Commercial revenue at IAG Cargo increased by 7.2% to €1.1 billion with a strong start to 2018, though growth slowed as the year progressed.
Cargo increased by 0.2% to 702,000 tonnes with yields improving by 8.1%, with premium products performing well, with investments in a new Constant Climate Centre in Madrid, a Critical Service Centre in London and improving customer experience on IAGCargo.com.
Lynne Embleton, CEO of IAG Cargo says: “Revenues from our Constant Climate product have increased by 9%, and we have invested in a new multi-million-euro Good Distribution Practice certified Constant Climate Centre in Madrid to help meet growing demand for pharmaceutical shipments, in particular to the South American market. The importance of our Constant Climate service was highlighted in August when we transported over 5.3 tonnes of the diphtheria vaccine to Venezuela to fight an outbreak of the disease.”
The Madrid facility features two dedicated temperature-controlled chambers totalling 900 sq m. It is operated by an expert team, with shipments loaded onto dedicated airside docks and served by a fleet of refrigerated trucks to protect the pharmaceuticals from the cargo terminal to the aircraft.
She adds: “In July we launched a new Critical Service Centre with a specialised customer service team dedicated to serving customers of our highest priority, non-off-loadable product. Our Critical consignment count grew by 35%, supporting must-fly shipments of products including aerospace and machinery parts, in-demand retail products, and technology components.”
Looking to the future, Embleton says: “2019 looks set to be a more challenging year, with airfreight capacity growth outpacing growth in demand. Our focus on customer service, products and technology will allow us to continue developing our business as we seek to become the carrier of choice for customers worldwide.”
