The reviews are in and it’s nothing but five-star praise for Air Cargo Americas
A wealth of industry expertise poured through the doors of the Miami Airport Convention Center for 2023’s iteration of Air Cargo Americas and its concomitant Supply Chain Americas. Coordinated by World Trade Center Miami, the show ran from 31 October to 2 November, boasting not only a chance for
visitors to meet the great and the good of global supply chains but a packed conference programme.
“We made some very good business contacts that we believe will result in new air cargo service in the future”
– Emir Pineda, Director, marketing and air service development division, Miami International Airport
Director Miami International Airport’s marketing and air service development division, Emir Pineda was left astounded by this year’s event, telling Freightweek that it “surpassed” both his and the wider team’s expectations. It was he said the combination of the programme, the networking opportunities, and the business opportunities that left him keen to return to the next iteration.
“We made some very good business contacts that we believe will result in new air cargo service in the future,” Pineda continues. “Once again World Trade Center Miami did an excellent job of organizing a stellar event for the air cargo and supply chain industry and we expect it will continue.”
Pineda was by no means alone, with other attendees stressing that the success of the show was in its perfect balancing of networking and conference programming. One attendee telling Freightweek that there is a tendency for conferences to repeat one another but “while the themes may by necessity be
similar, the way they are tackled is where value is found”.
Among the topics of conversation this year, the future of the full freighter was high up the list. Given the massive seesawing the world has seen when it comes to dedicated freighters, this was perhaps to be expected. Prior to Covid, the fate of the freighter seemed written, with bellyhold capacity increasing to a point where the freighter was being phased out. And then the pandemic hit, leaving passenger aircraft grounded, container shipping in chaos, and a wave of demand for freighter capacity to meet both urgent demand (for healthcare and PPE needs) and the increase in consumer goods moving by air.
Sales director for Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America at American Airlines Cargo, Lorena Sandoval, echoes Pineda in her praise for the show. She tells Freightweek that “in addition to connecting with customers” the conference programme was an undeniable draw and, like Pineda, she will be back.
“The agenda items and topics of discussion for the event this year were very informative and relevant to current challenges we are facing and the future outlook of the logistics industry,” continues Sandoval. “I will continue engaging in this event and think others should as well.”
While the final numbers have not yet been released, Miami International Airport’s director and chief executive officer Ralph Cutié was confident that this show would better the last. Indeed, over the course of the previous iteration of Air Cargo Americas & Supply Chain Americas an impressive attendance of over 3,200 executives from 75 countries was recorded, with the conference drawing some 400 attendees, with almost 100 exhibitors.
“MIA is proud to once again be the host sponsor of the Air Cargo Americas & Supply Chain Americas conference and exhibition,” said Cutié in the run-up to the 2023 show. “The event is an invaluable opportunity for MIA to showcase the airport, the status of its cargo operations, and to meet with aviation industry leaders and prospective new partners from not only the Western Hemisphere but from around the world.”
” The agenda items and topics of discussion for the event this year were very informative and relevant to current challenges we are facing and the future outlook of the logistics industry”
– Lorena Sandoval, Sales director, American Airlines Cargo
For its part, MIA was participating on the back of what have been a particularly strong few years. Cutié and the team’s attendance came off the backof the airport’s brightest three-year stretch in its entire history, having hit an all-time record as far as volumes handled are concerned, after scoring 2.75 million tonnes of airfreight in 2021; nor was 2022 too shabby, with it handling the only slightly lower level of 2.73 million tonnes last year.
“Cargo at MIA remains strong in 2023,” Cutié continues. “Halfway through the year, we amassed 1.38 million tonnes of airfreight, which is 1.26 percent higher than the year-to-date for June 2022. At this halfway point through the year, the airport is on the cusp of reaching yet another record year.”
Sandoval was also attending with American Airlines Cargo having experienced a strong showing. She says the growing trend this year “so far, has been positive”. While recognising the various factors impacting the industry and the economy, she adds that despite those, the American carrier was in a great position.
“We are optimistic about the future,” Sandoval says. “Events like this provide an important opportunity to learn from one another, exchange initiatives and evaluate partnerships that could better serve the industry as a whole. I always look forward to Air Cargo Americas in Miami, as it is
a great opportunity to interact with colleagues from the cargo business and review industry trends. This year was no different, and I felt there was an uptick in attendance compared to previous years which was encouraging. This year was a wonderful experience with valuable conversations with our customers and industry partners alike.”