News / Swissport bets on ecommerce with acquisition of specialist ViaEurope

Photo: ViaEurope

Yet another air cargo player is stepping deeper into the world of ecommerce: Swissport has announced the acquisition of specialist handler ViaEurope. 

ViaEurope, which is present in major European airports, including ‘e-Hubs’ in Liege and Schiphol, offers parcel handling, Customs clearance and delivery to fulfilment warehouses and works with major couriers, including UPS, DHL, DPD and Evri. 

Swissport said the deal would create a “single point of contact for shippers, cargo airlines and freight forwarders … across each step of the product journey from aircraft handling, warehousing, customs clearance, tracking and preparation for delivery”. 

Bram-Jan Streefland, CEO of ViaEurope, said: “Partnering with Swissport and its extensive network will allow us to offer our services more broadly. 

“The combination of our expertise will offer customers an excellent level of service quality by minimising lead times and providing greater information transparency from aircraft touchdown to delivery.” 

At last week’s Aviation Connect event in Istanbul, delegates heard that ecommerce needed ‘speed on the ground’, as well as better communications between partners, something this deal could help achieve. 

Shahzad Aslam, VP of cargo management portfolio at Champ CargoSystems, explained: “We want full traceability at every handover… at every milestone. When handovers happen, it should be quite transparent.”    

Robert Fordree, SVP of cargo operations at Emirates SkyCargo, added: “What we need to understand better is what the ecommerce provider requires from us. I don’t think we have full transparency of that at the moment.  

“The thought of trying to integrate our operating system into an ecommerce provider’s IT brings me out in a cold sweat. We’re struggling to do that with GHAs (ground handlers), let alone with an ecommerce provider whose technology is decades ahead of where we are,” he added.  

There is much work to do to improve efficiency in ecommerce, says Denis Ilin, CEO of end-to-end logistics platform for e-tailers, e-SmartLogistics. He told The Loadstar there was “an extreme misalignment of mentality of expectations on an e-com site, and what the airline industry and air cargo is offering”.  

Part of the “misalignment”, he believes, is the ecommerce industry’s single-item B2C needs, in contrast to the consolidated air cargo shipments airlines provide. 

The volume of cross-border e-commerce goods is expected to increase more than 50% by 2027, indicating a need to ensure better cross-communication and standardisation. 

Warwick Brady, CEO of Swissport, said: “ViaEurope has an industry-leading offering that provides global ecommerce players improved lead times and visibility. Its focus on efficiency and operational excellence aligns perfectly with Swissport’s ambition and DNA. It also provides us with a leading solution in the rapidly growing ecommerce logistics space.”