Time critical air cargo charter during a pandemic
It’s not just during the current pandemic that time critical cargo has been hitting the news. Long before the onset of the present crisis, US and global industries were heavily reliant on keeping their supply chains open and their production lines moving.
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines and cargo companies realized that time critical air charter was vital for the movement of personal protective equipment (PPE) along with urgent medical and healthcare supplies. When the history books are written, there will no doubt as to the role time critical cargo charter played in the urgent fight against the global virus outbreak.
Initially, there were many obstacles to be overcome regarding logistics, closed borders, and the fear of the international spread of the virus. Existing US airport curfews had to be re-examined, ground staff had to be able to work in safety, all while much ancillary ground handling and general airport services had been forced to a standstill.
Thankfully, this was overcome early on through the coming together of governments and airline regulators to ensure time critical cargo was given every opportunity to remain viable. One of the most important aspects which had to be addressed from the outset was the rules and regulations governing crew movement. If it was necessary for the crew to self-quarantine for fourteen days after every border crossing, cargo flights would never be able to operate in an efficient and time-effective manner. Through sensible precautions, goodwill, and common sense these early hiccups were overcome and supply chains remained open – even if only in a limited manner.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) was instrumental in prompting governments to use their influence as early as possible to: reduce burdensome and time-consuming cargo charter paperwork; ensure the availability of staff and resources to handle and process cargo efficiently; and exempt cargo crew from regular quarantine rules.
Time critical secure air charter keeps the wheels turning
Besides the pandemic, natural disasters, and the urgent demand for emergency aid, time-critical cargo charter is a major cog in the wheel of international trade and commerce. Getting vital components from one point to another in a timely and efficient manner can mean the difference between the smooth running of industrial production lines and costs, which could mount into hundreds of millions of dollars because of production being halted due to a missing component.
Every day around the world, from the intricacies of the car manufacturing process and automated manufacturing assembly lines to offshore oil and gas facilities and mining operations, the urgent need for the delivery of supplies is a constant balance to be maintained by line managers. Should anything upset that balance, the consequences could be disastrous.
Any disruption in the arrival of time critical cargo to car manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, or any other 24/7 reliant production lines, can have a effect felt by business organizations and even whole economies around the world.
The huge cost of supply chain disruption
As an example of the importance of time critical aircraft charter and the effects of any failure in component supply to the car manufacturing industry, in a recently released survey of 101 automotive industry executives, the results were simply astounding. The majority of those surveyed said that the cost of production stoppages in the automotive industry average at $22,000 per minute (over US$1.3 million per hour). Some respondents to the survey put that figure at as much as $50,000 per minute (or US$3 million per hour).
These figures adequately demonstrate the need for having a solidly dependable cargo charter partnership with a company that realizes the stakes involved, and that has the experience to make all the working parts come together. Early in May 2021, the Chapman Freeborn charter brokerage team in Europe received an urgent cargo inquiry to transport 600kg (1,322lbs) of cargo packed in 12 pallets in an event that turned out to be a unique time critical charter operation.
With the cargo already on board a scheduled flight from China to Germany the production plant urgently required the cargo to be delivered sooner to save total plant shutdown. Acting quickly, the charter team at Chapman Freeborn determined that the nearest airport to the plant was over an hour away meaning another charter flight wouldn’t be an option. Instead, an EC145 Eurocopter was positioned only 15 minutes from the International Airport. The charter team located a landing site at the plant’s parking lot, which was immediately cleared and one pallet was loaded on the helicopter – with mere inches to spare – and the cargo was flown directly to the plant to ensure uninterrupted production.
This story adequately explains the importance of having a trusted charter partner when it comes to the delivery of time critical cargo to assembly plants and round-the-clock production facilities.
Onboard couriers and trusted cargo partners
Across the USA and around the world, another option available to solve the problem of time critical cargo delivery is the use of an onboard courier service for the delivery of time critical parts, or other necessary production or business materials.
Time critical onboard couriers can carry urgent cargo – from an envelope of documents to several large boxes – as part of their personal luggage, which may be transported in the passenger cabin, or as additional checked luggage in the cargo bay. This is a great option for small components, spare parts, prototypes, documents, or small-batch samples, which need to reach their destination within a critical period. Time critical onboard couriers also offer the advantage of a personal touch to the delivery process.
Deliveries with time sensitivity have the potential to cause a lot of stress for the sender. For this reason, establishing a trusting partnership with a reputable cargo charter company is paramount.
Having that trusted partner means that both you, and they, fully realize that time is of the essence. They will most likely provide you with round-the-clock service, out-of-hours collection, and the promise of 24/7/365 availability, guarantee, and offer prime customer care.
Should anything go wrong along the way, a trusted time-critical cargo partner will go the extra mile to make sure that your consignment reaches its destination in the most timely manner possible, Your cargo partner can even provide full transparency by offering the latest digital tools to dispatch, track, and verify your time-critical delivery.
The importance of having a trusted cargo-partner can’t be overstated. If your cargo’s safe and timely delivery is of the utmost importance to the success of your business or organization, it makes complete sense to trust your valuable cargo to the very best time-sensitive cargo partners you can find.
