Patent Publication Number: US-2015074012-A1

Title: Server equipment and method for arranging of transportation and reduction of emissions

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to transportation logistics. In particular, the present invention relates to transportation logistics in connection with air cargo and the reduction of emissions related to it. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The transportation of persons and goods has faced great challenges lately as concerns emissions related to transportation. Earlier, emissions did not play a critical or central role in transportation. The greenhouse effect and carbon dioxide and other emissions have, however, generated whole new challenges to the transportation of persons and goods. Increased fuel costs have also become a central factor in this business. 
     Usually, the focus has been mainly to improve the efficiency of individual types of transportation vehicle, such as the plane, the train etc. There have also been efforts to limit or decrease transportation, for example, with the help of remote access. 
     Carrying of baggage often reduces travel comfort. This is especially the case with baggage that is larger, heavier and/or bulkier than hand luggage. On airports, the traveller usually carries all of this him/herself all the way to the check-in desk in addition to which typically traveling part of the route—before and after the actual flight—carrying his/her baggage using another means of transportation, usually a car, a bus, a train or a subway. In these situations, baggage typically reduces travel comfort, and when pressed for time, may even be the cause for arriving too late. In some situations, baggage may present a safety risk—for example, crossing the street more slowly due to baggage, or, when traveling with one or more children, looking after the children is more difficult (for example having to carry a suitcase instead of holding the child&#39;s hand). 
     The advantage of air cargo, in relation to other forms of transportation, is especially its speed. There are situations, where choosing air cargo is justified. The downside of air cargo is that its emissions are larger than other forms of transportation, which may be a problem especially for a company or other organization seeking to cut its emissions. 
     The emissions caused by the transportation of cargo can be calculated with a reasonable accuracy. The quantity of emissions depends essentially on the means of transportation used. What means of transportation is chosen is most of all based on a speed and a price. The problem is that choosing the means of transportation on the basis of other criteria than emissions, one may end up with transportation that is in respect of emissions less favourable than another means of transportation. This is especially the case when choosing transportation by air. On the other hand, cargo is transported by means that cause emissions to an unfavourable degree, in particular by air, even when the cargo in question would be suited for another means of transportation that causes less emissions. 
     It is possible to send on baggage separately using a transportation company offering such services. The problem with such an arrangement is that the transportation of the baggage must be agreed upon and paid separately, even when the price of the airline ticket includes the transportation of baggage. The solution is not related to the flight in any way, and the airline would not even be aware of it. 
     One of the situations decreasing the efficiency of the airplane occurs when the airplane is not loaded to a preferred degree. In order to minimize unused transportation capacity, airlines sell more passenger tickets or cargo space on a single flight than the airplane&#39;s capacity would allow (so-called overbooking). This is in particular due to the fact that some of the passengers or other cargo does not show up for one reason or other, or does not make it in time to the flight. Overbooking may result in some of the passengers, their baggage and/or other cargo destined for the airplane not fitting into the airplane. This causes unnecessary costs and customer dissatisfaction. 
     The present invention is targeted to solve one or more of the problems presented above. 
     SUMMARY 
     An objective of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of the logistics related to the transportation of persons and/or goods, especially as regards transportation by air. 
     According to an aspect, the present invention relates to a server equipment that is configured to receive at least two types of cargo data, a part of which concerns cargo travelling by air and a part of which covers cargo travelling by other means, wherein the at least two pieces of cargo data are associated with each other. The server equipment is configured to link the at least two pieces of received cargo data to each other. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the server equipment can also be configured to separate and/or link to each other the data related to two or more pieces of air or other cargo, of which at least a part is transported by another means, for example, by road. 
     In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the server equipment can be configured to detect from the cargo data emission data associated with the air cargo. The server equipment can be configured to register the emission data of air cargo to one or more parties involved with the air cargo, wherein the emission data is registered by the server equipment. 
