FlightGlobal
• Alfred Chua
Global air cargo tonnages rose 8% year on year in mid-September, with Asia-Pacific demand driving growth ahead of China’s holiday period. In contrast, the region’s airlines carried 33.5 million international passengers in August, down 0.6% from a year earlier, underscoring an uneven but broadly positive outlook.
Air Cargo & Freight Logistics
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Global air cargo tonnages rose 8% year on year in mid-September, with Asia-Pacific demand driving growth ahead of China’s holiday period. In contrast, the region’s airlines carried 33.5 million international passengers in August, down 0.6% from a year earlier, underscoring an uneven but broadly positive outlook.
High activity
China Airlines selected Safran to overhaul landing gear on its 18 Airbus A350-900s from 2026 through 2031, while Japan Airlines renewed Boeing 787 component support with Lufthansa Technik. Hebei Airlines and FTAI Aviation also advanced CFM56 maintenance arrangements and regional service capacity.
High activity
Airbus has confirmed that the A350F prototype, MSN700, is scheduled to make its first flight on 29 September in Toulouse after completing two high-speed rejected-takeoff tests. The milestone moves the long-awaited freighter toward certification, with deliveries targeted for late 2027.
Airbus has set the date for the first flight of its A350F cargo aircraft and will livestream the milestone, offering public access to the program’s initial flight-test event. The announcement marks a key step in advancing Airbus’ next-generation widebody freighter program.
LOT Polish Airlines is preparing to enter the dedicated freighter market, according to ch-aviation. The move would broaden the Polish carrier’s cargo offering beyond passenger-aircraft capacity, although details on aircraft, timing, routes and the scale of the planned operation have not been disclosed.
SATS is piloting autonomous cargo vehicles carrying up to 800 kilograms between Changi terminals and freight forwarders’ warehouses, while Singapore Airlines and DHL Express renew an agreement covering five Boeing 777 freighters. SIA will continue providing crews and maintenance for DHL’s Singapore-based intercontinental network.
The U.S. FAA has granted Boeing an emissions waiver covering 35 newly built 777 freighters, allowing the aircraft to proceed despite applicable emissions requirements. The decision affects near-term freighter production and delivery plans while underscoring the regulatory constraints facing large cargo aircraft.
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