s competitive advantages such as its free trade agreements with 22 countries, attractive operating costs for logistics businesses, “superb” infrastructure, and connectivity by air, land and sea.

Jeena & Company has expanded business operations in Australia, and have further plans to grow business in New Zealand and US. The company has also invested in warehouse space at Bhiwandi. Ayesha Katgara, Head – Corporate Strategy, Jeena & Company shared, “We hope to contribute to the larger goal of the interim Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) signed between India and Australia and make a significant difference to the Indo-Australian trade. Furthermore, we have invested in a state-of-the-art warehouse space at Bhiwandi which has a built- up area of 1.10 lakhs sq. ft. As far as future expansion plans are concerned, pharma logistics is one of our primary focus areas. We also have plans to increase our warehousing footprint across India and make ourselves accessible to our customers. We are planning to amplify our presence in Australia and then venture into New Zealand and the US in days to come.” She added, “In an endeavour to make our systems and processes more efficient and streamlined, Jeena & Company has adopted the best-in-class technology and has cut down on the usage of paper within the organization. We have channelized our customers and people towards adopting digital options by leveraging which, we are aiming to make our business more sustainable.”

Passenger airline Oman Air has announced plans to invest in its first freighter. The Muscat International Airport-based carrier said in a press release that it would introduce its “first freighter by the end of 2023”, though it did not specify what type of aircraft it would invest in or whether the cargo plane would be brought or leased. Oman Air chief executive Abdulaziz Al Raisi said the airline will also launch new cargo destinations this year. Speaking at the airline’s annual cargo workshop, he said: “In 2023, we are keeping up the momentum. In the coming months, we look forward to introducing our first ever freighter and we will also be launching several new markets. This will offer exciting new opportunities for our guests and cargo alike, while continuing to unlock Oman’s potential as a global logistics hub in line with Oman’s 2040 Vision.” Last year, the cargo business of Oman Air increased cargo volumes by 36% and revenue by 44% compared to 2021. Additionally in 2022, Oman Air Cargo added several new destinations and introduced its ‘Cargo-in-Cabin’ service to Europe, the Far East and Indian Subcontinent. It also modified its A330-300 passenger aircraft by removing the seats, allowing it to raise capacity to 40 tonnes per aircraft.

Middle-mile drone firm Dronamics has raised $40m in funding that will in part go towards adding a presence in the Middle East. The pre-Series A funding came from venture capital funds and angel investors from 12 countries, including Founders Factory, Speedinvest, Eleven Capital, and most recently the Strategic Development Fund (SDF), the investment arm of the Tawazun Council, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Dronamics said the SDF venture capital division’s investment is a step towards the creation of a UAE-based joint venture that will expand Dronamics capacity and support the future establishment of operations in the UAE as one of the main hubs for the Middle East and North Africa region. SDF shall, through the establishment of a manufacturing and operations JV, become a main partner in the UAE. Svilen Rangelov, co-Founder and chief executive at Dronamics, said: “The investment from SDF, Founders Factory, Speedinvest, and Eleven Capital is a strong validation of our goal to bring our cargo drone solution to more people and businesses around the world. “Their confidence in Dronamics confirms the strength of our business model and we are excited to continue growing and achieving success with the support of our investment partners.”

Virgin Atlantic Cargo has rolled out software firm Accelya’s FLX Cargo Platform ahead of a push towards online booking services. FLX will power the airline’s enterprise-wide cargo management platform, Voyager, as it looks to offer a “multi-distribution strategy, which includes its own website, third-party marketplaces, and direct forwarder integration”. “Accelya’s FLX Cargo solution digitizes every aspect of the cargo booking process – from offer to settlement – providing the carrier with greater commercial and operational control, including command over its distribution channels,” the carrier said in a statement. Phil Wardlaw, Managing Director at Virgin Atlantic Cargo, said: “The capability that the new system delivers means we also have further exciting developments to come, including the introduction of our own online booking capability.” He added, “It gives us so many more options, it allows us to move into the world of dynamic pricing, it allows us to offer a truly online platform,” says Wardlaw. It will also allow us to place capacity on digital marketplaces and that is something we were very keen to move into as well.”