     In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the server equipment can be configured to transfer cargo data to one or more providers of transportation services and/or airlines, wherein the cargo data can made accessible to one or more providers of transportation services and/or airlines. Then, one or more providers of transportation services and/or airlines can be configured to arrange the transportation of cargo on the basis of the cargo data. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention a method comprising receiving at least two pieces of cargo data, a part of which concerns cargo travelling by air and a part of which covers cargo travelling by other means, wherein the at least two pieces of cargo data are associated with each other. The method comprises linking the at least two pieces of cargo data to each other. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, an airline ticket is configured to the server equipment in accordance with the present invention or to operate in accordance with the present invention. According to other aspects, the present invention covers air cargo that is configured to server equipment in accordance with the present invention or to operate in accordance with the present invention. According to another aspect, the present invention covers a provider of transportation services that is configured to be in contact with the server equipment in accordance with the present invention, wherein cargo data can be made accessible to the provider of transportation services and in which case the provider of transportation services can be configured to arrange the transportation of cargo on the basis of the cargo data. According to another aspect, the present invention covers an airline that is configured to be in contact with the server equipment in accordance with the present invention, wherein the airline can be configured to arrange the transportation of cargo on the basis of the cargo data. 
     At least one of the afore-mentioned implementation examples offers one or more solutions to the problems and disadvantages of known prior art. Other technological benefits of the present invention become evident to a person skilled in the art from the following description and the claims. The numerous examples of implementing the present invention achieve only a part of the presented advantages. None of the advantages is critical to the examples of implementation. Any required embodiment can technically be combined with any other required embodiment. The examples represent only a few advantageous embodiments and they do not limit the idea of the invention that can be implemented even in other manners within the framework of the claims presented further below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The attached figures illustrate examples of embodiments of the present invention, and together with the above general description and the detailed current embodiments help explain, by way of examples, the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic image of a logistics server management system showing the airline passenger and the cargo of the airline passenger being arranged in accordance with one exemplary embodiment the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic image of a logistics server management system showing the air cargo being arranged in accordance with another exemplary embodiment the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic image of a logistics server management system showing the structure of the system in accordance with one exemplary embodiment the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic image of the flight process where the flight is arranged in accordance with one exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic image of the dispatch process of cargo where the cargo is arranged in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic image of the reception process of cargo where the cargo is arranged in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  shows the central server equipment that can be configured in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  shows a schematic flow chart of the logistics process of air cargo in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some of the examples of implementation of the present invention disclose a server equipment, a system and a method that are configured to receive cargo data or other data related to the transportation of cargo or travelling. This kind of data is registered for one or more parties of air cargo, for example, on a central server. On the basis of the data, one is able to separate and/or link the data related to two or more pieces of air cargo or other cargo of which at least a part is transported using another means of transportation, for example, transportation by road. Cargo may also stand for a passenger. 
     The server equipment and the method according to some embodiments of the invention may reduce emissions related to the transportation of cargo by arranging the logistics of the cargo and transportation. Preferably, cargo may, with the help of logistics, be arranged between transportation by air and land. Transportation by land may refer to a car, a truck, a train, a subway and/or even a ship or a vessel. In one exemplary embodiment, the airline traveller&#39;s baggage, that in prior art is transported as air cargo, can be arranged to be transported by land, either by train or on wheels, or by sea (or a combination of these). Now, cargo can be transported to its destination using means of transportation causing fewer emissions. Thereby, air cargo capacity is saved. It can be registered and used immediately to transport other air cargo, or a corresponding quantity of air cargo transported earlier or later can be targeted at air cargo capacity made available this way. This can improve the degree of filling or efficiency of one airplane or, when examining one or more airlines, the degree of filling or efficiency of such a larger entity, and it can also affect the price of the airline ticket or the freight etc. Preferably, by linking cargo data, air cargo can also in some cases be transported on the basis of the emissions of land transportation due to the transfer of registered emission data. 
