Israel’s Freight Forwarders Urge "Fast Cargo Route" Pilot for Rescue Flights

As the Israeli supply chain struggles under wartime constraints, Amir Shani, Chairman of the Israeli Federation of Forwarders and Customs Clearing Agents, sent an urgent appeal yesterday (Wednesday) to Shmuel Zakai, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI). This letter follows a previous appeal made several days ago, which has yet to receive a response from the regulator.

In his letter, Shani warns of a "severe market failure" caused by the reduction in foreign airline operations. "The shortage of air freight capacity has led to a surge in shipping rates by tens and hundreds of percent, imposing a heavy burden on the economy and harming national resilience and essential supply chains," Shani writes.

Operational Pilot Proposal: Utilizing 50% of Cargo Capacity

Shani proposes an immediate operational solution in the form of a two-day pilot titled "Fast Cargo Route," under which permission would be granted to load up to 50% of the aircraft's belly cargo capacity on every rescue or reinforcement flight.

According to the program's details, the pilot would be accompanied by tight monitoring of ground handling times and the maintenance of security continuity to prove long-term operational feasibility. Shani dismisses concerns regarding delays, stating: "We possess the experience and capability to perform full unloading and loading of cargo from passenger aircraft in less than one hour. This speed ensures that logistical activity will not create any delays in the operational flight schedule."

Demand for Blanket Operational Approval and Customs Coordination

To implement the move, Shani demands that the regulator grant temporary operational approval to Israeli carriers to transport cargo subject to existing security procedures. Additionally, he calls for the coordination of a "Green Route" with the Customs Department at Ben Gurion Airport, which would allow for rapid reception and dispatch of cargo without creating bottlenecks at the terminals.

The organization emphasizes that it has the logistical resources, work teams, and storage space required for the immediate implementation of the pilot. Now, the organization awaits the decision of the CAAI and the Ministry of Transport on whether to adopt the framework, which could bring an immediate halt to the skyrocketing freight rates.

The "Fast Cargo Route" pilot proposes: