In a rapidly evolving global supply chain landscape, speed has become the cornerstone of competition for airlines. This is especially true as they cater to a growing, consumer-driven B2C industry. At this week’s Aviation Connect event in Istanbul, industry leaders shared insights on the critical role of ground handling. They emphasized the need for better communication among all stakeholders. This is necessary to keep up with the demands of ecommerce shippers.

Guillaume Halleux, Chief Commercial Officer at Swissport, emphasized that in today’s market, service speed is paramount:

“This is not about price; it’s about service and speed,” Halleux stated. “We do it for live animals, we do it for pharmaceuticals, and now ecommerce has become a commodity. The need for speed is on the ground, and you win the battle on the ground.”

The Speed Challenge for Airlines

As air cargo transport times remain mostly identical across airlines flying similar aircraft, Mr. Halleux stressed that competitive advantage is built not in the air but on the ground. Facilitating efficient communication between ground handlers, ecommerce providers, and cargo management systems is essential to achieve seamless, fast service. This sentiment was echoed by Shahzad Aslam, VP of Cargo Management Portfolio at Champ CargoSystems, who emphasized the need for traceability and transparency at each step in the handover process:

“Every milestone should be transparent. For ecommerce, the customer cannot wait, and they need solutions for today,” Mr. Aslam noted.

However, implementing a standardized communication platform has proven difficult. One delegate pointed out the industry’s reluctance to adopt a universal system. Stakeholders often have proprietary practices. They are hesitant to alter these practices. In fact, they argued, inefficiencies can sometimes be profitable, deterring companies from pursuing collaborative solutions.

Adapting to the Needs of Ecommerce

Robert Fordree, SVP of Cargo Operations at Emirates SkyCargo, highlighted another critical issue. There is a technology gap between airlines and ecommerce companies. He noted that current airline operating systems struggle to keep up with the advanced technologies employed by ecommerce providers. Integrating these disparate systems is a significant challenge but essential to meeting the market’s demand for speed:

“The thought of integrating our operating system into an ecommerce provider’s IT is daunting,” Fordree admitted. “It brings me out in a cold sweat.” “This is one of the biggest challenges we face as an industry.”

Despite these hurdles, industry experts agree on the need for a collaborative approach. This approach should address ecommerce’s unique requirements. It must focus on the speed and transparency of ground operations.

Key Data Table: Communication and Speed in Air Cargo Ground Handling

Key Aspect	Details
Primary Focus	Shift from cost-efficiency to speed and service in the B2C-driven supply chain.
Competitive Advantage	Built on-ground through efficient communication, transparency, and fast handling.
Challenges	– Lack of standardized communication across stakeholders – Reluctance to change existing systems – Profitability in inefficiencies hinders collaboration efforts
Technology Gaps	Airlines struggle to integrate with advanced ecommerce IT systems, causing challenges in meeting ecommerce demand.
Industry Needs	– Full traceability at each handover – Real-time, transparent communication – Solutions designed to handle the fast-paced needs of ecommerce.
Industry Feedback	Diverse systems and methods of stakeholders slow down implementation of standard data-sharing protocols.
Future Outlook	A collaborative approach is needed to enhance ground handling speed and transparency in air cargo, especially for ecommerce solutions.

As global ecommerce continues to grow, the air cargo industry must change its ground handling processes. These changes are needed to meet the high-speed demands of modern consumers. Moving forward, greater collaboration will be essential. Airlines, ground handlers, and ecommerce providers must work together to keep up with the market’s need for instant, transparent solutions.