Dive Brief:
- Air France-KLM updated its online cargo booking system as part of its ongoing effort to standardize processes since the 2004 merger of the airlines. The airline is in the midst of a three-year program to update the carrier's legacy data systems, The Loadstar reported.
- The airline released an application programming interface (API) that will be used for its MyCargo online freight booking system.
- The MyCargo platform provides live online quotes and booking capabilities for freight forwarders.
Dive Insight:
Air France-KLM officials assured the freight forwarder community that the airline was not attempting to circumvent their services.
Robert Kunen, vice president customer services, told The Loadstar that the MyCargo platform was designed for freight forwarders to book cargo space on behalf of their customers rather than engaging with shippers directly. Air France-KLM will restrict access to forwarders that have an existing relationship with the carrier.
The airline in July expanded the MyCargo digital platform to pharmaceutical shippers. The tool allows shippers to track current temperatures, the voltage in active containers and the battery level in dry ice cargo units.
The Air France-KLM efforts reflect the ongoing digitization of the freight field. Earlier this month, DB Schenker launched the Logistics Orchestrator, an online platform that allows customers to manage spare parts for industrial and aerospace companies across all transportation modes. The tool is expected to cut logistics costs by up to 30%, the company said in an announcement.
The freight sector has lagged in the adoption of technology, leading to early successes for startups that are not saddled with legacy systems. For instance, some Air France-KLM systems have been in use since the 1980s.
