With the move into the fourth quarter, the busiest season for air freight has arrived – not to mention demand has exceeded capacity for at least the summer months. Still, operators are doing their best to prepare for the surge in B2B and B2C volumes as retailers rush to shore up shoppers’ depleted stocks now, before holiday packages make their way to their homes later this year. year.

Ecommerce parcels aren’t all hot this quarter. With the resumption of vaccination rates, the fourth quarter marks the return of major air freight events. From 12 to 14 October, Air cargo world joined operators from around the world in Dublin for the IATA World Cargo Symposium. Then, from October 25 to 27, Air cargo world and our sister publication Cargo facts gathered in Las Vegas for the annual Cargo Facts Symposium. Find Cargo Facts Symposium coverage at Air cargo world and our sister publication, Cargo facts.

Returning to the last issue of Air cargo world, October articles highlight third-party logistics providers. Freight forwarders typically operate with lightweight asset models, leaving carriers with the headache of the costs of maintaining transportation assets. This model challenged air freight forwarders in 2021, when space is at a premium and there simply isn’t enough for everyone. This month’s main article, “Control at the Top: Freight Forwarders Rely on Dedicated Capacity for High Season Operations,” examines the strategies freight forwarders use to support high season air volumes, in a global transport market facing its most difficult season to date.

The secondary trait considers another trend among logistics companies: the consolidation that marked 2021, among many types of operators but particularly freight forwarders. “An appetite for acquisition: Geographic expansion, capacity constraints fuel industry investment” examines trends in the M&A space of recent years and where further consolidation is likely.

Caryn Livingston

Editor, Air cargo world