Air freight is a key driver of the German economy , especially in times of crisis . As an IT service provider , Lufthansa Industry Solutions is using its technical expertise combined with industry know-how to play a key part in shaping the digital transformation in the air cargo industry . We asked Rainer Liebhart , Vice President Air Cargo Logistics , what challenges the industry must now face .
Mr . Liebhart , the airline industry is particularly affected by the Corona pandemic . What is the current situation with air freight ?
Rainer Liebhart : Until now , the Corona crisis has affected passenger traffic far more than air freight in Germany . The present shortage of belly capacity in passenger aircraft is currently leading to capacity bottlenecks across the market , resulting in a temporary increase in cargo rates . Having said that , the air cargo business is highly dependent on the global economy . It is precisely these prospects that are an indication of some difficult years ahead for air freight . disciplines substantially . One especially decisive factor will be who can offer a good product on the market and to customers that is easy to understand and , most importantly , easy to book . The booking platforms we are all familiar with from the consumer sectors are also gaining ground in the cargo business . And it is precisely here that you must stand out from the competition with a market-driven price , a simple process and value-added digital services . It will be important to know and better understand your customers , the market , and the competition . Smart algorithms will allow you to predict behavior accurately and respond to it automatically .
Will the crisis give new impetus to digitization in air freight ?
What can Lufthansa Industry Solutions do to help its customers achieve this ?
How innovative is the aviation industry and what projects are pioneering ?
Liebhart : I would speak less of a new impetus and more of a different one – a higher speed . More than anything else , the crisis has demonstrated just how much easier digitization makes arriving at better and thus more controlled and conscious decisions , including in extreme situations . In particular , the digital services offered and the interaction at the customer interface will be a key differentiating factor on the market and thus significantly influence success .
What do air cargo customers need to do now to be prepared for the future ?
Liebhart : It is now a case of increasing the speed of digitization in the relevant
Liebhart : It ’ s varied . We focus our efforts on both disciplines for our customers : cutting costs and increasing revenue opportunities . Regarding costs , we help through the deployment and operation of our DevOps platform for example , which is available for our customers to use . Additionally , the combination of our industry and technical expertise allows us to help our customers not only obtain the right data , but also draw the right conclusions from it and implement it technologically in automated systems . Our experience in designing and implementing customer interfaces and background systems allows us to save customers a lot of time , resulting in speed advantages .
Liebhart : In terms of innovation , the industry is not as bad as it is often portrayed . However , we must not forget that the industry is subject to a great deal of regulation , meaning a lengthy decision-making and approval process awaits many innovative projects . But I am convinced that the speed is increasing despite the tense economic situation , especially in the case of those projects that contribute greatly to the company ’ s business . Despite the difficult overall situation , I am pleased to be able to carry out projects with my customers at such an exciting time , projects that will help to change logistics lastingly and make it even better than it already is in many respects .