     An objective of an exemplary embodiment of the invention is to improve the efficiency of the passenger transportation and/or air cargo and to increase of travel comfort, especially when travelling by air. The objective of the invention is also to enable the use of the desired form of transportation, especially by air, or a combination of forms of transportation in the transporting of goods so that the emissions caused by another form of transportation, for example, transportation by train, car or sea, or a combination thereof, can be regarded as the emissions of the said transportation. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention enables a form of transportation with less emissions for such cargo, that allows this form of transportation for example in respect of its schedule, enabling thereby the transportation capacity, that has become available, to be used to transport such cargo (substitutive cargo), for which such a form of transportation with more emissions is necessary, e.g. due to its speed. Therefore, this embodiment example can be used to aim at decreasing emissions of the whole logistics. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, data can be recorded that the passenger accepts a delay of the flight or of the baggage so that parties involved in the transportation are aware of this already when transporting. This circumstance and, if desired, also the length of the acceptable delay can also be marked on the baggage. This kind of data can also be recorded for other cargo and marked on such cargo. Thus the personnel handling baggage and other cargo can without any separate measures take this circumstance into consideration, for example, in a situation where only part of the passengers, baggage or other cargo meant for a flight de facto fits into the plane. Thus customer satisfaction is improved, when the delay caused by the selective elimination is not directed to someone to whom it would cause inconvenience, but to a passenger or cargo partner accepting it. The system enables an airline to engage in more extensive overbooking than usual, which increases the degree of filling, to the advantage of profitability and the climate. The acceptance regarding the delay can be made by the passenger, the sender or other party involved in the cargo. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a passenger can also, either bindingly or non-bindingly, declare to be ready, if necessary, to change his/her flight, which offers the airline the possibility to re-sell a flight with high demand for better profit close to the time of the flight and thereby improve the filling degree/efficiency of their flights and/or customer satisfaction. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention covers emission data, for example, carbon dioxide emission data. Emission data relates to emissions that are generated by the transportation of cargo to its destination using a chosen form or forms of transportation. Emission data can cover in addition to carbon dioxide emissions or instead of them to other harmful emissions. Emission data can also cover the weight, measurements or form of the cargo or the length of the journey of the cargo and possible other factors effecting the emissions. From the cargo data, emission data associated with the transportation of cargo can be identified. The emission data for cargo is registered for one or more parties of the cargo. The emission data is now registered, for example, on a central server. The server is arranged to forward the emission data to the providers of the transportation service or the orderers. Thereby, the emission data of the cargo can be made available to the providers or orderers of the transportation service. Thereby, providers of transportation service can be configured to organize the transportation of the cargo on the basis of the said emission data. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention covers an airline ticket that is configured with the server equipment and the method. Now, the airline ticket can forward and engage in the exchange of data with the server. An embodiment of the present invention covers air cargo that is configured with the server equipment, system and/or method. Thereby, air cargo can be transported so that the data regarding the air cargo is received and sent to the server in order for the air cargo data to be registered. 
     An embodiment of the present invention covers the provider of the transportation service configured to be in contact with the central server equipment. Thereby, cargo data can be made available to the providers of the transportation service. Then the providers of the transportation service can be configured to organize the transportation of the cargo on the basis of the said data. An embodiment of the invention covers the airline that is configured to be in contact with server equipment in accordance with the present invention. Thereby, the cargo data of the air cargo can be made available to the airline. The airline can be configured to organize the transportation of the air cargo on the basis of the said cargo data. 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  show some embodiments of the present invention, illustrating the structure, parties and action of the system. The system of  FIG. 3  comprises the server  10 . 
     Advantageously, the server  10  can be a central server or a cloud server, comprising, for example, of one or more logic and/or physical units. The server  10  can also be decentralized, for example divided by the parties of the system or others, in which case there is no physical central server as such. Now, the data systems of the parties establish an entirety corresponding to the server  10 . 
     The server  10  is in contact with  15  with the passenger  11 . The passenger  11  can be an ordinary airline passenger  11 ′ or an organization  11 ″. Data of the passenger  11  can be located in the database of the server  10  as cargo data ( FIG. 7  reference  70 ). From the database  70  and the server  10 , there is being configured a two-way connection  15  to the data of the person. In addition, data of the passenger  11  can exist in database of the travel agency and the airline  12  (frequent flyer miles etc.) and the database of the organization (e.g. employer)  11 ″. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , cargo  11  comprises goods cargo  112  and the passengers  111 . In one embodiment, the passenger  11  does not have any goods cargo  112 , for example, baggage to be checked in, or the baggage is registered to be transported using other means of transportation, for example, by road or sea. Now, the system can treat the passenger  11  as a special passenger, and his/her (air) cargo capacity can be registered and, if needed, used. 
