Interest Group Air Cargo Switzerland

Final 2020 Air Cargo Figures now Available

The Air Cargo Tonnage Statistics of the three major Swiss airports for the year 2020 are now complete and available on igaircargo.ch website. The import and export figures are relatively stable. The transit traffic has dropped significantly during the past year due to the reduced number of passenger flights. For the same reason we notice an increase share of RFS (Trucks) traffic, feeding larger airports in Europe with scheduled freighter networks.

Download here the 2020 Air Cargo Figures (PDF)

For comparison with the previous years, please download the Overview of Air Cargo Figures 2013-2020 (PDF)

From north to south. Swiss WorldCargo to LAX and LIM

Swiss WorldCargo resumes service to Los Angeles and adds Lima as a new destination

Beginning on 7 January, we will introduce flights to San Jose (SJO) and on 19 January, new flights to Lima (LIM), which will be operated once weekly. Starting 27 January, we will reintroduce weekly flights to Los Angeles (LAX). A full overview of our most recent additions can be found below.

Swiss WorldCargo ready for COVID-19 vaccines transport

Swiss WorldCargo has finalized preparation for transport of COVID-19 vaccines

For the past six months, Swiss WorldCargo has prepared for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Beginning in summer 2020, the company set up an internal task force to analyse the potential for shipping COVID-19 vaccines throughout the world. The task force, comprised of team members from different divisions, has closely analysed how Swiss WorldCargo’s aircraft, network and capacity to and from Switzerland, can best support these global shipments.

New Swiss Air Cargo Study 2020

The new study "Swiss Air Cargo Logistics 2020" surprises with impressive figures, even in times of crisis

The study examines the importance of air freight for the Swiss economy. The key issues of the air freight market, digitization, climate, environmental protection and regulatory framework conditions were analyzed. Aircraft are an extremely important means of transport for the Swiss export industry (before, during and after the pandemic).

SWISS operates more than 1,000 cargo-only flights since March

Since the beginning of the Coronavirus crisis in March, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has operated more than 1,000 cargo-only flights, carried out by its airfreight division, Swiss WorldCargo.

Over 23,000 tonnes of goods have been transported. During the months of April and May, the major commodities transported were medicines and medical supplies supporting the Swiss population and economy. Since then the focus has been on the transportation of commercial cargo.

Fee negotiations at Flughafen Zürich AG (EN)

Conclusion of negotiations on flight operating fees Flughafen Zürich AG

After several rounds of negotiations, Flughafen Zürich AG and the negotiating partners have reached a new agreement on flight operating fees from January 2021. As agreed, this was signed by Martin Theiler on the part of SPEDLOGSWISS and Lukas Gyger on the part of IG Air Cargo.

Flugbetriebsgebühren Flughafen Zürich AG (DE)

Abschluss Verhandlungen Flugbetriebsgebühren Flughafen Zürich AG

Die Flughafen Zürich AG und die Verhandlungspartner haben sich nach mehreren Verhandlungsrunden auf eine neue Vereinbarung betreffend die Flugbetriebsgebühren ab Januar 2021 geeinigt. Wie vereinbart wurde diese durch Martin Theiler seitens SPEDLOGSWISS und Lukas Gyger seitens IG Air Cargo unterzeichnet.

Final 2019 Air Cargo Statistics Online

IG Air Cargo Switzerland has received the final Foreign Trade Statistics 2018 from the Swiss Federal Customs Administration. The EZV Cargo statistics cover a 10 years period to give an overview of the industry key indicators with focus on Airfreight. The file is available at this link: https://igaircargo.ch/index.php/statistics/47-statistics/foreign-trade/112-2019-foreign-trade-statistics-ezv-data-2012-2019

SkyNews.ch - Our new co-operation partner

SkyNews.ch is published by Hansjörg Bürgi and his team and is issued every month with a circulation of 10’000 copies. It appears in German language only and addresses all the aspects and interesting facts and figures of aviation in and outside Switzerland.

Successful Webinar - Corona challenges Air Freight

Tuesday 05 May - Peter Somaglia, president of IG Air Cargo, participated to an online Webinar on the challenges brought by the Coronavirus to the Air Freight industry.

The webinar organized and moderated by GS1 Switzerland (https://www.gs1.ch/) also saw the participation of Gian Carlo Alessi, Head of Cargo Department at Euroairport Basel/Mulhouse, a member organization of IG Air Cargo Switzerland. The webinar was a great success with about 80 Swiss airfreight professionals joining the Zoom online session. All the current impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic on the Swiss Air Cargo market were analyzed with plenty of statistical data. Questions from the audience were answered live. This is the full recording of the session.

Lufthansa - CEO's speech to the Annual General Meeting

On 5 May 2020, the Lufthansa Annual Shareholders General Meeting will be held. The speech of the Chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr's has been published in advance.

