Global GSA Group, one of the world's leading GSSA groups, has appointed Kevin Wang as Managing Director at GGG in Taiwan.

His long-term ambition is to position Global GSA Group Taiwan among the region’s most influential and trusted GSSA businesses. Alongside expanding airline partnerships, he aims to build a professional, proactive and commercially focused team, combining global resources with local insight to create enduring value and sustainable growth for airline partners.

Aytekin Saray, CEO of Global GSA Group, says: “Kevin brings extensive airline experience and a strong understanding of the local market, which will be key as we continue to develop our presence in Taiwan. His appointment reflects our approach to growth: combining the strength of our global network with experienced local leadership to create greater commercial value for our airline partners.”

Wang says: “We want international capability and Taiwanese expertise to work seamlessly together, giving carriers a responsive commercial partner equipped to deliver sustained success across the market. After many years in the air cargo industry, I wanted to take on a different perspective and use my experience to help more airlines develop their cargo business in Taiwan and create greater commercial value, rather than serving only a single airline.”

Global GSA Group is one of the world's leading GSSA groups, with an extensive global network, diverse airline partnerships, and a professional commercial team. It is a platform that truly combines global resources with strong local market expertise, giving Wang and his team opportunity to apply his previous airline management experience to create greater value in the market.

He says: “I look forward to working closely with our global team to further strengthen Global GSA Group's competitiveness in Taiwan and create more business opportunities for our airline partners and customers.”

As Managing Director of Global GSA Group Taiwan, he will take responsibility for overall management, operational performance, business development and full P&L accountability. He will lead the local team, improve operational quality, develop airline partnerships and strengthen relationships with freight forwarders and key customers. By combining the Group’s global network, digital cargo data and market intelligence with local expertise, he aims to deliver commercially focused solutions for airline partners.

His immediate priority is to strengthen Global GSA Group’s position in Taiwan and establish the company as a trusted commercial partner for airlines in the market. This will involve deepening existing relationships, improving service and commercial performance and identifying new partnership opportunities.

Wang says: “Taiwan’s importance to global high-tech manufacturing provides considerable air cargo potential. Semiconductors, including ICs and wafers, AI servers, server racks, GPUs, PCBs, drones, automotive parts, precision equipment and premium seasonal fruit continue to support export demand and reinforce Taiwan’s role in international supply chains.

“North America and Europe remain key long-haul trade lanes, while major Southeast Asian markets such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur also offer strong growth potential. High-growth cargo sectors we can serve include semiconductors, AI equipment, electronics, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, temperature-controlled freight and cross-border e-commerce.”

His 30 years of airline experience covers headquarters responsibilities and overseas management roles in Dallas, Manila, Bangkok and Xiamen. His experience spanning cargo sales and commercial management, revenue management, network planning and operations provides an airline management perspective that can help partners improve route performance, optimise revenue and identify new opportunities.

He believes airlines increasingly expect GSSAs to provide market intelligence, commercial strategy and effective local execution, while forwarders demand responsiveness, professionalism and reliable operational support.

Wang says: “Technology will undoubtedly underpin this approach. Data analytics, business intelligence and digital tools will support me and my team to make faster decisions, develop stronger market understanding and improve the processes. Encouraging adoption across the Taiwan team, monitoring implementation and removing barriers will therefore remain a central management priority I will follow.”

Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier, has introduced Etihad Wellbeing, a new programme bringing together the airline's latest product and service enhancements designed to help guests travel more comfortably and arrive feeling rested and refreshed.

Etihad Wellbeing gives guests the opportunity to maintain their healthy lifestyle habits throughout their journey through a growing collection of products and experiences that promote a restful and restorative travel experience.

The programme encompasses all touch points, from dedicated quiet spaces and relaxing pre-departure spa treatments in the Etihad Lounges at Zayed International Airport, to luxury amenities, natural bedding, nutritious dining options and hydrating vitamin and electrolyte beverages inflight.

