As the airfreight landscape in Continental Europe shifts, a notable resurgence in demand for perishables and premium goods has emerged against a backdrop of seasonal capacity adjustments.

Over the summer months, air cargo demand has softened, but optimism is building for the upcoming winter season, particularly with expected increases in traffic through major hubs like London Heathrow (LHR).

“Cargo to and from Europe remains a key point for our strategy moving forward,” Mark Faulkner, Interim Managing Director, Virgin Atlantic Cargo, stated. 

“We believe there is notable potential we can tap into, with our strong established relationships with our customers, and our very high levels of operational performance combined with outstanding customer service, we think it’s a winning formula for success.”

Phased implementation

Central to this approach is the recent partnership with ECS Group, which will serve as Virgin Atlantic’s new General Sales and Services Agent (GSSA) in Continental Europe, helping develop a strong network across Europe, with the Virgin style and service customers expect.

Any change and implementation can be a challenge, however with extensive planning and foresight the two companies are committed to a smooth transition, driving benefits as soon as possible.

“We conducted a vigorous tender process with several high performing entities, but TCE, a subsidiary of ECS Group, won a close race,” Faulkner outlined.

“One of the key pillars of the project was a pan-EU proposition, which will improve our efficiencies and our effectiveness, and we believe drive our revenue and contribution forward.

“TCE can deliver this, amongst other key performance metrics we require, and we look forward to TCS – Virgin Partnership.” 

Enhanced operations

With major air cargo hubs like Frankfurt (FRA), Amsterdam (AMS), Charles de Gaulle (CDG), and Brussels (BRU) remaining focal points, Virgin Atlantic Cargo is reinforcing its operational footprint while leveraging expertise to enhance its transatlantic offerings. As the winter season approaches, both companies are gearing up to navigate potential challenges while seizing the opportunities that arise from this strategic alliance.

“We will move from our incumbent suppliers when relevant, with an eye to the coming peak season, we will ensure the implementation is managed effectively and seamlessly to ensure continuity with our customers, and provide the service we are renowned for. This will take place over Q4 2024 and Q1 2025,” Faulkner highlighted.

TCE will be representing Virgin Atlantic in the associated territories for all of the Virgin Atlantic network and beyond. This will of course include the transatlantic routes, where the carrier is strong, but also to the Caribbean and the rest of the world, and notably India where Virgin Atlantic will fly five times per day from the end of October 2024.  

“The innovative part lies in the solution that will provide centralized commercial and operational steering and control on the European continent in close co-operation with the Virgin Atlantic Cargo team,” Faulkner continued.

“The pan European proposition provides a streamlined and more efficient service for our customers, allowing for better shipment tracking visibility and reliability of our service.”

Next steps

Both organisations recognise the importance of digitalisation to the air cargo industry and have expressed excitement to share learnings and collaborate on how to drive innovative initiatives across the businesses forward, to the benefit of Virgin’s customers on the continent.

“TCE IS an industry leader and well established in the market. Their operations are focused on efficiency and effectiveness, which matches our focus,” Faulkner highlighted.

“Specifically on Denmark and Italy, TCS already represents Virgin Atlantic Cargo, so no change there, however the Netherlands will move across to as stated, initially with a focus on continuity and then to drive performance to new levels.

“Currently Virgin Atlantic Cargo utilises its extensive trucking network across mainland Europe and Ireland, and whilst we have no plans to bring in our own freighters, we continue to assess options of flown capacity with our partners and suppliers, where profitable.”