A unique, trade-only wholesale airfreight booking platform has been launched by Amsterdam-based Wholesale By Vels (WBV). The new platform, called CargoPilot, is the culmination of 2 years’ intensive development.
CargoPilot differs from existing online booking portals in two important respects: firstly, it is squarely targeted at non-IATA freight agents, using WBV’s own IATA licence and CASS membership. This means CargoPilot users have direct access to attractive airline rates which are not normally available to them, while carriers are relieved of any financial risk as WBV settles all billing on behalf of the booker.
Secondly, CargoPilot produces live, dynamically-priced quotes on a choice of carriers, just as if the agent were IATA-registered and booking direct. The rates are for next available flights – not deferred, block space agreements – so that agents can move their customers’ shipments more quickly, while also taking full advantage of the (often) lower rates offered for short-notice bookings.
Booking through CargoPilot also ensures that all shipments being tendered for carriage have been vetted by WBV, and therefore fully comply with all aspects of the IATA European Air Cargo Programme (EACP).
CargoPilot displays offers a choice of airport-to-airport, airport-to-door, door-to-airport and door-to-door services available for the next seven days. 26 major carriers’ rates covering a large proportion of [RV1] global destinations are already available through CargoPilot, with more being added steadily as data systems integration is completed.
Full quotes are easily and quickly generated through a series of simple, intuitive screens, with previously entered customer data auto-filled to save time. Collection and delivery can be priced and added to any booking, thanks to the integrated database of airfreight hauliers and rates, while additional services such as X-ray screening and insurance can also included.
Users add their required profit margin to the quote, and finalised PDF quotes are then generated. Saved quotes can then be easily converted to bookings, which are sent direct to the airline and any additional selected service provider. Once a booking is made through CargoPilot, the user has 24/7 online access to real-time tracking information. CargoPilot is available through attractively-priced monthly membership charges.[RV2] 100 airfreight executives attended the CargoPilot official launch at Schiphol Airport, and were given the opportunity to trial the live system for themselves.
Says CargoPilot co-founder Rinaldo Vels, who launched Wholesale by Vels in 2020: “We believe CargoPilot is truly different to anything available in the market today. It combines a powerful airline cargo rates quotation tool with a unique value-add quoting and booking facility. It makes dynamic prices on IATA carriers available to agents who do not have IATA recognition. That means their cargo moves faster and often more economically than it would using traditional wholesalers.”
WBV is about to open further offices in Germany and Italy, which will also offer the CargoPilot product. To extend CargoPilot’s reach to further markets, WBV is also creating the CargoPilot Alliance, which will recruit exclusive members to offer its services in their own territories. Adds Vels: “We are keen to talk to any professional airfreight business that is IATA-recognised and CASS-connected, and which will uphold our strict trade-only, best practice model. But we will only accept one member per territory.”
He concludes: “We have had tremendously positive feedback about CargoPilot, and are enormously excited about its potential. This will transform the air cargo market, and open up lucrative new business opportunities both for carriers and intermediaries. It takes airfreight wholesaling to a new level.”