     As one example, a family of four that wishes to check in only one suitcase of a total of four suitcases. Three of them are special passengers and one is not. However, should the special passenger have baggage to be checked in, it may happen that it exceeds the baggage allowance, and such a cargo may present extra load. Such cargo can be compared with cargo that in the known logistics solution differs from or exceeds the allowed baggage either in respect of quantity or measurements, causing the need for further fuel or other action related to the transportation. 
     The system in  FIG. 3  covers also a passenger  11 ′ belonging to organization  11 ″. His/her data are in the database  70  of the server. A two-way connection  15  has been arranged from the database  70  to business travel and cargo data of the organization  11 ″ in the database of the organization and/or the company&#39;s travel agency and/or the airline  12  and/or the transportation company  13  (alternatively referencing a forwarding company or airline operation that is used to transport the cargo in an essentially different manner than by air). 
     In an embodiment, the organization  11 ″ is a company with one or more airline passengers that as an organization, in order to cut down on their emissions, encourages their staff to travel preferably using airline  12 , especially in accordance with the present invention and/or to prefer such an airline when sending and receiving air cargo  112  and especially using cargo space made or becoming available in accordance with the invention at hand. 
     In an embodiment, the organization  11 ″ covers also, for example, associations, governmental or municipal institutions and other entities as well as organizations and other bodies that may track the amount and type of emissions caused by themselves. In an embodiment, an organization also sends and/or receives cargo. 
     Flights of airline  12  that have been registered on the server  10  can be operated in accordance with an embodiment of the invention aiming at the decrease of emissions. For example, the passenger  11  may choose to what extent to check in baggage  112  or to do so at all, and air cargo data and/or data of emissions saved thereby can be registered on the server  10 . The passenger  11  can also choose the transportation of the cargo  112  from the provider of transportation  13  (stage  19  and  21 ), in which case cargo data and/or data of emissions saved this way are registered in the server  10 . 
     All cargo, for example, goods cargo  112  and passengers  111  can be registered and with the help of logistics, be arranged to constitute cargo compatible with the system  10 , the emission data of its transportation being registered in the server  10 . The cargo  112  can also be, for example, air cargo or other cargo that can be transported by air by the airline  12  (stage  20  and  22 ), but also by the provider of transportation  13  (by land or sea; stage  19  and  21 ), in which case the cargo is transported by other means than by air. Cargo can also be air cargo described in the afore-mentioned example of replacement cargo  112 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     For example, cargo  112  can be adjusted to the system at the initiative of either the passenger (alternatively the sender)  11  or the destination (alternatively the recipient)  14  or other party (e.g. provider of transportation service  13  or airline  12 ). In another example, cargo  112  is suitable for the system only if it is agreed to be suitable for the system already at the time of the order. In accordance with the system, cargo can, however, be agreed upon during or after the transportation. In an embodiment, cargo  12  covers air cargo, and in another embodiment, cargo  112  covers replacement cargo. 
     The system can contain an airline  12 . The airline  12  has been connected  17  to the server  10 . For example, the data of the passenger  111  and the baggage/replacement cargo  112  can been forwarded to the database  70 . A two-way connection  17  has been arranged from the database  70  to the database of the airline  12  as well as the systems of its partners and client companies. The airline  12  flies  20  the passenger  111  as well as the cargo  112  to the destination  14  (stage  20  and  22 ). 
     The system can contain a provider of transportation service  13 , for example, a transportation company or a forwarding company etc. The provider of transportation service  13  has been connected  16  to the server  10 . For example, the data of the passenger  111  and the cargo  112  or the replacement cargo  112  can be managed in the database  70 . There is a two-way connection  16  from the database  70  to the database of the provider of the transportation  13  as well as the systems of the airline  12  and the partners and client companies of the provider of the transportation. 
