Freight forwarder and logistics provider Geodis has reached a milestone in its capacity partnership with Atlas Air following the 500th successful flight with the airline from Asia to Mexico.
Operated by Atlas Air since 2019, the dedicated freighter service was intended to provide a consistent and secure cargo solution from Asia to Mexico.
There is currently one weekly flight from Shanghai to Guadalajara and one weekly flight from Hong Kong to Guadalajara. Geodis further opened a new office in Guadalajara this summer.
Miguel Muñoz, managing director of Geodis in Mexico, said: “All flights on GEODIS’ dedicated freighter service from Asia to Guadalajara, Mexico are carried out by Atlas Air.”
He added: “All capacity on the Atlas Air flights from Asia to Guadalajara, Mexico is reserved exclusively for Geodis.”
Atlas Air uses a Boeing 747-400 on both routes to Guadalajara.
Geodis pointed out that it had maintained the service through the unpredictable Covid-19 pandemic as well as the recent geopolitical disruptions to worldwide supply chains, highlighting the resilience of the route.
“Reaching 500 flights is an incredible achievement and proves our unwavering commitment to our customers in Mexico and the Latin American region,” said Muñoz.
“This milestone is a clear signal that GEODIS Mexico has strengthened its position in the local market, and it would not have been possible without the great collaboration between our teams in Mexico and Asia as well as our corporate headquarters in Paris and our regional headquarters in the U.S.
“We look forward to building on this momentum and are committed to reaching the 1,000-flight mark, continuing to serve as a growth partner for our customers.”
While flights from Shanghai and Hong Kong land in Guadalajara, the service is complemented by an intra-Mexico ground network, providing daily scheduled deliveries to major cities, including Mexico City and Monterrey.
For added flexibility, shipments can either clear customs directly in Guadalajara or be moved bonded to their final destination before clearing.
The 500th flight was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Guadalajara Airport upon the flight’s arrival, as well as the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.
Geodis continues to offer its own-controlled freighter capacity with a leased Airbus A330-300P2F operated by London Stansted-headquartered Titan Airways. The aircraft currently flies between the UK and China to primarily serve e-commerce demand.
Henri Le Gouis, Geodis’ executive vice president of global freight forwarding, recently said that the company is cautious about the air cargo peak season as a potential boost from supply chain disruption could be offset by a recent demand slowdown.
