Aircraft-on-Ground: Sterling and SATS partner to expedite airside services for time-critical shipments

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Sterling, a key player in global aviation logistics under the Kuehne+Nagel umbrella, has joined forces with SATS to enhance the efficiency of first- and last-mile airside services for critical Aircraft-on-Ground (AOG) shipments.

While initially targeting Singapore and London Heathrow airports for a trial period, the collaboration aims to extend these services to other airports within Sterling’s network in the near future. The primary focus of this partnership is to streamline handling processes, addressing the urgent requirements of the aviation industry and facilitating prompt delivery of aircraft components to resolve AOG situations swiftly.

To achieve these objectives, the partnership leverages Sterling’s expertise in critical logistics alongside SATS’ advanced visibility solutions for express shipments arranged with airlines. This entails specialized handling both at the point of origin and destination to efficiently manage AOG shipments, supported by timely updates on shipment status through key timestamps during ground operations.

These refined services stem from the strategic alliance formed between SATS and Kuehne+Nagel, solidified by a Memorandum of Understanding signed the previous October. This collaboration is geared towards enhancing value chain efficiencies and promoting sustainability initiatives within the air logistics sector. Building upon the success of various Proof of Concept endeavors, including optimizations in ground handling for e-commerce shipments and air charter hub and spoke operations, this joint effort extends to airside services, aimed at bolstering shipment visibility and accelerating cargo processing speeds for time-sensitive consignments.

“Sterling is committed to helping our customers minimize time on the ground in an AOG situation and maintaining the integrity of their commercial aircraft fleets,” says Rob Broderick, Executive Vice President for Sterling. “This joint service with SATS will expedite first- and last-mile support to shorten delivery windows and get aircraft back in service faster.”

Henry Low, Chief Operating Officer for SATS added: “This is a great example of the innovative solutions that we can develop with our partners and can scale across our global network. We are working together with Sterling & Kuehne+Nagel to continue to create new services that will benefit our customers and enhance their operational efficiency.”

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