Air Cargo News’ most popular stories in 2017

With 2018 already underway, the Air Cargo News editorial team decided now would be an opportune moment to review which stories had proved to be most popular with readers over the last 12 months.
The last 12 months have been a record year for the Air Cargo News website with page views exceeding the 1.5m mark for the first time ever.
So which stories caught our readers’ attention in 2017?
NUMBER 10: New Super Hercules aircraft another step closer to launch
The rollout ceremony for first LM-100J commercial freighter – the newest member of the C-130J Super Hercules family – took place in February as employees who helped design and build the aircraft walked it out of its hangar.
NUMBER NINE: Shippers warned to book now or face rate spikes and delays in busy peak for air cargo
In July, Panalpina warned shippers to book their airfreight shipments as early as possible to avoid a spike in prices and capacity shortages during an expected busy peak period.
NUMBER EIGHT: Hong Kong Airlines selects handlers for its home hub
Hong Kong Airlines opted for Asia Airfreight Terminal (AAT) to handle its cargo at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), while SATS HK  undertook its ramp handling at the carrier’s home hub.
NUMBER SEVEN: Emirates and Cargolux sign cooperation deal
Emirates SkyCargo signed a memorandum of understanding with Luxembourg-based Cargolux for a strategic operational partnership in May.
Described as the first of its kind between a mainline airline and a specialised freighter operator, it allowed the two carriers to cooperate and offer their complementary strengths and shared values.
NUMBER SIX: Air Canada Cargo freighter operation to end
Towards the end of the year, Air Canada Cargo confirmed that after a year and a half it’s freighter operation to the US, Mexico, Europe and South America would come to an end in 2018.
NUMBER FIVE: Qatar Airways outlines its cargo response to air space "blockade"
Qatar Airways chartered in extra freighters and increased its own maindeck capacity on key trade lanes to maintain urgently needed food supplies and traditional cargo flows in response to an air space embargo by its Middle East neighbours.
NUMBER FOUR: Speculation over B747-8F order by Qatar Airways
In July, online news reports suggest that Qatar Airways had ordered two Boeing 747-8 freighters from the US planemaker.
NUMBER THREE: Can cargo airlines bypass freight forwarders?
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the head of cargo at one carrier revealed to Air Cargo News that his company is taking steps to prepare for direct engagement with shippers.
He pointed to a convergence of factors – chiefly a need for shippers to curtail costs and the evolution of tools that facilitate direct dealings with airlines – as the major drivers of this development.
NUMBER TWO: Top 25 cargo airlines – FedEx maintains top spot but ABC and Qatar on the up
FedEx was once again the busiest freight airline in the world, while Qatar Airways, AirBridgeCargo (ABC) and All Nippon Airways were among the fastest growers in 2016.
NUMBER ONE: Leading airfreight forwarders revealed – DHL maintains top spot
DHL Global Forwarding, Kuehne+Nagel (K+N), DB Schenker and UPS maintained their position as the leading four airfreight forwarders in 2016, while DSV’s acquisition of UTi propelled it up the list