Super Summer 2020

     As winter approaches, why not think Summer 2020 as Virgin Atlantic Cargo trumpets a second daily service, via B787 between Heathrow and Delhi, March 29th 2020 that coupled with new VS service to Mumbai means Virgin Atlantic Cargo will offer three daily flights to India.
     Under the warmth of the sun for 2020, Virgin frequencies into San Francisco will go to twice daily as Johannesburg, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Lagos get set to debut Virgin Atlantic’s brand new A350 aircraft, elevating space across these blue-ribbon prime cargo routes.
     It all adds up to lift where you want it, as Virgin Atlantic’s new flying program for summer 2020 goes even farther, offering cargo customers more capacity on prime routes to India, Africa and the United States.
     Dominic Kennedy, Managing Director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo is jubilant:
     “These new routes and frequencies for summer 2020,” Dominic declared, “are great news for our cargo customers.
     “India, South Africa and Nigeria are very important and growing routes for our cargo business, so our commitment to offer more capacity, connecting customers in these countries to their prime UK and U.S. markets will help to open up opportunities for more import and export growth.
     “Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787-9 services offer up to 26 tons of cargo capacity on every flight, that from India includes high volumes of perishables, pharmaceuticals and courier shipments.
     “Transatlantic customers—including shippers with high volumes of e-commerce traffic—will also gain from the launch of an additional weekly service to San Francisco, departing every Friday, providing a choice of twice-daily flights between LHR and SFO.”


High Five For A350 During Summer 2020

     Virgin Atlantic’s A350 aircraft during August 2020 will serve five destinations across its network and notably its flights to Africa will be via “our new fantastic cargo aircraft,” VS said.
Johannesburg will debut the A350 with a daily service from March 2020.
     From April 2020, Virgin A350s will fly daily to Los Angeles. During May 2020 daily A350’s commences serving San Francisco while meantime A350 service to Lagos debuts in August 2020.
     Juha Jarvinen, EVP Commercial at Virgin Atlantic, is excited:
     “As we work to achieve our ambition to become the most loved travel company, we’re pleased to announce extra flights to some of our most popular destinations.
     “Next year will mark twenty years since Virgin Atlantic started flying to Delhi, and the service continues to grow in popularity.”
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As 2019 steams on here is an exclusive overview of today and tomorrow as FlyingTypers asks an elite group of the best and brightest transportation executives of India what they think of the current world situation.

Bharat J. Thakkar has been a part of the air cargo industry for over four decades.

About USA-China Trade War?

     “I am not an economist, astrologer or diplomat. Nor am I from the political class but I have been in the industry since 1973.
     “I would look at the overall impact of pressure from retailers and if there are no further speed breakers of tariffs on China, it will be music to our ears.
     “Our Christmas party will not be ruined – that is my understanding and reading.
     “One cannot predict if a trade war will eventually benefit America but it caused markets to soar sometime ago. However, the gains were erased a day later amid new fears of an impending recession.

Impact Of Tariffs On Business?

     “India has flights into 13 airports from the Far East and not all goods from China fly from Hong Kong into India.
     “However, electronic, trimmings, shipments from Shenzen, are trucked to HKG.
     “Some shipments have got stuck and whenever such a disruption happens, there is a lesson to be learnt and inventory methods have to be changed. In any case we have seen production shift to other countries.
     “Our forwarder partners who used space blocked by wholesalers suffered as exports were hit, but again it was a temporary situation.


What About The Christmas Rush

     “The Indian economy is still stable amongst all who are being bitten by the global slowdown.
     “Let’s take an example of H&M who sees no slowdown in India: their report of the second quarter ended May 2019 showed 39 percent increase over 2018 in the domestic market while fashion apparel grew 5-7 percent globally.
     “However, H&M has shifted to digital and are now setting up their own digital platform.

The Year That Was 2019?

     “Air cargo is in decline for the eighth consecutive month, states the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data.
     “Can’t complain. I am satisfied.
     “Without slowdown obviously, it could have been better.
     “Air cargo should not get slower than what we have experienced so far. Every day there is a new barricade.

Focus 2020?

     “It should be better than 2019 and since this is a global slowdown and issues are not just USA, China or India.
     “The Indian auto industry crisis is similar to Germany, and Brexit for that matter will create stress.
     “With no deal, trucks may get detained for weeks; therefore, essential commodities into UK will have to fly.
     “Exports have shown the resilience of the Indian exporting community even during such tough times and sluggishness in the global economy.
Tirthankar Ghosh