Jyotsna Chowdhry, Vice President Product and Hospitality, Etihad Airways, said: "Research shows that as people fly more frequently, they are increasingly looking at ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle while they travel. Etihad Wellbeing is our commitment to making the flying experience as restorative and restful as possible. We’re bringing together a range of practical improvements across our cabins and service, all designed to help guests rest better and arrive feeling refreshed.

"Whether that's a quieter onboard environment, premium skincare, improved sleep amenities or content that helps our guests relax on longer journeys, these are real products and experiences that make a difference during travel. We are creating a more thoughtful and restorative travel experience inspired by the warmth and care of Emirati hospitality.”

Etihad offers an enhanced range of dining options supporting a healthy lifestyle, with nutritious, protein-rich dishes, plant-forward options, and a wide selection of special meals available for those following a specialist diet for health, wellbeing or religious reasons.

Across First and The Residence, guests can enjoy natural cotton bedding, memory foam mattresses and premium sleepwear designed to create a comfortable onboard sleep environment. In Business, Etihad recently introduced its new Destination Collection amenity kits featuring skincare products from Korean beauty brand LANEIGE, including a Water Sleeping Mask, Lip Sleeping Mask and hand cream. Etihad is the first airline to partner with LANEIGE and currently the only airline offering the brand's products onboard.

Guests in First are treated to luxury skincare amenities from ESPA, as well as facial sheet masks and under-eye masks to restore and rejuvenate skin while flying.

Etihad is also launching a new signature scent onboard and in the airline’s lounges. The unique fragrance has been designed exclusively for Etihad to create a welcoming, calm and familiar atmosphere.

The programme also includes Etihad's Quiet Cabin initiative, which reduces non-essential announcements and supports a calmer onboard environment. Guests can also access meditation, stretching and sleep content through Etihad's inflight entertainment, while many aircraft feature lighting designed to support rest and reduce jetlag on long-haul journeys.

Etihad Wellbeing will continue to enhance the guest experience with continual upgrades as the airline develops new ways to make the flying experience more exceptional.

ECS Group and Air Senegal signed a GSSA partnership agreement within less than a year of the young airline going into commercial operation.

Since February 2019, ECS Group and its French subsidiary and contract-holder, Aero Cargo International France, have actively supported the development and expansion of Air Senegal’s cargo business in France, Europe, and many other international destinations.

With the end of the pandemic, Air Senegal successfully resumed its direct flights between Paris-CDG and Dakar-DSS in February 2025, and now operates a daily service on the route, offering around 15 tonnes and 70 m³ of cargo capacity per day. This is the main route in Air Senegal’s network and sees a lot of regular traffic which also feeds into the airline’s many regional destinations, including Abidjan (ABJ), Cotonou (COO), Conakry (CKY), Bamako (BKO), Accra (ACC), Lagos (LOS), Libreville (LBV) and Banjul (BJL). Air Senegal’s flights are operated with Airbus 320, Boeing 737 and ATR aircraft, and carry a wide variety of goods such as express freight and e-commerce, postal mail, perishables, pharmaceuticals, and general cargo including industrial goods, textiles, or IT equipment.

ECS Group actively contributes to the development of Air Senegal’s cargo business in France where French freight forwarders supply around 80% to 90% of the volumes flying Air Senegal out of Paris. Certain European and other global destinations also feed into Air Senegal’s network. ECS Group’s extensive commercial representation and interline agreements attract cargo flows from multiple international markets. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is just one example: every week, several tonnes of goods leave the UAE bound for Paris-CDG, where they are then forwarded to Senegal. Many ECS Group stations regularly contribute to the development of cargo flows. Aside from the UAE, these include Belgium, Germany and India, and occasionally, the Nordic countries. These cargo flows are pre-transported either by road from Europe, or by air through various airline interline agreements.

