Smart move by Lufthansa Cargo

A new smartBooking feature provides Lufthansa Cargo customers and partners with a binding offer that can be booked online immediately. It contains the available routes, capacities and prices, and automatically executes all relevant checks.

The application programming interface (API) will be available to direct customers and will also be used by partners such as the online marketplace cargo.one

Peter Gerber, chief executive of Lufthansa Cargo, commented: “We want to offer our customers seamless digital solutions. To achieve this, we connect digitally with our partners along the transport chain.

“smartBooking is another major step in our digital transformation process. APIs will continue to gain in importance as an interface to our customers. We are delighted that as first platform our partner cargo.one is using smartBooking, making our services digitally available to many customers.”

Oliver T. Neumann, managing director of cargo.one, added: “cargo.one adds real value as a digital distribution channel by delivering significant booking volumes. Our aim is to deliver the best customer experience possible and to drive value and efficiency for the airfreight industry. Accordingly, we are excited to be the first Lufthansa Cargo partner to benefit from the new smartBooking API.”

APIs enable system-to-system communication, networking both with booking platforms and directly with forwarders. Air cargo customers can access the cargo.one booking platform directly via the internet. The API also enables Lufthansa Cargo data to be directly integrated into customers’ systems.

Lufthansa Cargo joined forces with the digital booking platform cargo.one in July 2018. The airline says the platform is now a rapidly growing third-party distribution channel next to its own ebooking channel.