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American Airlines adds new global accounts director

American Airlines Cargo has appointed Danny Robbeson as director, head of cargo global accounts. In his new role, he will lead the airline's global accounts sales team and oversee relationships with American Airlines Cargo's key strategic customers worldwide. He will also be responsible for leading global account strategies, "enhancing customer engagement and driving commercial growth across American Airlines Cargo's portfolio of strategic partners". Robbeson has more than 20 years' experience in the air cargo industry, having also worked for Kuehne+Nagel, Yusen Logistics, Qatar Airways and Kintetsu World Express. Most recently, he was head of airfreight for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Kintetsu. "His broad industry perspective and customer-focused approach position him well to support American Airlines Cargo's commitment to delivering innovative solutions and exceptional service worldwide," the airline said. Robbeson said: "The opportunity to help drive forward our full range of products and services in support of our customers is one that I am truly excited about." In his new role, he will report to Indy Bolina, head of global sales for American Airlines Cargo and will be based in Amsterdam. Bolina added: "His deep industry experience, customer-first mindset and proven leadership capabilities will help us continue delivering on our promise to customers."

Amazon suspends operation with 21 Air following tragic accident

Amazon Air has decided to pause its operations with 21 Air following the tragic accident that saw a Boeing freighter overrun a Miami Airport runway, resulting in the deaths of five people. In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said: "Safety has always been our top priority, whether in our own operations or when we're working with partners. "After the tragic incident last weekend, we've spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we've decided to pause our operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598. We'll continue working to support the investigation and everyone affected." Prior to the accident, the airline operated around eight Boeing 767 freighter aircraft on behalf of Amazon, which itself has a fleet of more than 100 freighters. At this stage, it is not clear what Amazon plans to do with the aircraft that are operated by 21 Air. Capacity at this time of year comes under pressure as the e-commerce platform prepares for its Prime Day sales event that sees shipments spike. The company will therefore be looking to find a quick resolution to avoid the loss of capacity provided by the aircraft. The 32-year old aircraft overran the runway at Miami Airport on 6 September. US investigators last week revealed that one of the pilots had warned about excessive speed on final approach, while the aircraft subsequently generated multiple sink-rate and ground-proximity alerts as it descended. After the aircraft touched down, one of the crew called for a go-around just five seconds before the jet left the runway surface. As the aircraft - branded for Amazon Air - went off the end of the runway, it struck a van and a car, killing five people before coming to a stop. The flight (7598) originated from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Following the incident, 21 Air said it was devastated by the incident and expressed its condolences. "Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available," chief executive Keith Winters said. "We are cooperating fully with the NTSB, the Federal Aviation Administration, and local authorities. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation," he added.

Cathay Cargo to add transpacific freighter capacity as peak approaches

Cathay Cargo will add more transpacific freighter capacity from this month to cater for growth in technology-related shipments as the peak season approaches. In Cathay Cargo's latest 'From the Main Deck' newsletter, Jonathan Ng, head of cargo hub operations & development, said that transpacific trade had been fuelled by growth in semiconductor and data-centre equipment shipments. He said: "Cargo demand has remained positive over the summer, particularly due to growth in semiconductor and data-centre equipment shipments from across Asia to our transpacific markets." "The first priority is getting the balance between demand and capacity right," Ng added. "We're adding additional freighter capacity to the Americas from this month to meet current demand and support further growth during the peak." Last month, Cathay reported that semiconductor and lithium battery shipments had helped grow year on year volumes in July. In addition to sustained transpacific trade, Cathay Cargo has also seen increasing volumes of lithium battery shipments from northeast Asia and the Greater Bay Area passing through its Hong Kong hub. The upcoming addition of a leased Airbus A330 passenger to freighter (P2F) aircraft, which is currently undergoing conversion in Shanghai, will support Cathay Pacific subsidiary Air Hong Kong to meet regional demand for general cargo. Cathay Cargo is also working on improving its specialist shipment solutions, especially with regards to safety. Ng said the airline had "been working closely with shippers and forwarders to ensure that our checklists align with their requirements for the increasing volumes of AI chips, server racks, vibration-sensitive wafer steppers".