“Senegal and France have particularly strong historical, economic and cultural ties, and therefore a long-standing tradition of cooperation,” says Jean Ceccaldi, Chief Executive Officer of ECS Group. “Air Senegal Cargo and ECS Group play an essential role in strengthening these ties through daily flights linking Dakar and Paris-CDG. This service creates a genuine bridge between our two countries, facilitating trade and cargo flows. And the Air Senegal–ECS connection provides a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe, while creating opportunities for cargo flows to numerous international destinations through our respective networks.”

ECS Group also maintains close connections with local market stakeholders, including freight forwarders, postal operators and express carriers. It continues to implement interline solutions whenever required by Air Senegal, and promotes CargoTech digital solutions such as e-booking, dynamic pricing or the Wallet solution.

“ECS Group congratulates Air Senegal on the tremendous efforts it makes every day and will continue to support its expansion and growth in every way possible. Thank you for the first seven years of partnership,” Jean Ceccaldi, Chief Executive Officer of ECS Group, adds.

Emirates SkyCargo is stepping up its commitment to support the export ambitions of one of the world's fastest growing economies.

Air cargo is a critical enabler of India's international trade, facilitating the movement of high-value, time-sensitive goods to global markets, with an estimated 2.2 million tonnes* of international cargo moving through Indian airports annually. Against this backdrop, Emirates SkyCargo plays an important role in supporting the country's export ecosystem, connecting businesses, manufacturers and exporters to customers across the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Africa and beyond with more than 3,000 tonnes of weekly air cargo capacity across nine gateways.

During FY 2025/26, Emirates SkyCargo transported over 153,000 tonnes of exports from India on its flights supporting key sectors driving the country’s growth. Major export commodities transported by the carrier include pharmaceuticals, perishables, high-tech electronics, engineering and automotive components as well as fashion goods.

On an average, every week, Emirates SkyCargo transports more than 650 tonnes of pharmaceuticals and over 600 tonnes of fresh food and other perishables from India to global destinations via Dubai. The exports also included seasonal Indian delicacies such as mangoes from Indian gateways. Close to 2,900 tonnes of Indian mangoes were flown to global customers between April and June 2026 on Emirates SkyCargo.

Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, said: “India is a strategic market for Emirates SkyCargo. With a fast-growing economy, the country is strengthening its position as a hub for manufacturing and production, expanding exports and trade corridors across the world. At Emirates SkyCargo, we are enabling Indian exporters to connect quickly and efficiently with international customers by providing rapid and reliable access to global supply chains. We have recently deployed our freighter aircraft to three additional gateways in India to support customers seamlessly transport their goods to global markets. With our extensive network covering more than 150 destinations, access to both maindeck and bellyhold capacity as well as specialised cargo solutions, Emirates SkyCargo remains committed to further elevating India’s success story by unlocking new trade opportunities and transporting the country’s exports to the world.”

To support the growing demand for export capacity from the market, Emirates SkyCargo has introduced new weekly freighter services to Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad bringing total number of weekly freighter flights to the market at seven. The freighter flights complement the capacity offered on Emirates’ 167 weekly passenger flights and provide a direct and high capacity connect to global trade routes.

Emirates SkyCargo is supporting the continued expansion of trade between India and the UAE, underpinned by the deepening economic partnership between the two countries and the success of the CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement), which came into effect in May 2022. With non-oil trade between the two economies growing at an annual rate of around 15%, Emirates SkyCargo has been supporting these accelerating trade flows supporting more than 28,000 tonnes of exports from India to the UAE in FY25/26, a growth of 24% from the previous year.

In addition to its online gateways, Emirates SkyCargo provides additional connectivity to Indian customers through an extensive road feeder network, providing access to offline locations across Indian states. Over the last 12 months, more than 4,500 tonnes of import and export cargo have been transported through trucking connectivity, enabling businesses outside of gateway cities to access Emirates SkyCargo’s global network.

Emirates SkyCargo is a global facilitator of trade offering cargo capacity on Emirates’ fleet of over 280 aircraft including dedicated freighters. Backed by a growing fleet and network and supported by a portfolio of specialised transportation solutions for pharmaceuticals, perishables, electronics, e-commerce, aerospace, valuable cargo and much more, Emirates SkyCargo supports customers across six continents with the speed, reliability and logistics expertise to compete in global markets.