In the collective wage dispute between the German trade union Verdi and the employers of the public sector, strikes were held at seven German commercial airports, bringing air traffic at these locations almost to a complete standstill. Not only several hundred thousand national and international passengers, but also the global transport of freight and goods—including parts of humanitarian aid logistics—are directly affected by these strikes. Michael Hoppe, Chairman and Executive Director of BARIG—the airline association of national and international airlines in Germany—explains accordingly: “These warning strikes at seven German commercial airports are having a significant impact on the movement of cargo and goods, not only in Germany but worldwide. At Frankfurt Airport, which is by far one of the most important air freight locations in Europe and worldwide, hardly any goods can currently be handled. In order to maintain supply chains, considerable volumes of freight must alternatively be transported by trucks to airports abroad such as Brussels or Liège, where they are finally loaded onto aircraft. The situation is particularly challenging in terms of sensitive products and goods for which, for example, fast, temperature-controlled transport is essential. Furthermore, the strikes are also having a significant impact on the logistics of humanitarian aid deliveries, as in the immediate case with aid transports to Turkey and Syria. Here, we have logistics chains that are especially complex and highly sensitive. Despite special permissions for transport and alternative airports, there is hardly any chance that disruptions, which are inevitably caused by such strikes, can be completely mitigated. Therefore, we urgently demand to consider the measures taken in the current wage dispute with sound judgement and to take into account the effects on the interaction …

Saudia Cargo has extended its partnership with Worldwide Flight Service (WFS) via a multi-station contract that will see the ground handler manage 160,000 tonnes of cargo annually for the carrier at major airports across Europe and the US. The contract builds on the multi-station contract the companies signed in 2019 and covers services at airports including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, London, Manchester, Brussels, New York, and Washington. WFS will also provide ramp handling services for air cargo shipments onboard over 5,000 passenger and freighter flights per year. The work outlined in the contract began on February 1. Saudia Cargo chief executive Teddy Zebitz said: “WFS is a global leader in providing cargo handling services and by awarding this contract to them, we are certain that our operations in pivotal stations on the European and American continent that are part of WFS’ network, will considerably benefit from their highly reliable expertise.”

Drone tech startup TSAW has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DE Drone World Solutions to begin a new partnership between TSAW Drones and DE Drone World Solutions and outlines their commitment to working together to develop and promote innovative drone solutions for a range of industries. Under the terms of the agreement, TSAW Drones will provide DE Drone World Solutions with access to its cutting-edge drone technology, as well as its extensive expertise and experience in the field. DE Drone World Solutions, on the other hand, will contribute its in-depth knowledge of the industry, along with its established network of clients and partners, to help TSAW expand its market reach and improve overall capabilities. Kishan Tiwari, Founder & CEO, TSAW Drones said “We have built an impressive rapport with the team DE Drone at Aero India and are greatly impressed with their technical acumen and the robust client relationships that they’ve built. We are convinced that as we work together under the same framework, we will continue to discover great synergies in our respective platforms and bring novel breakthroughs to market for our potential consumers. Moreover, the MOU exemplifies our willingness to work for an Atmanirbhar Bharat as well as to promote best-in-class drones for surveillance, agriculture, logistics, and security.” “Drone utilities are one of the hottest booming technology segments, with the potential to add tremendous value to industries such as security, agriculture, manufacturing, retail, and logistics. The collaboration with TSAW Drones comes at the right time as we are gearing up to combine our extensive industry knowledge to advance drone-based solutions in India. I personally have a high regard for the business that …

Menzies Aviation, the ground handling agent has eliminated wait times, maximized capacity and is using its resources better with Nallian’s Truck Visit Management Solution, which was up and running in 8 weeks, consists of a digital front desk and slot booking system. It ensures a smooth flow of freight pick ups and drop offs at the GHA’s warehouses. Petr Cizek, General Manager, explains: “We used to have no visibility on who would be coming when to pick up or drop off goods. Trucks would show up unannounced, which created waiting times. Today, trucking companies and freight forwarders book a slot according to our availability. This eliminates wait times and it enables us to offer a better and faster service at the dock door, since we can plan staff and prepare freight for the scheduled pick ups and drop offs. As a result, we are delivering a better service to our customers. It is my most important indicator for success: our customers no longer complain.”