Most shippers believe the airfreight environment is fast whereas in reality, their cargo spends more time sitting in freight terminals than it does in the air.

I hate inconsistency," says G4S's new head of aviation, David Stockton.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines successfully renewed its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate for the fourth time. The audit, which representatives of Quali-audit (France) conducted over a five-day period, included a compliance check for 950 IOSA requirements.

Asian-Pacific freight carriers registered a 0.8 per cent, year-on-year, decline in cargo demand in April, according to newly released figures by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines. Despite this drop, regional carriers offered 0.9-per cent more cargo capacity than in April 2012, leading to a 1.1. per cent, year-on-year, drop in international freight load factor. Even so, the carriers' load factor was a relatively stable 65.2 per cent. 

Freight volumes at Hong Kong International Airport surged 4.5 per cent, year-on-year, to 342,000 tonnes in April. Higher cargo traffic was largely the result of a 5 per cent, year-on-year, increase in exports, officials for the airport say. During April, cargo throughput to and from Southeast Asia and Taiwan outperformed other key regions.

Two months after launching service from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Brussels Airport, Finnair Cargo will grow its Belgium operations even more. Beginning 6 June, Finnair Cargo will increase airfreight capacity to and from Brussels Airport, its newest freight hub. 

Lufthansa Cargo has inked a deal with the International Air Transport Association to propel the use of electronic air waybills, or eAWBs. Following the new IATA multilateral electronic air waybill standard, forwarders need to sign only one agreement with IATA to gain acceptance from multiple carriers for their eAWBs. All signatory carriers are then automatically included in the accord, Lufthansa officials say. 

In early June, Polar Air Cargo Worldwide will expand its Boeing 767 intra-Asia and Boeing 747 trans-Pacific services. Polar will begin operating one Boeing 767-300F between Tokyo's Narita International Airport, Sydney Airport and Incheon International Airport, as well as fly a second 767-300F between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport; Nagoya, Japan's Ch?bu Centrair International Airport; and Incheon airport.

In a move that will boost the carrier's ground-handling and freight operations, Etihad Airways has inked a deal to acquire three airport services companies at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Formerly part of Abu Dhabi Airports Company, the three companies — Abu Dhabi Airport Services, Abu Dhabi In-Flight Catering, and Abu Dhabi Cargo Company — are being brought into the Etihad Airport Services fold.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, operator of DFW Foreign Trade Zone #39, has inked a deal with Farglory Free Trade Zone of Taiwan to establish a trade alliance. The MoU, officials for both organizations say, will mutually benefit DFW airport and the Farglory Free Trade Zone.

Alaska Air Cargo has successfully delivered the season's first shipment of Copper River salmon to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The arrival of the fish marks the start of the summer salmon season and is anticipated by seafood lovers throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Saudi Airlines Cargo successfully flew 630,000 juvenile sea bream fish from Cyprus' Larnaca International Airport to Saudi Arabia's Tabuk Regional Airport on an MD-11 freighter. The shipment, completed on behalf of Tabuk Fisheries via Sagro Aquaculture, required close collaboration between Saudi Cargo and Sagro Aquaculture, company officials say.  

Airbus, Air Canada and BioFuelNet Canada have partnered up to assess Canadian solutions for the production of biofuels; the long-term goal, according to officials for all organizations, is to supply Air Canada with sustainable alternative jet fuels.

Nearly three months after armed robbers impersonating police uniforms successfully executed a diamond heist at Brussels Airport — pilfering $50 million worth of jewels — another jewel heist went down at Miami International Airport. 

Managing director of cargo at ULS Airlines, Hakan Bayramic, believes the Turkish freight sector has been gifted geographically: "Turkey is perfectly situated for air cargo," he says. 

Turkish Cargo has started to replace its existing IT infrastructure, Tactic, with new software solution COMIS (cargo operations management and information system). 

After a lengthy hiatus due to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's publicised battery issues, United Airlines will reintroduce the aircraft on international and domestic flights. United's 787 flights from Houston to its other domestic hubs will commence on 20 May while the US carrier will launch international 787 operations from Denver International Airport to Tokyo's Narita International Airport on 10 June.

Nigeria's Allied Air has tasked Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) with providing two firm B737-400SF 11 pallet configuration conversions, with an option for one additional conversion. The first aircraft — a Boeing 737-400 built in 1993 — will undergo freighter conversion next month at Flightstar Aircraft Services in Jacksonville, Fla.

Less than seven months after resuming service to Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport from its London Heathrow hub, Virgin Atlantic Cargo executives are speaking out about the benefits of the route. Officials for the carrier say they are particularly "delighted" with the support from the Indian freight forwarding community.