Tickets sold out in record time, and the media hype around the event continues to grow – as the public prepares to view the Bayeux Tapestry for the first time on British soil in 1,000 years, business group Logistics UK is spotlighting the complex logistical operation behind bringing such an ancient historical artifact back to England.

While excitement builds for what will surely be one of the most memorable exhibitions of the year, which opens on 10 September, the safe arrival of the tapestry at the British Museum is down to the expertise of the logistics sector, explains Ben Fletcher, Chief Executive of business group Logistics UK:

“Viewing the Bayeux Tapestry is set to be a once in a lifetime experience for the tens of thousands getting ready to visit,” he said. “While the history of the tapestry and the story it tells is well known, what may not be common knowledge is the scale of the logistics operation involved in ensuring it arrived safely at the British Museum.

“Being almost 1,000 years old, 70 metres long and extremely fragile with pre-existing holes and tears in the fabric, transporting the tapestry represented a significant challenge for the teams involved, whose aim was to minimise the risk of damage during its journey. Preparation included performing dry test runs of a replica with vibration monitoring equipment, and engineering a specialist crate to absorb any shocks during the journey, while security was implemented on the route to safeguard the artefact.”

And, Mr Fletcher continued, the movement of the Bayeux Tapestry required the use of road and rail systems, as it travelled from France to England using LeShuttle, with the final stretch of its journey on the M20:

“LeShuttle is a 24-hour operation and critical for the delivery of goods between mainland Europe and Great Britain. Over half of all goods traded between the two travels across the Short Straits, with 16,000 freight vehicles moving through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel every day. It is thanks to this seamless operation that the tapestry reached the British Museum safely and without incident.”

The successful transportation of the Bayeux Tapestry reflects how integral specialist transport is in ensuring the preservation of historical objects during movements.

“Specialist transportation is critical for moving artefacts, which can have specific requirements and sustain damage if they are not handled properly and monitored in transit,” added Mr Fletcher. “It requires teams to look at a whole host of conditions unique to the artefact, such as the environment, mode of transport and the risks involved.

“From textiles and tapestries to sculptures, fossils and treasures, logistics firms are responsible for the safe and secure movement of these fragile objects, which not only have significant financial value attached to them, but emotional too.”

Technology buying decisions in freight forwarding have changed.

Forwarders are no longer comparing only features, pricing, implementation timelines or basic system capability. The conversation now includes automation, integrations, cloud access, AI capabilities, customer portals, ecosystem connectivity and the ability to support increasingly digital freight operations.

That shift is necessary. But it also changes the risk a forwarder accepts when choosing a technology platform.

A modern freight platform is no longer sitting at the edge of the business. It sits at the centre of operations. It can hold shipment records, customer information, commercial documents, freight rates, customs data, financial transactions, invoices, credit exposure, approvals and years of operational history.

It also connects employees, customers, overseas agents, carriers, customs partners, banks, finance teams and external systems across multiple locations.

In practical terms, the system is carrying the working memory of the business.

That is why security should no longer be treated as a technical checklist at the end of a software evaluation. It has to be part of the platform decision from the beginning.

A cyber incident in freight is not simply an IT disruption. It can affect live shipments, delay documentation, expose commercial information, interrupt billing, weaken customer confidence and create financial and reputational damage. When hundreds or thousands of shipments and transactions move through a platform every day, even temporary loss of access or trust can put pressure on operations, finance and customer service at the same time.

The issue is becoming more important as cloud platforms, APIs, automation and connected logistics ecosystems become the norm. A forwarder’s digital environment now extends well beyond its own organisation. Customers, agents, carriers, customs platforms, finance systems and external applications all touch the operating environment in some form.

That means the security standard of a technology provider becomes part of the forwarder’s own risk profile.

This should change the questions forwarders ask during technology evaluation.

How is data stored and encrypted?

How is user access governed, reviewed and removed?