     The system can contain a target  14 . Alternatively, the target  14  can be called endpoint, travel destination or recipient of the cargo. The target  14  can be a hotel, hotel chain, car rental, travel agency or other similar target point, such as the organizer of a conference etc., to which the cargo  112  and/or the passenger is supposed to go to or that otherwise is related to the cargo  112  or the passenger  11 . The target  14  has been connected  18  with the server  10 . For example, the target  14  and its database have been connected  18  to the database  70  and possibly to the systems of the transportations partners and client companies of the hotel chains/individual member hotels. Even different types of targets can be connected to each other in order to manage logistics at the target  14 . There may, for example, be a connection to the database of the travel agency (chain), and the systems of airlines, hotels, car rentals and the partners and client companies of the afore-mentioned parties. 
     The system can contain more than one of each party, such as the airline  12 , provider of transportation  13  and the target  14 . 
     The server equipment  10  can be managed exclusively by the airline  12 , the provider of transportation  13  or other party. For example, the airline  12  maintains the system in this respect. Similarly, a travel agency, for instance, can maintain the system or register data in the system. 
     Data saved in the server equipment  10  can be utilized also to the benefit of parties outside the system. For example, a hotel or a car rental can be provided with cargo and logistics data from the system for utilization. They can use the data, for example, in follow-up and reporting. Cargo, for example, can be delivered directly to a rental car or the hotel. 
     In an embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the passenger  111  is transported to the target  14  by the airline  20 ,  22 . The cargo  112  of the passenger  11  is transported by the provider of transportation  13  to the target  19 , 21 . Now, the cargo data and/or data regarding emissions saved of the cargo  112  are registered in the server  10 . 
     In an embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the cargo  112  is transported to the target  14  by air  23 , 22 . The sender of the cargo or the provider of transportation  13  delivers  23  the cargo to the airline  12 . The airline flies  22  the cargo to the target  14 . Now, it is possible that cargo data registered in the server  10 , for example, data regarding emissions saved, are used in connection with this cargo. In this example, air cargo can therefore be transported with emissions generated by land cargo thanks to the combined emission application: air cargo is transported using air cargo capacity that has been liberated or will be liberated later or air cargo capacity for which the equivalent emission has been liberated or will be liberated later, when transporting cargo  112  by land instead of air. 
     The Flight Process 
     The embodiment in  FIG. 4  presents a schematic figure of the flight process, where the flight is arranged in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In stage  40 , the flight is defined as a flight compatible with the server  10 . The flight and its data are suitable for the cargo and/or emission data to be registered and maintained on the server  10 . The airline  12  communicates this to the server  10  (stage  43 ). The passenger  11  chooses a flight supporting the server  10  and the system (stage  41 ). The airline  12  (or the travel agency) informs the flight to the server (stage  44 ). At stage  42 , the flight takes place, is delayed or cancelled, after which the airline  12  (or the travel agency) reports and informs to the server  10  the data pertaining to the flight; for example, if the compatible flight has taken place, been delayed or cancelled. 
     The server  10  makes the necessary entries into the database and the system. Also, the server  10  can update the account compatible with the service of both the airline  12  and the passenger  11  (e.g. the reservation and realization) and the data regarding the flight (e.g. the reservation) for another party, for instance, the travel agency or the passenger&#39;s employer (their server or similar). 
     The Dispatch Process of Cargo 
       FIG. 5  shows schematically the dispatch process of the cargo  112 , where the cargo  112  is arranged to be sent in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At stage  51 , the company  11 ″ orders the transportation of the cargo  112  from the provider of the transportation service  13  (stage  51 ′) or directly from the airline  12  ( 51 ″). At stage  52  the sender of the cargo ( 52 ′), the provider of transportation  13  ( 52 ″) or the airline  12  ( 52 ′″) informs the server  10  of the ordering of the transportation of the cargo. The server  10  communicates the arriving cargo  112  to the target  14  of the cargo at stage  53 . If the target  14  is not registered in the database, the server  10  can at the same time send information of the possibility to join the database registered on the server  10  and thereby have the cargo recorded on the server as compatible cargo. At stage  54 , the provider of the transportation  13  hands the cargo  112  to the airline  12  for transportation. At stage  55 , the airline  12  communicates the transportation of the cargo to the server  10 . At stage  56 , the pick-up or delivery to the target  14  of the cargo  112  is arranged either directly or with the help of additional distribution. At stage  57 , the server  10  makes the entries of the cargo  112  to the system for the parties involved (in addition to entries regarding earlier stages). In the arrangement shown in  FIG. 5 , the cargo  112  can be transported so that the cargo is registered in the system for the registering of transportation of the cargo or emissions. 
