• Swissport is elevating cargo to the core of its Vision 2030 strategy, expanding its global warehouse footprint and investing in technology to scale airfreight capacity, even as passenger handling remains its largest revenue stream.
• Air cargo, though low in volume share, underpins high-value global trade and is expected to grow steadily, driven by e-commerce, globalisation and demand for time-sensitive goods.
• Geopolitical disruption is reshaping cargo flows, exposing the rigidity of ground infrastructure, while regions such as Latin America present long-term growth potential as trade diversifies beyond perishables despite regulatory complexity.

Swissport is placing cargo operations at the centre of its long-term growth strategy as the global ground handling provider expands its footprint and prepares for sustained demand in the airfreight sector.

Guillaume Halleux, Chief Commercial Officer at Swissport, sees the company’s Vision 2030 strategy as positioning cargo as a key development priority, despite passenger ground handling remaining the group’s largest business segment. “Cargo is not our number one activity, passenger ground handling is, but cargo is number one in terms of our strategic business development priorities,” Halleux explained.

Swissport currently operates at nearly 300 airports worldwide, with around 120 cargo warehouses and close to 100 airport lounges, making it one of the largest ground service providers globally. The company is focused on expanding its cargo network while investing in operational efficiency and technology to support growing volumes.

“Our aim is to continue to grow our cargo business in terms of footprint. We want to be bigger, we want to be the best, and technology will play an important role in that development,” Halleux said.

An industry that operates in the shadows

Despite its critical role in global trade, Halleux believes air cargo remains one of the least visible sectors of the aviation industry.

“Air cargo is an industry of humility,” he said. “We operate largely in the shadows, and most people have no idea how much of the world around them depends on what we do.”

He pointed out that while air freight represents only a small share of global trade by volume, it carries a disproportionately large share of value.

“Air cargo moves roughly one to two percent of global trade by volume, but around 40 percent by value,” Halleux said. “Without air cargo, global trade would simply not function the way it does today.”

While the industry continues to face periodic disruptions, Halleux remains optimistic about the long-term trajectory of the air cargo sector.

He expects global airfreight demand to continue growing steadily over the coming decades.

“Air cargo is an industry that historically grows around four to six percent per year over the long term,” he said. “There will always be short-term disruptions, but the long-term trend remains positive.”

According to Halleux, structural factors such as globalisation, e-commerce expansion and the increasing value of time-sensitive goods will continue to support airfreight demand.

Geopolitical disruptions reshape cargo flows

However, recent geopolitical developments have demonstrated how sensitive global logistics networks can be to sudden disruptions. Conflicts and trade tensions have repeatedly forced airlines and logistics providers to adjust their operations and redeploy capacity.

Airspace closures and geopolitical tensions in several regions have already affected cargo flows and aircraft utilisation across parts of the global network.

For ground handling companies such as Swissport, the challenge lies in adapting to market shifts that are largely outside their control.

“We are at the end of the supply chain,” Halleux explained. “The people who truly make the market are the shippers and the consignees, followed by freight forwarders and airlines. Ground handlers come last in that chain.”

When airlines adjust their networks or redeploy aircraft due to geopolitical developments, ground handling operations can experience immediate changes in cargo volumes. “Airlines can move aircraft very quickly to different routes when market conditions change,” Halleux said. “For ground handlers it is different, our infrastructure is fixed. A warehouse cannot move.”

Latin America emerges as a promising cargo market

Hosting the World Cargo Symposium in Lima also highlighted the growing importance of Latin America within global air cargo networks.

Halleux described the region as a promising long-term market, particularly as economies develop and trade flows diversify.

Historically, the region’s air cargo sector has been heavily driven by perishable exports.

“The Latin American market has traditionally been built around perishables,” he said. “Flowers from Ecuador and cherries from Chile are well-known examples of cargo flows from the region.”

However, economic development and population growth are gradually changing the dynamics of the market. “As countries in the region develop, we are seeing exports becoming more diversified and imports increasing as well,” Halleux explained. This evolution is expected to make the region’s air cargo market more balanced and less dependent on seasonal agricultural exports. Nevertheless, operating conditions in some Latin American markets can still present challenges.

“From a ground handler’s perspective, regulation can sometimes make the region more complex than others,” Halleux noted. Despite these challenges, Swissport continues to see opportunities for expansion in Latin America as the region’s role in global trade grows.

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