Airfreight Insider Daily Briefing – December 15, 2025
Good morning, logistics professionals. Today’s briefing covers significant industry developments spanning market shifts, airline strategies, regulatory challenges, and noteworthy geopolitical moves impacting global airfreight and aviation. Here’s what you need to know:
Market and Technology: 3PL Pressure and Software Ecosystem Concerns
The competitive landscape for third-party logistics providers (3PLs) is evolving as companies aggressively seek cost reductions. According to The Loadstar, some 3PLs are redesigning their business models amidst broader structural changes within the supply chain. Adding to the pressure, WiseTech Global’s revised CargoWise strategy is stirring alarm across the freight forwarding and software vendor communities. Industry insiders fear that WiseTech’s pivot toward a closed software ecosystem risks sidelining independent third-party providers, which could dampen innovation and restrict flexibility in logistics technology services.
Airline and Airport Updates: Fleet, Routes, and Facilities
- Emirates is rolling out newly designed, eco-friendly amenity kits for Economy and Premium Economy passengers on its long-haul flights starting this month. The kits use bio-based, reusable materials, signaling a growing commitment to sustainability.
- Eurowings announced it will cut three Balkan routes for summer 2026: Düsseldorf-Ljubljana, Dortmund-Split, and Hamburg-Dubrovnik. This follows last summer’s launch of Ljubljana service, which is now discontinued, reflecting a strategic retreat from less profitable markets.
- Lufthansa has reopened extensively renovated lounges at Stuttgart Airport, featuring improved zones tailored for high-status passengers, enhancing customer experience ahead of the busy holiday travel period.
- Pegasus Airlines has taken a concrete step toward expanding their footprint in Europe with the registration of a Dutch subsidiary, Pegasus Europe BV, facilitating their recently announced acquisition of Smartwings and Czech Airlines.
- In a high-profile fleet update, the Egyptian Air Force received a refurbished Boeing 747-8 previously configured for Lufthansa. The aircraft underwent major modifications in Hamburg before landing in Cairo and now serves as Egypt’s new presidential jet.
Geopolitical & Regulatory Environment
- Air Albania has ceased operations after its national aviation authority revoked its operating license due to ongoing financial instability, signaling continued turbulence in smaller European carriers.
- IATA reports that air traffic control delays in Europe have more than doubled over the last decade, with just two countries responsible for the majority of disruptions, exacerbating schedule reliability issues for airlines and freight alike.
Airfreight Volume Trends and Pricing Pressures
Mexican airport cargo volumes have declined 4.5% in the first nine months of 2025 compared to last year, caught in the crossfire of trade tensions between the US and China and shifting supply chain dynamics. Meanwhile, airfreight rates are under pressure worldwide, with recent data from Norwegian consultant Xeneta indicating a subtle price war breaking out in global airfreight markets as carriers reduce prices despite rising container volumes. Experts suggest this disconnect points to evolving buyer behaviors, particularly in China’s reshaped freight demand.
Industry Watch: Legal, Safety, and Corporate Moves
- The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Indian investigators remain at odds over the cause of the recent Air India crash. The NTSB suspects deliberate interference, while Indian authorities argue for technical failure, complicating ongoing investigation efforts.
- India’s flagship carrier Air India has implemented extensive operational measures to manage challenges posed by the December-to-February fog season, especially at its northern hubs, aiming to minimize delays and ensure safety.
- Brazil’s Azul Airlines received approval from a US bankruptcy court to reduce over $2 billion in debt through a structured restructuring plan, securing the airline’s financial future.
- Latvian-based Smartlynx Airlines firmly denies media reports of police fraud investigations and financial audits, maintaining the company’s stance against recent insolvency claims.
- In the M&A space, Ceva Logistics faces uncertain outcomes as complex cultural and market dynamics challenge an otherwise seemingly perfect deal, illustrating ongoing complexities in logistics sector consolidations.
In Brief — Podcast Insights
The latest News in Brief podcast (Week 50, 2025) unpacks tensions between container volumes and freight prices, the growing influence of AI in airfreight operations, and how persistent overcapacity is affecting market pricing. Analysts point to China as a key driver reshaping freight buyer behavior across global supply chains.
That’s all for today’s briefing. Stay tuned tomorrow for our daily YouTube video and fresh updates. Have a productive day ahead!
– The airfreightinsider.com editorial team