In order to mitigate the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the German Government passed a law which allows holding an Annual General Meeting without physical shareholder presence. Deutsche Lufthansa AG will make use of the new legislation and the 67th Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 5 May 2020 at 10:00 hrs will be held for the first time exclusively virtually.

Live broadcast page (URL English)
Carsten Spohr's speech (PDF English)
Carsten Spohr's speech (PDF deutsch)

ICAO - Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Civil Aviation

In light of the rapidly spreading disease named as COVID-19, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) actively monitors its economic impacts on civil aviation and regularly publishes updated reports and adjusted forecasts.

View the latest forecast (PDF English)
View the full reports (URL Feed English)

COVID19 - Cybercrime is on the rise

Reports of increased cybercrime in connection with the Coronavirus epidemic and the lockdown measures.

The webpage of IATA Cargo has been cloned and our association was the target of a phishing attempt last week. We received a fraudulent email requiring us to login on a fake webpage replicating the one of our hosting provider. Luckily, we realized something was wrong and did not fall in the trap.

These days people and organizations, normally involved in more traditional illegal activities, might engage in cybercrime due to the widely imposed restrictions of movement. Furthermore, the recent increased exposure of the air cargo industry in the media, might attract the undesired attention of cybercriminals.

We remind our members and all actors of the Air Cargo community to stay vigilant. Below are links to some useful resources:

Global cybersecurity weekly report (URL English)
Information Security Society Switzerland - Association (URL deutsch)
Swiss Fedpol cybercrime page (URL English & federal languages)

SWISS expands its cargo services

Swiss International Air Lines expands its cargo network reconfigures three Boeing 777s into full cargo aircraft

SWISS and its Swiss WorldCargo division have performed more than 80 cargo-only flights since the end of March, transporting over 1,300 tonnes of airfreight between Asia and Switzerland. The cargoes concerned have consisted mainly of medicines and medical supplies and equipment for the Swiss healthcare system. SWISS plans to operate over 100 further cargo flights on behalf of various private and public entities between now and the end of May.

Latest Network Update (URL Swiss WorldCargo Website)
Belly Charter Offer by LX (URL Swiss WorldCargo Website)

COVID19 - IATA Updated Impact Assessment

IATA Economics Department provides analysis of economic and policy developments affecting the global airline industry

Brian Pearce, Chief Economist at the International Air Transport Association, has published on April 14th a new financial impact assessment of Covid-19 on the airline industry.

COVID19 - IMF publishes World Economic Outlook - April 2020

World Economic Outlook Reports

The COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting high and rising human costs worldwide, and the necessary protection measures are severely impacting economic activity. As a result of the pandemic, the global economy is projected to contract sharply by –3 percent in 2020.

COVID19 - Costs for freight transport increase massively

SRF - Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen - Radio program on Air Cargo during the Coronavirus epidemic

The quasi-grounding of passenger planes also has consequences for freight transport and global commodity prices.

IATA releases: "Guidance for Safe Transport of Cargo in Passenger Cabin".

In response to the growing demand of operating cargo flights with passenger aircrafts, International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released a specific documentation.

COVID19 - Swiss WorldCargo performs more all cargo flights

Swiss WorldCargo to perform more than ten cargo flights for Swiss healthcare institutions.

SWISS is to perform a series of flights bringing vital protective medical equipment from China to Switzerland. The operation, which is extensively supported by the company’s Swiss WorldCargo airfreight division, is being conducted on behalf of the Zurich Cantonal Pharmacy.

COVID19 – Swiss Customs measures for goods transport

In view of the many adversities created by the Covid19 pandemic, the Swiss Federal Customs Administration (EZV) has undertaken various measures to ensure that freight traffic is handled as efficiently as possible.

COVID19 – Swiss WorldCargo Network Updates

Swiss WorldCargo, the Air Cargo division of Swiss International Air Lines, re-introduces capacity to its network.

Destinations served from/to Zurich Airport include: JFK, EWR, BKK, PVG, PEK and several European destinations. Please check the following links for updated information:

Read the official communication (URL - English)

Latest network updates (URL - English)

Cargo charter flights info (URL - English)

COVID19 – European Commission Guidelines Facilitating Air Cargo Operations

The European Commission has issued important guidelines facilitating Air Cargo operations during COVID-19 outbreak

Continued and uninterrupted air cargo services are vital for the economy and for fighting COVID-19, and European and global supply chains depend on them being operated unhindered. Air cargo should therefore be able to continuously deliver critical products such as food, medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), and other products which are vital for the functioning of sensitive supply chains.

COVID19 – Compensation for cancelled flights

Can airlines currently cancel their flights at short notice due to travel warnings in connection with the coronavirus pandemic without running the risk of having to pay compensation under the European Passenger Rights Regulation?

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