Can sensitive actions be controlled through roles and permissions?

Is multi-factor authentication supported?

How are vulnerabilities, patches and platform updates managed?

What safeguards exist around APIs and third-party integrations?

Who, including the technology provider and its subcontractors, can access customer data, and under what controls?

If AI is used, is customer data used to train models, and how is that data isolated and governed?

How resilient is the platform when freight operations depend on it every day?

What backup, recovery and continuity measures exist if access is disrupted?

These are not back-office IT questions. They are business continuity questions.

Security is still a shared responsibility. Forwarders must maintain discipline around passwords, permissions, employee awareness, access reviews and user behaviour. But internal discipline works only when the platform itself is built with strong controls.

The same applies to AI. Freight platforms are beginning to use AI capabilities to read documents, support users, automate decisions and analyse operational data. That can create real value, but it also introduces a new question: what happens to the data that is being processed? Forwarders should know whether their data is retained, reused, shared with external model providers or used for training. They should also understand what controls exist to prevent one customer’s information from becoming visible to another.

The responsibility of the technology provider therefore goes beyond keeping servers available. It includes protecting access, limiting exposure, managing integrations carefully, maintaining recovery capability and being clear about how customer data is handled.

“When a freight forwarder selects a technology platform, it is not simply choosing software. It is entrusting years of shipment history, customer information, financial data and commercial intelligence to that provider. Protecting that information is therefore not another software feature. It is one of the basic responsibilities of the technology partner.” Amit Maheshwari, Founder & CEO, Softlink Global.

For forwarders, the technology decision is therefore changing.

It is no longer enough to ask what a platform can automate, how quickly it can be implemented or what AI capabilities it offers. They also need to understand who can access their data, how that access is controlled, what happens when systems fail, how integrations are protected and what responsibility the technology provider accepts for protecting the environment.

As freight operations become more digital, the technology provider increasingly becomes part of the forwarder’s own risk chain.

The system does not just hold data.

It holds control.

Launching an airline cargo service in a new region is often presented as a sales exercise.

Appoint a GSSA, publish capacity, contact freight forwarders and begin taking bookings.

The reality is more demanding.

Before the first shipment moves, the airline needs a cargo organisation capable of delivering what the sales team promises. That requires reliable handling, clear procedures, effective customer service, supplier control, regulatory compliance.

At TCE, we approach new-market rollouts through Total Cargo Management. Sales, operations and service delivery are connected parts of one cargo business and must be built together.

An airline does not truly enter a market when it starts selling capacity. It enters when it can deliver a dependable service from booking to final handover. A new region creates opportunity but also exposure. The airline may have a strong brand and network, yet it is entering a market where freight forwarders already have preferred carriers and demanding expectations. It must earn its position.

Local knowledge is essential. Cargo flows vary sharply. One market may be driven by pharmaceuticals while another depends on automotive parts, perishables, machinery or e-commerce.

A successful rollout begins by identifying demand, the customers controlling it and the service levels they expect. It also requires an honest assessment of capacity, schedules and network connections. This is where TCE’s Total Cargo Management model creates immediate value. Our teams combine market intelligence with operational knowledge. We identify opportunities while testing whether handling, documentation and supplier networks are ready to support them.

Commercial ambition must always be matched by operational capability. Choosing handling partners is critical. Airlines must examine quality, staffing, training, warehouse capability, specialist expertise, technology, compliance and peak-period performance.

A handler may perform well normally but struggle when volumes rise. A warehouse may lack processes for temperature-sensitive, valuable or dangerous goods. These weaknesses often emerge after launch, when correction is expensive.

A weak handling setup can destroy in weeks the trust a sales team has spent months building.

Supplier management must begin before launch. At TCE, we define responsibilities, establish standards and monitor delivery through audits, reporting and operational reviews.

The aim is not simply to appoint suppliers. It is to create a controlled environment where every partner understands what is expected, who owns each task and how performance will be measured.

