Peter Penseel joined Delta Air Lines in June 2024, responsible for leading the Cargo Commercial division with a focus on driving revenue and profitable growth, delivering industry-leading customer service and ensuring operational excellence within Delta’s Cargo business.
     Peter came into the job ready when you are with more than three decades of experience in various roles across the air cargo, freight forwarding and the logistics sectors.
     He served as the Chief Operating Officer – Airfreight at CEVA Logistics, and also held several other senior leadership positions at Qatar Airways Cargo, DHL Global Forwarding and UTi Worldwide (DSV A/S). Peter serves as a member of the Supervisory Board of Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands.
     Here and now this week as IATA World Cargo Symposium meets in Dubai for its most important annual mandated gathering of all the airline cargo chiefs, we go up close and personal with Peter Penseel.

FT:  What are you thinking about as Spring 2025 unfolds? Kindly ask you unpack impressions of 2024 first experiences at DL Cargo both the highs, lows and what surprised you?
PP:  All in all 2024 was a great year for Delta Cargo. We achieved strong results across the board — exceeding our safety, financial, and operational targets. We grew our revenue share year over year and delivered an all-time high in cargo load performance. One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of is the significant improvement in our customer satisfaction scores, which rose by 23 points compared to the previous year. That progress speaks to our team's commitment to becoming the preferred carrier for our customers.
     A major accomplishment was the rollout of iCargo — one of the most transformative initiatives in Delta Cargo’s history. This new platform is a game-changer, enabling greater efficiency, enhanced tracking, and optimized global operations. We recently completed the implementation in Atlanta, our largest and most complex hub, bringing the total number of stations live on iCargo to 175. That achievement reflects not only the scale of the transformation but also the dedication and expertise of the team driving it forward.
     Of course, transformation at this scale doesn’t come without its challenges. Integrating a new platform while keeping operations running smoothly required intense coordination across our teams and strong communication with our customers. We also navigated ongoing industry changes — from capacity shifts to evolving customer expectations — which made our results all the more meaningful.

FT:  What surprised me most (in a good way) was the sheer energy and resilience of the Delta Cargo team.
PP:  From day one, I saw a deep sense of pride and ownership at every level of the organization. That mindset — paired with a strong foundation and clear strategic direction — gives me a lot of confidence as we move into 2025.

FT:  What lies ahead for 2025 in terms of priorities? Can you offer some sense of a regional approach and perhaps some commodities Delta might be focusing attention to developing or enhancing service?
PP:  Our goal is to be our customers’ brand of choice — and that means staying close to their needs. Twice a year, we conduct in-depth customer surveys to understand how we’re doing, what we’re doing well, and where we can improve. We reached an all-time high in our Net Promoter Score last year, and we’re aiming to push even further in 2025. We’re also focused on increasing our presence with both existing and prospective customers. That means being more visible and accessible — through conferences, tradeshows, and face-to-face meetings. We’re looking forward to having an expanded presence at Air Cargo Europe in Munich this June, where we’ll host customers and partners at our Delta Cargo booth, complete with a lounge and meeting space.
     Another key priority in 2025 is running the best operation in the industry. A reliable, consistent operation is the foundation of everything we do — it’s what builds customer trust. We’re focused on achieving best-in-class performance, with a particular emphasis on improving on-time performance metrics and continuing to deliver an industry-leading experience our customers can count on, 24/7/365. Digitally, we’re making significant strides. With the iCargo rollout nearly complete, we’re on track to offer industry-leading digital capabilities that will enhance visibility, improve tracking, and streamline the end-to-end experience for our customers across the globe.
     As we look across the network, we continue to evaluate opportunities by region to grow in areas where Delta’s strengths — our global network, operational reliability, and premium service — can provide the most value. We're focused on developing our pharma and express offerings, where service precision and care are critical. These are areas where we know Delta Cargo can make a difference and deliver exceptional value to our customers.

FT:  How is Delta Cargo performing overall. With some uncertainty in business what is your outlook and where do you think lies the strength at Delta Cargo to prevail in the remaining months of 2025?
PP:  Despite the uncertainty in the broader market, I’m encouraged by the strong momentum we’ve built in the first quarter. Delta Cargo reported Q1 revenue of $208 million, up 17% compared to 2024. That growth was driven by strong yield performance and increased flying of higher-capacity aircraft, particularly in the Pacific region. While the market environment remains dynamic, our strategy is clear — and we remain focused on delivering reliable, high-quality service wherever and whenever our customers need us.
     What gives me a lot of confidence in the months ahead is the strength of our people. Delta’s people-first culture is the foundation of our success. When you take care of people and rally them around a shared purpose, you can achieve great things — and that’s exactly what I see across our commercial and operational teams every day. Both sides of the business are working hand-in-hand to deliver outstanding results.
     We recently brought together hundreds of team members and partners from around the world for our annual Global Cargo Conference in Atlanta — a great example of how we align our teams around a unified vision and shared goals. That kind of engagement is critical to keeping everyone informed, empowered, and connected to the mission.
     At the same time, we’re building a culture of optimization. We’re rolling out multiple initiatives aimed at increasing efficiency — from improving capacity utilization to moving freight more strategically — which will deliver benefits regardless of market conditions. That combination of people, purpose, and performance is what sets Delta Cargo apart, and it’s why I’m confident in the road ahead.

FT:  If there were a few things that you could change or even just one thing...as air cargo does business what would that include?
PP:  If I could change one thing, it would be accelerating our industry's pace of digital transformation and standardization. While we've made meaningful progress, there's still a lot of fragmentation in how data is shared, systems communicate, and transactions are handled across the supply chain.
     Customers today expect real-time visibility, seamless booking, and proactive service — and we should be able to deliver that with the same ease they experience in other industries.
     That’s why initiatives like our iCargo rollout are so important — not just for Delta Cargo, but for raising the bar across the industry.
     The more we can simplify and modernize how we do business, the more value we can deliver to our customers, and the stronger and more resilient our industry will become.

FT:  What does this industry need do to mine new talent to join the industry? What is the Delta approach to recruit and keep next generation logisticians? What is the offer?
PP:  Attracting the next generation of talent is both a challenge and a great opportunity for our industry. And it starts with us — the senior leadership. We have a responsibility to cultivate an environment that not only welcomes new voices but actively invests in their development. That means being visible, being intentional, and being champions of the change we want to see.
     To bring in the next generation, we need to shift the narrative around what a career in air cargo and logistics can look like. This is no longer just about moving boxes from point A to point B. It’s about enabling global commerce, supporting supply chains that connect people to critical goods, and using data and technology to solve complex challenges in real time. That’s exciting — and it’s a message we need to amplify.
     At Delta Cargo, our approach starts with purpose and people. We offer meaningful work, a strong sense of mission, and a values-driven culture where people are empowered to lead, grow, and make an impact. We’re intentional about bringing in diverse perspectives — from operations, data, technology, customer experience, and beyond — and giving our teams the tools and training they need to thrive. And just as importantly, we work hard to create a culture of belonging — where every team member knows they’re valued and has a voice.”
GDA