It s bad enough when a carrier subs within its own system, says Luis Solis, executive vice president of strategic marketing for Colorado-based GeoLogistics. Imagine what happens when you switch airlines. It could take a day. Service reliability is a critical problem because from an operational standpoint two cargo airlines are not the same at all, whereas a seat is a seat. I just think it would be too huge an operation to manage, says Michael Avnet of New York-based Hemisphere Forwarding.
Carriers have trouble now as single entities, especially during busy seasons.
Such a pipeline, he says, would require hefty investment because it would need a range of common items from handling equipment to information technology. I m skeptical on the realistic implementation of cargo alliances. Airlines recognize cooperating on passenger operations and cooperating on cargo operations is like comparing apples and oranges. That s why many do not rule out cargo agreements with carriers in rival passenger groups or maintaining freight independence. American and its oneworld passenger partners British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Canadian Airlines and Qantas Airways are exploring a parallel cargo alliance.