Clear procedures are equally important. Launches often involve the airline, GSSA, ground handler, trucking companies, security providers and customs specialists. Unclear communication allows small problems to escalate.

Who approves special cargo? Who responds when documentation is incomplete? Who manages disruption? Who communicates with customers outside normal hours?

These questions must be answered before launch. Responsibility cannot be improvised when cargo is waiting in the warehouse.

Freight forwarders judge an airline not only by rates and schedules but by the speed and quality of its response. They expect accurate capacity information, prompt confirmations and clear communication.

Customers may forgive disruption if they receive fast, honest information. They will not forgive silence, confusion or conflicting answers.

That is why TCE integrates customer service into its Total Cargo Management activities. The customer should experience one coherent organisation even when several companies work behind the scenes.

The same principle applies to sales. A GSSA can provide immediate market access but sales activity must remain connected to the airline’s strategy. Targets should reflect capacity, network priorities and operational strengths. Selling volume the operation cannot handle is not growth. It is deferred failure.

Across Continental Europe, consistency is particularly important. Each country may have different customer expectations, labour conditions and regulatory requirements. Yet the airline’s brand promise must remain recognisable.

This requires central oversight and local execution. TCE’s TCM approach provides that balance. We apply common standards while adapting processes to local realities.

Technology supports this work but cannot replace discipline. Platforms and dashboards improve visibility but do not solve unclear ownership or poor communication. Systems work only when people act on the information.

The best rollouts are phased. They begin with market analysis, supplier selection and process design. Teams are trained, responsibilities tested and escalation procedures confirmed. Performance is monitored from the first shipment.

There must also be a willingness to adjust. Customer behaviour may differ from forecasts, capacity patterns may shift and suppliers may need support. The airline and its partners must respond quickly without losing control.

The strongest market entries are not the fastest launches. They are those built to perform consistently after the excitement has passed. For me, the lesson is simple. Entering a new cargo market is not about planting a flag or announcing a sales office. It is about building an organisation around the airline’s capacity.

Sales must be supported by operations. Operations must be protected by compliance. Suppliers must be managed. Customers must receive clear answers. Performance must be measured and weaknesses addressed early. That is what Total Cargo Management delivers.

TCE becomes part of the airline’s cargo organisation, bringing commercial insight and operational control together. When that partnership begins early, expansion becomes faster, smoother and more sustainable.

New markets reward preparation. Everything else is recovery.

AIRCAIRO, Egypt’s National growing Air-carrier, has signed a firm order for 15 Airbus A320neo aircraft at the El Alamein International Airshow 2026.

The agreement marks an important milestone in the airline's strategy as it introduces direct aircraft ownership alongside its leased Airbus fleet to support long-term growth. 

Having grown rapidly from seven aircraft five years ago to a fleet of over 45 aircraft today, AIRCAIRO is building on this momentum to grow to a fleet of over 130 aircraft by 2034. The firm order provides the airline with the capacity, flexibility, and operational efficiency needed to expand connectivity across its domestic, regional, and international networks.

Hussein Sherif, Chairman & CEO, AIRCAIRO, said: “This agreement represents a natural next step in AIRCAIRO’s growth. Combining owned aircraft with our leased fleet gives us greater operational flexibility and financial efficiency as we scale up. The A320neo will provide the capacity needed to expand our network, serve the growing demand for travel to and from Egypt, and support the country's aviation and tourism sectors in close partnership with Airbus.”

“We are delighted that this first direct acquisition from AIRCAIRO reaffirms the airline’s confidence in the A320neo to power its next phase of growth,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. “The A320neo provides AIRCAIRO with the efficiency and flexibility to scale up its network. This commitment highlights the strength of our partnership and AIRCAIRO’s confidence in the A320neo to expand connectivity between Egypt and key international destinations.”

The A320 Family is the world’s most popular single-aisle aircraft, having won more than 20,200 orders globally. The Family includes the largest member, the A321neo, offering unparalleled range and performance. The Family offers at least 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximising passenger comfort with one of the widest single-aisle cabins in the sky.