4 months in, Delta plans to expand new Cargo Control Center

Four months ago, Delta Cargo launched its Cargo Control Center (CCC), which the Atlanta-based carrier said would provide, “proactive communication and support” in the event that flights are delayed or cancelled. Air Cargo World stopped by the carrier’s Atlanta headquarters to catch up on the latest developments.

In the short time it has been operational, Delta has already said it is expanding its high-tech control center, aiming to operate around the clock by the end of January 2018. “Customers work 24/7, freight flies 24/7, so we need the CCC to be 24/7,” said Julian Soell, managing director of operations and customer experience at Delta Cargo.

Exit the elevators, turn right and the first thing you see are the words “Cargo Proud” plastered across the glass double-doors that open into the carrier’s expansive new cargo offices.

“At Delta, we recognize that cargo is a critical part of our business,” Soell explained. “It’s important that we are proud of the business that we are in.”

That sense of purpose comes with a top-down directive to make the investments and changes required to capitalize on the latest trends driving airfreight, including pharma transport and e-commerce.

“What we try to do is make sure that we have the right products, the right flows, the right capacity and the right markets” explained Shawn Cole, Delta’s vice president for cargo. And while the passenger side of the business determines routes, Cole stressed the importance of backing those routes up with the right warehousing operations and expertise.

In the video below, Cole talks about Delta’s cargo strategy for Asia, the new cargo-friendly A350s, and what the carrier expects in the year ahead:

As computers take over more logistics functions, Delta’s approach is to maintain a balance between technology and customer service. If CCC computers anticipate a delay, they alert the staff, who reach out to affected shippers so that customers never lose track of their shipments, and can make the necessary adjustments on their end.

Soell explained that the CCC was, “intended to improve operational reliability and improve the customer experience.” That improvement hinges on proactively finding bottlenecks, addressing them and rerouting, and, if all else fails, reaching out to customers to explain delays and how they are being addressed.

“The CCC is tracking and tracing shipments, making sure they are moving as they are supposed to,” said Soell. “We have full end-to-end visibility on the trucking side as well. We know in real time where the truck is, if it’s delayed, and we can even give the customer the ability to follow the shipment.”

Soell also noted that Delta’s joint-venture partner, Air France-KLM, had staff in the CCC, and that Delta’s other partners could join as well. “There’s a need to expand it, to have a broader reach.”