WEEKLY NEWS


AIR CARG O WEEK


CAINIAO SCALES CROSS-BORDER


BY Anastasiya SIMSEK Cainiao 04 2 7- 28 April l Rig a, La t v i a has begun scaling its five-day


international delivery service across 14 countries, signalling how the infrastructure supporting global online retail is shifting from ad hoc capacity and fragmented handovers towards more integrated air logistics systems. The initiative comes as the company expands its


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global air network and strengthens hub operations in key gateways such as Liège and Hong Kong, aiming to move large volumes of small parcels across borders with fewer transfers and more predictable transit times. For cross-border sellers, particularly small and medium-sized merchants priced out of premium express services, the ability to deliver within a five-day window increasingly represents the new competitive baseline rather than a premium offering. Cross-border


e-commerce has introduced coordination across multiple and IoT handling technologies stages.


Cainiao has been deploying artificial intelligence, automation, cross-border


across


constraints. AI is used to forecast demand and allocate air capacity more accurately, utilisation,


while also supporting processes. According to Zhang, its logistics chain to address those


including charter customs


“better demand a


fundamentally different freight profile into global air cargo: high volumes of small parcels, volatile demand spikes, and strong price sensitivity. That shift is forcing logistics operators to rethink how air capacity, hubs, and distribution networks are structured. Cainiao’s strategy


focuses on


strengthening key trade lanes while reinforcing the hubs that support parcel flows between them. “We’re growing the air network in a pretty


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deliberate way: deepen partnerships on key lanes, and strengthen the hubs that keep the whole network running smoothly,” says Irene Zhang, General Manager of Aviation Logistics, Cross- border Logistics Business at Cainiao Group. Partnerships with airlines are at the core of


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this strategy. Zhang points to the company’s long-term cooperation with Qatar Airways Cargo, through which “we’ve more than doubled weekly cargo flights on major China–Europe routes.” On the ground, hubs such as Liège and the Hong Kong eHub are positioned as transfer points designed to reduce handovers and accelerate cross-border movements. The technology layer behind faster parcels As parcel


volumes increase, For more information, exhibition and registration online: www.nordicaircargosymposium.com ACW 13 APRIL 2026 bottleneck is often not airlift but visibility and www.aircargoweek.com


predictions help us plan air capacity more accurately and use space on flights (including charters) more efficiently,” while AI-driven customs processes help “streamline clearance and reduce compliance- related costs.” The company has also invested heavily in automation at hub level. Its Hong Kong eHub last year rolled out RFID technology across all major operating scenarios, making it the first cargo terminal in the city to achieve this. “Once RFID is integrated into key processes,


such as unloading, security screening, storage, pallet build-up, and dispatch, overall operational efficiency can be improved by approximately 30 percent


compared with traditional facilities,”


Zhang explains. As parcels enter the hub, the system


automatically identifies them, while readers track and update location and status in real time throughout handling, ensuring full visibility and smoother, faster inventory flow. Operating a global e-commerce logistics network


requires striking a balance between maintaining direct operations and collaborating with local partners, especially in regions with limited cargo volumes or infrastructure. Cainiao currently serves more than 200 countries


and regions, but the operating model differs by market. In priority regions such as Europe, North America, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, the company has built stronger end-to-end capabilities covering origin pickup, customs clearance, and international


linehaul. the operational Mexico, and France. It has also established


its own local express delivery networks in nine countries,


including Spain, the United States,


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