A look back at air freight and logistics

  • July 11, 2017
  • Blog

With time, there has been a significant improvement in air cargo delivery. As a matter of fact, this has turned to be one of the necessary means of transporting cargos. Take a look at how air freight has progressed throughout the years and has become one of the most preferred modes of cargo transport.

A Humble Beginning

The world of shipping companies has come since the early 1900s. This is when the first flight of cargo took off for Columbus from Dayton, in Ohio, US. During those times, the aircrafts were small and thus, only a limited size and volume of cargo could be carried. As a matter of fact, there were not too many goods transporting company by air. This is because transportation by sea was considered to be inexpensive and reliable. However, at present, air freight is one of the most rapid means of transport across different continents.

From a Belly Cargo to Full Cargo Shipping

After World War II, significant progress was made in converting air freight into a proper service. In the year 1968, Boeing had launched a four-engine 747. This is the first cargo that was capable of carrying the entire pallet of cargo in the cargo hold. Thus, the world was introduced to cargo freight. Till then, the cargo which was transported was known as Belly Cargo. The term was used for describing the cargo transport inside the passenger flight.

Rise in the Use Commercial Air Cargo in 90’s

Cargo appeared as the solid pillar of revenue for the industry of airline during the 1990’s. The express parcel carrier served as the catalyst for the renewed growth in the carriers. The changes in the practices of the manufacturing sector also lead to the growth of the carriers.

The Era of Internet-Generation

The internet generation has developed a new wave of cargo shipping by airways which use technology. This is considered to be an accessible and reliable means of transport. A majority of the airlines now offer the customers with the real-time status of the flights along with tracking and booking options. Moreover, industries are adopting electronic procedures like electronic airway bill for reducing the paper documentation which accompanies every shipment. This increases the security and safety of transportation.

Flying New Heights

At present, air freight is used for transporting good for several companies but mainly pharmaceutical and chemical industries. These industries actually deal with special products which have to be delivered within a specific time period. These kinds of urgent deliveries can only be catered to with the help of air cargo shipping services. The speed at which the air cargo can be sent is simply unmatchable. In fact, no other means of transportation will be able to match up to it.

With personalized features such as faster and bigger aircrafts, consignment tracking, and booking, air cargo delivery has come a long way from a humble beginning. It is the preferred mode of transport for low-valued, as well as high-valued products. For industries where speed delivery is significant, air and cargo services can prove to be useful.