     At stage  58 , the server can communicate (one or more pieces of) data regarding the cargo or the flight to an external party (e.g. a travel agency or the passenger&#39;s employer). 
     The Reception Process of Cargo 
     The following shows examples of situations where cargo compatible with the system is received:
         1) Both the sender  11  and the target  14  as a recipient have been registered in the server  10 , in which case it is possible to receive cargo that is compatible with the system irrespective of which of the parties (sender  11  or recipient  14 ) orders the transportation of the cargo.   2) The sender  11  of the cargo is registered in the server  10 , but the recipient  14  is not. In that case, the recipient  14  can be asked whether he/she wishes to register and receive the cargo compatible with the system—for example, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 5 .   3) The sender  11  has not been registered, but the recipient  14  is and wishes to receive the cargo as compatible with the system.   3.1) If the recipient  14  is not the orderer of the cargo, the recipient  14  can, for example, when purchasing the goods from the recipient inform the sender of the wish to receive the cargo as compatible with the system and possibly also communicate how the sender can register as a user of the system.       

     The sender  11  can register to the system in the server  10  and choose that the cargo is to be transported as cargo compatible with the system both in respect of the sender  11  and the recipient  14 —for example, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 5 . 
     Alternatively, if the sender  11  does not register (or at least does not choose a means of transportation compatible with the server  10 ), but the chosen transporter (airline  12  and/or provider of transportation  13 ) is, however, a transporter registered in the server  10 , the cargo in question is compatible with the server  10  and can be eligible for emission reduction and be registered as cargo compatible with the system for the recipient  14  but not for the sender  11 . If the transporter in question is not compatible, the cargo in question is not compatible, and no emission reduction can be granted, nor can the cargo be registered as compatible with the system for the recipient  14 , either. 
     3.2) The recipient  14  is the orderer of the transportation, in which case, provided that the chosen transporter (airline  12  and/or provider of transportation service  13 ) is a transporter compatible with the server  10 , the cargo in question is compatible with the system and can be eligible for emission reduction and be registered for the recipient  14 , but not for the sender  11 . If the transporter in question is not registered, the cargo is not compatible and no emission reduction can be granted nor the cargo be registered as cargo compatible with the system for the recipient  14 . 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic image of the reception process of cargo, where the cargo is arranged in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The example of  FIG. 6  illustrates the reception of cargo in a case where the registered recipient  14  wishes to receive the cargo as cargo to be registered in the server  10  and the sender  11  has not been registered in the server  10  as, for example, in the situation 3.2) above. At stage  61  the recipient  14  orders the transportation from the airline  12  (stage  61 ′″), the provider of transportation  13  (stage  61 ″) or the sender of the goods  11  (stage  61 ′). As the recipient, the target  14  communicates the wish regarding the cargo to the server  10  at stage  62 . The server  10  advises that the recipient  14  wishes the order as cargo compatible with the system and that the sender  11  can register with the system as well (stage  63 ). The sender  11  can register with the system and, if necessary, choose the appropriate parties from his/her transportation options. 
       64 ′,  64 ″ and  64 ′″: the party  11 ,  12 ,  13  having received a transportation order, advices of the transportation order, if they are registered in the system. Now the server  10  can register this data. 
     The sender  11  hands the ordered goods for transportation to the provider of transportation  13  (stage  65 ′) or directly to the airline (stage  65 ″). The provider of transportation  13  hands the cargo to be transported at stage  66 . At stage  67 , the airline  12  communicates the transportation of the cargo to the server  10 . At stage  68 , the cargo is picked up or delivered directly to the recipient  14 , or alternatively, with additional help from the provider of transportation  13 . Finally, the server  10  confirms to the recipient  14  the compatibility of the cargo for the sake of registration (stage  69 ) and enters the remarks of the cargo in question into its database  70  for the parties involved (in addition to remarks related to earlier stages) and may also inform external parties accordingly. 
