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Your Cargo Specialist
We want to keep you up to date with charter trends and availability during the development of COVID-19 and the effects it is having on global supply chains. Flight operations have been dramatically affected and the situation has forced many airlines to reduce freight capacity or even suspend all services to and from affected regions. The situation is constantly evolving with new developments every day. Our experienced Freight team, with the backing of our range of world-leading aviation services, will work closely with you during this time to offer you the best solution.
Availability
Pockets of availability during May on widebody aircraft for the routing China to Europe and to US. There is good availability of passenger aircraft to move cargo, in smaller volumes. For operations within Europe, there is still good availability for small-medium narrow body aircraft throughout the region.
Price & Demand
Urgent demand for medical and relief supplies from China and SE Asia to US and Europe still continues. The recent price surge has stabilised due to more passenger cargo capacity being released on to the market by scheduled carriers. Last minute cancellations are still enabling some ad-hoc bargains.
Global Capacity
Global Air Capacity still around 30% less than 2019 levels, a 5% improvement on prior week. Global freighter capacity however is 20% higher than 2019 levels. Therefore it is clear that the increased capacity provided by passenger freighters compensates only slightly for the general lack of global capacity.
Aircraft Activity
An increasing number of passenger operators from B737 size upwards are now operating their aircraft as freighters. IATA have released new regulations regarding the safe transport of cargo in passenger cabins, so more and more operators are becoming open to the idea of cabin loading to provide the extra volume.
Cargo Restrictions
Recent changes to customs formalities and the simple increase of cargo traffic is causing considerable cargo terminal congestion which is becoming a significant operational issue at numerous Chinese airports, especially Pudong and Zhengzhou. During the week, there have been long queues of vehicles waiting to offload at Pudong terminal. Air Partner can advise you on which airports are currently having difficulties and can arrange alternative departure points.
Cargo Trends
Increased demand for freighters on the transpacific routings, is again impacting the situation globally, causing increasing rates especially within Intra Asia market. New customs and traffic rights restrictions are making transport more challenging ex-China, especially with very short notice flights. Diplomatic assistance has become vital in providing permissions in some particular projects, so we at Air Partner have been able to guide our clients through the process to a successful conclusion.
We have widebody charter options on the following routes:
Any route to any region.
EUROPE - US - EUROPE
EUROPE - ASIA - EUROPE
US - ASIA - US
MIDDLE EAST - ASIA - MIDDLE EAST
FAR EAST - ASIA - FAR EAST
ASIA - ASIA
We have full access to any cargo aircraft. It is highly recommended to plan ahead and book your charter as much in advance as possible for best availability and pricing.
Delivery of urgent commodities into China during COVID-19
During the COVID-19 we have seen a large increase in requests coming from our existing client base to transport a number of different commodities into and out of Asia. With the reduction in scheduled services and airline restrictions in some areas, it has made it more challenging for goods to get where they need to be. At Air Partner, we have remained ahead of the game to ensure we are up to date with the progressions of the COVID-19 epidemic, which has allowed us to service our clients quickly. Most recently, we were able to move hand sanitizer from the US to China for a global brand who required this as essential items to run their business. Time was of the essence for our team to work quickly on a solution, as it could have a significant impact on the business if this cargo didn’t arrive quickly. The solution for this charter was 2 Boeing 747F operating from the US to China. All permits, loading and compulsory processes were handled by us to ensure smooth running of the operation. A dedicated Freight team from our US base were on site for loading and coordination of the aircraft and the client was kept up to date every step of the way to ensure that they were aware of the timings around delivery. Whilst the team had to solve a number of documentation issues, our experience and relationships meant we could work quickly and get the aircraft airborne with no delay.
Your benefits with Air Partner
Experience – Over 55 years of experience in global aviation
Worldwide presence – Global network, local connections
Global Representatives including South East Asia with 24/7 support
Financial strength – Transparency and security
Strong supplier relations – Global buying power
Worldwide Empty legs – Cost savings with one-way charter flights
24/7 operations department – Diplomatic permissions & traffic rights