In a sector once defined by routine, process, and predictability, time-critical cargo has emerged as an industry within an industry—redefining speed, flexibility, and customer expectations.
“I think e-commerce is a classic example,” Eliska Hill, senior vice president of cargo at Air Partner, explained. “Everybody wants everything now—we want it yesterday. We don’t want it now. We want it yesterday.”
Where the air cargo world once viewed “urgency” as a niche requirement, the explosion of e-commerce and the logistical chaos of the pandemic showed just how vital quick, agile delivery had become. The change is not just operational—it’s psychological.
“People’s personal expectations are high,” she continued. “But I think that aligns with the business world anyway. People suddenly realise that things can move quickly, and it is possible.”
This willingness to challenge the norms is at the core of Air Partner’s strategy. “It’s that mindset—that people would never think you could achieve something—but you can—just by connecting. And aviation is the only way you can do it,” Hill revealed.
Whether it’s salmon pulled straight from Norwegian waters or next-day turfing tools, the parallel between personal expectation and business demand has collapsed. “You’ll go to the supermarket and you’ll have fruit from South America that’s fresh… it was on a farm probably three days ago,” she stated. “That’s how much the networks have progressed globally over the last 10 years.”
The mindset shift
While customer demands evolve at breakneck pace, internal industry transformation still lags behind. That disconnect is both a challenge and an opportunity.
“There’s plenty,” Hill said frankly when asked about what still needs changing. “For instance, documentation is always going to be the be-all and end-all struggle.”
For Air Partner, the answer is direct: digitalisation. “Every single transaction for moving a single piece of cargo should be digitally moved. It is going to take time, but it is evolving—slowly.”
In Hill’s view, generational turnover will be a critical catalyst. “The younger generation is all digital. They want everything fast. They want everything quickly. People moving into working in the logistics industry—they won’t settle for outdated processes. So changes will be made.”
But the transformation isn’t just a generational story—it’s also about exposure to consumer tech and behaviours. Illustrating this shift through her experience at industry conferences, Hill observed: “You’ve got the attendees and their kids are online, buying things and getting them in two or three days. And I think that has had an impact—even though they’re not used to it.”
As the industry wrestles with legacy mindsets, Air Partner doesn’t just talk disruption—it embraces it.
“You’ve got to evolve to survive,” Hill asserted. “Pre-pandemic, in 2019, the commercial cargo industry was in dire straits. The pandemic turned it around. And yes, they’re still living off the coattails of that, but they’re realising the world is evolving, and you’ve got to adapt.”
