WEEKLY NEWS


AIR CARG O WEEK


WHEN EVERY SECOND COUNTS


06


BY Edward HARDY


IN the world of aerospace logistics, the cost of delay can be eye-watering. One grounded aircraft—a situation known as aircraft on ground (AOG)—can cost an airline hundreds of thousands of dollars a day. In an environment where urgency is everything, logistics providers must offer more than just speed; they must deliver precision, flexibility, and a level of expertise that leaves nothing to chance. “There is no vertical quite like aerospace, where the risk of financial loss and penalty to the client


is so high,” said Robert Jubb, vice president commercial – cargo at Air Partner. “One single aircraft out for one day can cost a carrier perhaps three or four hundred thousand dollars. These clients expect the very best, and they are quite willing to pay for that.”


Speed through expertise For aerospace logistics, it’s not just about moving parts from A to B—it’s about doing so within hours, across borders, and often in defiance of bureaucratic or geopolitical hurdles. Jubb explained that their approach is a hybrid of high-level charter brokerage and door-to-door freight forwarding, rooted in specialist partnerships across trucking, customs clearance, and freight forwarding. “It’s a hybrid approach,” he said. “You have the ability to buy at the very top of the market, and also


at the very top of the carrier. You can make a phone call knowing full well that you have a walk-in booking—but you need to make things happen.” And making things happen sometimes means bypassing political complexities. “Sometimes, when the


phone rings at a certain time of the day, you know it’s a very serious enquiry,” Jubb said. “You have to be able to sidestep the geopolitics to find a solution. It may be due to the aircraft’s registration, overflight permissions, or even the client’s nationality. You’ve got to guide the client through the weeds.” From avoiding restricted airspace to ensuring customs clearance in unfamiliar jurisdictions, the job


demands detailed operational knowledge and the flexibility to adapt on the fly. “You have to know how to get it there and how to put it into the hands of the engineer when he needs it,” Jubb added.


The human factor Despite increasing digitalisation across the logistics industry, Jubb stressed that personal relationships and cultural knowledge still drive successful outcomes. “Language and culture are still key to making


ACW 7 JULY 2025


a lot of things happen,” he said. “There are so many of our competitors who are massive multinational freight forwarders… but being able to tap into local relationships when you need it is priceless.” This careful use of trusted partners is especially important when time is of the essence. “We focus


very much on only asking people for help and for favours when we know we need it—and it’s something that’ll book,” he said. “Even our airline suppliers tell us, ‘You guys only ask us infrequently for charter, but when you do, it’s serious—and it books.’” Aerospace clients, Jubb explained, often require more than just logistics—they require mentorship


through complex, high-pressure scenarios. And many of those clients, like the freight forwarders themselves, lost a lot of institutional knowledge during Covid-19. “It wasn’t out of choice—it was to keep the company in survival mode,” he noted. “Now we have to take them on a journey with us again.” That journey involves education. “As long as you understand the geopolitical requirement, the


customs clearance, the trucking restrictions, the permit restrictions on over-width—you can build a picture and present two or three options for the client to make a fully informed decision,” he said.


Technology, compliance, and the OBC advantage While relationships remain central, technology has a supporting role to play—especially when it comes to compliance and visibility. “Technology is wonderful—as long as you are not fully reliant on it,” Jubb explained. “We use tools


to identify routings or carriers we may not automatically think about… but from a client side, it’s more about compliance. They want a full library of all their documentation available at the touch of a finger.” That’s because customs audits are now a constant across many markets. “Freight was a very paper-


heavy industry,” he said. “Now, we’re moving into a digital world—but putting it together in a way the client can digest really helps with audits. We see that as one of the biggest drivers now.” And when even the fastest airfreight options can’t guarantee timely delivery, onboard courier (OBC)


services are proving increasingly vital—especially in regions where handling agents or customs processes slow down conventional cargo. “You’re buying the time back through the OBC,” Jubb said. “It’s not the flight time—it’s the recovery time. An airline may publish a two-hour express product, but the queue of trucks to pick up the cargo is 10 hours long. The OBC wins because it bypasses that delay.”


www.aircargoweek.com


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