May 06, 2024
With a robust network in the Americas made up of narrow and widebody passenger flights, as well as freighters that complement each other, Air Canada Cargo offers consistent year-round capacity serving over 100 points in the region. Across the region, the carrier transports a vast range of commodities with the support of its trucking services and interline partnerships. From fruits and pharmaceuticals to animals and dangerous goods, Air Cargo Canada moves goods all around the world on its freighters, widebody aircraft and on-demand flights safely and securely.
However, the carrier’s focus is not just on creating an expansive route network for its customers, it’s looking to build sustainable connectivity. Environmental sustainability continues to be a key focus for both customers and Air Canada Cargo’s business, with the airline having set an ambitious net zero emissions goal for all operations by 2050. In defining the pathway to this goal, Air Canada has set a mid-term greenhouse gas (GHG) net-reduction targets for 2030. These include a 20 percent GHG net reduction from its air operations, a 30 percent GHG net reduction from our ground operations, and a CAD$50 million investment fund in low-carbon technologies to accelerate decarbonisation.
“The air cargo industry plays a pivotal role in connecting the world with timely and reliable logistics services, and our combination carrier status allows us to be flexible and adaptable to the market’s changing conditions and customer needs,” Matthieu Casey, Air Canada Cargo’s Managing Director – Commercial, said.
“On the ground, Air Canada continues to focus on electrifying our ground fleet of vehicles.
“Through our Leave Less Travel Programme, cargo customers can reduce their environmental footprint. The programme, which offers corporate and cargo customers effective options to offset or reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to business travel or freight transportation, allows customers to choose between sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), carbon offsets or a combination of both. To date, through the Leave Less Travel Program, Air Canada Cargo has facilitated the purchase of millions of litres of SAF to some of its largest global customers.
“Sustainable aviation fuel provides an alternative to conventional, fossil-based jet fuel. It is widely recognised as a key lever towards achieving aviation’s GHG emission reduction goals. In addition, we focus on adopting more sustainable packaging materials and creating more efficient processes to reduce our impact.”
Managing operations
Air Canada Cargo prides itself on highlighting both its agility and adaptive nature amid changing capacity and demand through a combination of strategic planning and operational flexibility. Continuously monitoring market trends and collaborating closely with technology partners to adjust for a surge in volumes, the carrier’s proactive approach allows it to scale operations dynamically, adjusting capacities and resources to meet fluctuations in demand.
“Handling capacity fluctuations with freighters and widebody passenger flights allow us to offer our customers a consistent year-round product,” Casey stated.
“Efficient cargo handling is imperative for our business as it reduces the time goods spend in transit and ensures timely delivery. It starts with developing effective and efficient scheduling and planning in advance to minimise cargo handling delays.
“Air Canada Cargo also offers a priority service for time-sensitive products (pharmaceuticals, perishables, high-value cargo) resulting in higher load priority, shorter tender and retrieval times, and a service level guarantee. We also work closely with customers for customised on-demand flights when they need to move urgent, time-sensitive shipments across the globe beyond scheduled service or destinations.
“Air Canada Cargo has established strong, strategic partnerships with trucking providers, which complement our network and allow our customers to reach a wider range of U.S. destinations when widebody capacity is not always available.
“In 2023, Air Canada established a collaboration with Air Company. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of power-to-liquid SAF (PtL SAF) in various North American markets by 2025. That will give Air Canada access to SAF that is entirely independent of fossil fuels and aims for the highest reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions among all sustainable aviation fuels available on the market. This initiative will support the development of SAF in Canada.”
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Author: Edward Hardy
