Airfreight Insider Daily Briefing – December 18, 2025
Welcome to your daily update on the latest trends and developments in the air cargo and airline industries. Today we cover everything from record Beaujolais exports and major fleet moves to evolving security concerns and market shifts ahead of the holidays.
Strong Export Season: ECS Group Moves 40% of France’s Beaujolais Nouveau
The ECS Group reported a highly successful 2025 Beaujolais Nouveau campaign, with its subsidiary Aero Cargo International France transporting an impressive 40% of France’s Beaujolais Nouveau exports. These operations ran smoothly on DHL-operated flights connecting key hubs in Tokyo and Osaka, marking an efficient end-to-end supply chain execution for this seasonal cargo highlight.
Lufthansa’s 747-8s Join the U.S. Air Force for $400 Million Deal
In a significant strategic fleet acquisition, the U.S. Air Force confirmed it will take over two Boeing 747-8 aircraft from Lufthansa, a deal valued at around $400 million. This move underscores ongoing government investment in heavy airlift capabilities amid a shifting global security landscape.
Fleet News: ATR 72 from Blue Islands Now with Danish Air Transport
Danish Air Transport (DAT) has expanded its turboprop fleet by taking over an ATR 72-500 formerly operated by the insolvent British carrier Blue Islands. The aircraft, 17 years old and bearing the registration G-ISLO, strengthens DAT’s regional service capabilities.
Leading Cargo Terminals Secure Critical Certifications
Certification and security continue to be a focus in air cargo operations. Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) has become the first cargo terminal operator in the region to achieve ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for its COSAC-Plus cargo IT systems. Meanwhile, Swissport has elevated its pharmaceutical handling capabilities with a CEIV-Pharma certification at its Düsseldorf facility, joining the global network of IATA-certified pharma centers.
Growing Security Concerns Prompt Calls for Action on Drone Flights
Increasing drone flights over sensitive infrastructure are raising alarms among German state interior ministers. In a confidential resolution, they have demanded stronger federal measures to counter unauthorized UAV activities, though specific plans remain under wraps for now. This reflects a broader global trend highlighting the need for tighter regulations in unmanned aerial operations.
Airline Highlights: New Routes, Growth Plans and Festive Spirit
- Finnair announced a groundbreaking new long-haul route to Melbourne, Australia, covering some 15,200 kilometers. This marks an expansion of European coverage to the dynamic Australian market, expected to open new trade and travel opportunities.
- Lufthansa
- Austrian Airlines is bringing the holiday cheer with a unique twist by launching its own Christmas song and music video titled “Flynachten,” celebrating festive travel moments with a fun seasonal message.
Market and Industry Outlook: Job Market, Early Bookings and Holiday Travel
The logistics labor market is experiencing unusual dynamics. Following consolidations and headcount reductions at major freight forwarders like DSV, DB Schenker, and Kuehne + Nagel, there are now reportedly more experienced logistics professionals seeking jobs than available vacancies – a rare reversal in this sector.
Meanwhile, the travel industry is responding to early demand with Tui opening bookings well into the Easter holidays of 2027, capitalizing on sustained early reservation trends. On the passenger side, German airports are gearing up for a significant holiday surge, expecting over five million travelers during the vacation period, with Frankfurt and Munich alone anticipating close to 300,000 passengers this coming Friday.
Technical and Operational Spotlights
- An Airbus A350 aircraft operated by World2Fly on behalf of Corendon was temporarily grounded at Bonaire due to an air conditioning fault but has since resumed its journey to Schiphol Airport, demonstrating resilient operational response to maintenance challenges.
- On the technical research side, Professor Christian Haas from the Institute for Complex Systems Research has presented a systems-theoretic approach to tackling the complex optimization problem of aircraft maintenance planning, promising better integration of the many constraints airlines face in scheduling.
Industry Leadership Changes
Freightos, a key player in the international freight booking and payment platform space, announced that founder and CEO Zvi Schreiber will step down from his role at the end of January 2026 to pursue other ventures, marking a leadership transition in the digital freight landscape.
Additional Noteworthy News
- The Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) government terminal upgrade is facing a dramatic cost increase from the initial 340 million euros estimate to potentially 2.5 billion euros, reflecting wider challenges in major infrastructure projects.
- Korean Air is capitalizing on a booming e-commerce cargo market without increasing its freighter fleet size, leveraging high fleet utilisation amid a softening outlook for Asia-bound demand.
That wraps up today’s briefing. Stay tuned for our daily YouTube video covering these stories in more depth, and have a productive day ahead!