       FIG. 7  shows the central server equipment  10  that can be configured in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. The server  10  covers the database  70  and the processor unit  71 . The afore-mentioned establish the data processing system on the server  10 . The data processing system has been arranged to be in contact with the airline  12 , the provider of transportation  13 , the target  14  and, when necessary, the sender  11  or other party related to the passenger or the cargo, such as data processing systems. This makes the joining and using of the service possible to the parties. Alternatively, the server  10  can be decentralized (not shown in the figures) or in the form of a cloud service (not shown in the figures), in which case the server  10  covers the management and maintenance of data processing systems of all parties (point of origin/passenger  11 , airline  12 , provider of transportation  13  and target  14 ) for the applications of the invention. At this point, reference is also made to the embodiments presented in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . 
     The server  10  is arranged to maintain the information in the data processing system that the flight in question is compatible with the system and the cargo or passenger in question is compatible with the system. This data can be maintained in the database of the airline or other party involved, from which they are able to be transferred to the database of the server  10 . 
     The system may contain additional options and alternatives, and the data can be arranged to be transferrable between parties of the system. The parties of the system are arranged for two-way data transfer. 
     For example, the system has been arranged to show that the flight in question is compatible with the service in the bibliographic data of the flight. Thereby, the passenger  11  sees the data in question and can take it into consideration when selecting a flight. It is also possible to search the system for compatible flights. A travel agency also has their own possibilities to highlight compatible flights. 
     The airline  12  decides by themselves which of their flights are arranged as compatible flights. The activity remains under control when compatible flights can be added gradually and the choices can be targeted in the most reasonable possible manner from the point of view of the airline  12 . Under such circumstances, also the threshold to register will be lower. 
     The airline  12  can make good use of the data provided by the system. For example, in order to take the correct amount of replacement cargo and in order to assess the right amount of fuel for the airplane as well as in order to reserve the appropriate number of cabin crew for a given flight, it will be helpful to the airline  12  to be aware of the quantity of the cargo compatible/related to the system on the flight, for example passengers and cargo. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the passenger  11  can check in part of his/her baggage  112  and have part transported using another means of transportation; for example, the suitcase may be checked in and the golf bag may be transported by other means. The passenger  111  can alternatively also have all of the baggage  112  transported using another means of transportation. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the passenger  111  can declare that a delay of himself/herself and/or his/her baggage or a complete postponement of the flight is acceptable or tolerable. The passenger  111  declares when reserving the trip or later upon being asked to what extent a delay or postponement of the flight would be accepted. Also, the airline  12  may ask whether a delay or postponement differing from the earlier declaration of the passenger may be acceptable. 
     The  FIG. 8  shows a schematic flowchart of the logistics process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At stage  800  the cargo data is received. The cargo data pertain to the cargo to be transported by air and cargo to be transported by other means of transportation. The cargo data allows identifying cargo related to each other. In addition, in an embodiment the emission data regarding the transportation of the cargo is identified. At stage  801  the received cargo data are linked with each other. For example, the cargo data is registered for one or more parties of the cargo, so that the cargo data is available for the arranging of the transportation. Also the emission data is registered in the server  10 . It is possible to be in contact to several providers of transportation  13  and airlines  12 . The cargo data can be made available for several providers of transportation  13  and/or airlines  12  and if necessary, for other parties. They can be adjusted to organize the transportation of the cargo on this basis. The functionalities of the server  10  and the system presented afore can be carried out in methods in accordance with the invention. 
     The implementation of the invention does not require that the data pertaining to the passenger or other cargo is disclosed or registered in the order or to the extent presented in the exemplary alternatives, but the order and manner of disclosing or registering data can be different, and part of the data can also remain unregistered or undisclosed, provided that it does affect the implementation of the invention&#39;s idea to a relevant degree. 
     For a person skilled in the art, it is obvious that numerous modifications and variations can be made to the equipment and method. Other embodiments and exemplary implementations become evident to a person skilled in the art on the basis of the specification and practice related to the equipment and method described. The purpose is that the specification and the examples be regarded only as exemplary, so that the following patent claims and their equivalents show the actual scope of protection.