Optimizing Supply Chain with Air Cargo

Dear Colleagues,

Before 2012, the air cargo growth rate was higher than the air passenger transport rate. However, the growth rate of air cargo worldwide has been decreasing since 2010, around 4.2% compared to the 6% decades ago (Boeing, 2000 to 2019). The air cargo growth rate has been lower than the rate of air passenger transport. The weak growth trend of air cargo is ongoing and more observable for combination carriers than for all-cargo carriers and integrators (Airline Business, 2017).

The substantial challenges to the lower growth rate of the air cargo business consist of the transition of product characteristics (Fisher, 2003), dissimilarities between the passenger and cargo business, and the absence of economies of scale between the passenger and cargo service networks (Johnston and Ozment, 2013; Reis and Silva, 2016) mainly for combination carriers employing wide-bodied and cargo-dedicated aircrafts (Hong et al., 2018). Air cargo is highly diverse in its physical characteristics and value. The cargo is handled along the chain by several entities with varying responsibilities, including aircraft operators, integrators, shippers, and ground handlers. The cargo may transfer between several flights before it reaches its destination and consignments will be subjected to various procedures and documentary requirements following legal and commercial frameworks.

Today’s companies are transporting and delivering perishables and manufactured goods in a more timely and efficient manner than ever before through air cargo solutions. New technologies that provide information during air shipments are transforming how companies do business and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As air cargo services continue to evolve, businesses discover new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs.

In line with this discourse, we invite theoretical and empirical papers on but not limited to the following thematic areas:  

• Air cargo operations;
• Air cargo supply chain;
• Airport operations;
• Efficiency and productivity measure for air cargo and airports;
• Air cargo and uncertainty;
• Airline networks;
• Hub and spoke system;
• Supply chain strategy and air cargo; and
• Combination carriers vs. integrators, among others.

Prof. Dr. Seock-Jin Hong
Prof. Dr. Wouter Dewulf
Prof. Dr. Woongyi Kim
Prof. Dr. Joel Zhengyi Shon
Daniel Sallier
Guest Editors

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