Airfreight Insider Daily Briefing – September 5, 2025
Welcome to today’s edition of the Daily Briefing, your trusted source for the latest and most significant developments shaping the airfreight and logistics sector. From cutting-edge AI advancements and strategic airline moves to regulatory shake-ups and infrastructure updates, here’s what logistics professionals need to know.
AI and Digitalization: CH Robinson and the Future of Supply Chain Planning
CH Robinson, a global leader in AI-driven supply chain solutions, made waves last week with its Q2 2025 earnings update. The company emphasized the growing role of its “Always-on Logistics Planner,” a platform leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize supply chain decision-making in real time. This is a clear sign that AI integration is no longer a hype topic but a practical, competitive tool in logistics operations.
Supporting this trend, Prof. Tilmann Gabriel’s recent analysis forecasts the AI market in aviation to reach a staggering $132 billion by 2032. AI’s impact will stretch from air traffic control to predictive maintenance and customer service, fundamentally transforming the whole industry landscape.
US Aviation Policy Shift: Trump Administration Reverses Passenger Compensation Rules
In a surprising reversal, the former Trump administration has scrapped the Biden-era regulation mandating airlines to pay passengers for self-inflicted flight delays and cancellations, a measure that would have provided up to $775 compensation per affected traveler. This move diminishes consumer protections in US aviation and echoes through airline operational and legal frameworks. Observers note the rollback may signal a looser regulatory environment going forward.
Infrastructure and Network Developments: Istanbul, Luanda, Hamburg and Beyond
FedEx’s new Istanbul hub officially opened, positioning the company strategically between East and West. This global air transit facility at Istanbul Airport strengthens FedEx’s presence in a growing transcontinental market.
In Angola, national carrier TAAG postponed shifting its international flights to the new Dr.-António-Agostinho-Neto Airport near Luanda beyond the initial September 15 plan, signaling operational or infrastructure readiness challenges.
Meanwhile, Hamburg Airport will shut down runway 15/33 from September 15 to 26 for essential maintenance works. All operations during this period will be diverted to alternative runways, underscoring ongoing airport infrastructure upkeep critical for safety and efficiency.
Airline Fleet and Partnership Moves
Alaska Airlines is upgrading part of its Boeing 787 order to the larger 787-10 model, aligning with its strategy to better serve high-traffic routes following its Hawaiian operations integration.
In Japan, Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) is leveraging its completed merger with All Nippon Airways (ANA) to deepen its airfreight reach across Southeast Asia, aiming to capitalize on ANA’s expansive route network.
On the Atlantic, Air France plans to expand codeshare agreements with new SkyTeam member SAS on multiple US routes in the second half of 2025, enhancing connectivity and alliance synergies.
Also in the Middle East, Emirates NBD finalized a $350 million aircraft financing deal supporting Emirates Airline’s acquisition of two Boeing 777-200LR freighters, reinforcing Emirates SkyCargo’s long-haul freighter capabilities.
Labour and Regulatory Tensions: Swiss and UK Importers
The Zurich authorities have allowed continued use of Air Baltic crews on Swiss-operated flights, much to the dismay of the Kapers union, which fears this sets a dangerous precedent for labour standards and wage pressures in Swiss aviation.
Across the Channel, UK importers voice concern about impending changes to the “de minimis” threshold, fearing it could increase consumer prices similarly to the effects seen in the US after tightening import duty rules.
Security, Certification and Market Expansion Updates
Qantas has responded swiftly to a July cyberattack exposing millions of customer records by cutting top management bonuses by 15%, emphasizing corporate accountability for data security.
The US FAA is set to propose reforms by December aimed at speeding up spaceship certification and modernizing approval processes, a crucial step to reduce lengthy delays seen in recent models like the Boeing 737 Max 7.
Seizing market opportunities, US carriers are expanding routes into cities previously served by Spirit Airlines after its latest insolvency – United Airlines launched new flights in 15 such markets, complemented by Frontier’s expansion plans.
Border Crossing Costs Rise: Higher Fees for US Entry from Late September
Travelers to the US will face increased entry fees starting September 30, 2025. The cost of the ESTA electronic travel authorization is set to rise significantly, mirroring hikes in land border crossing fees. These changes could impact passenger demand patterns and require forward planning by logistics and travel operators.
Environmental Concerns at Zurich Airport
Zurich Airport had to halt a planned ecological revitalization of the Glatt River due to contamination caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances detected in the soil. The incident highlights growing environmental scrutiny around airport expansions and infrastructure projects.
Technology and Visibility in Supply Chains
Project44 has shifted focus from pure visibility to offering a full Transportation Management System (TMS), underscoring a broader industry realization: tracking information alone is insufficient without actionable logistics management tools.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s briefing to keep ahead of the trends that drive airfreight and logistics worldwide.