Publisher’s Note: Forging a path forward

With most of the global passenger fleet grounded, apart from the now hundreds of passenger planes flying in cargo-only service, we in the industry are pondering variations of the same question: “What does a path forward look like for air cargo?”

The answers differ across trade lanes and types of operations. Pre-pandemic, all-cargo airlines and combination carriers viewed their cargo networks differently. And post-pandemic? That vastly altered view will likely continue. The COVID-19 pandemic could permanently change the way carriers treat cargo and the reliance of supply chains on freighter capacity.

The world has also changed for Air Cargo World. The challenges in the global aviation industry have forced us to reduce the number of issues we publish in 2020. We simply do not have the advertising support to continue publishing monthly, as a result of the passenger aviation implosion. Following this May issue, the next digital issues will be September/October and December/January, which will include our annual Executive of the Year Award feature.

Each month, we will continue to publish all our great magazine content online at AirCargoWorld.com, albeit not in digital magazine form. As part of that effort, we will be enhancing the data offerings on our website to provide readers with more timely air cargo market insights, similar to those currently found in the Bottom Line section on Page 16. Look for those new features online in the coming weeks.

As for the May issue of Air Cargo World, our cover story from Editor Caryn Livingston examines how perishables are moving in a global airfreight network with reduced capacity, and whether the global lockdowns and economic toll already being felt are likely to have a big impact on demand for fresh food and other perishable cargo. Read the full story on Page 10.

This issue also includes a look at some of the airports that were struggling to accommodate air cargo pre-pandemic, and how the massive passenger traffic dropoff is leading airports to reprioritize their operations. That feature, from News Editor Chelsea Toczauer, is available on Page 13.

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish departing editor Chelsea Toczauer, and all our readers, much success as we keep moving forward.

Air Cargo World, as a magazine, might be changing, but Air Cargo World as an endeavor to educate, enlighten, and yes, entertain the air cargo industry — a venture that started in 1941 — remains as strong as ever. Don’t ever doubt that.

JJ Hornblass
Publisher, Air Cargo World

To read the May 2020 digital issue of Air Cargo World, see our digital archive here.