ALL-IN rates have gained another convert, with IAG Cargo’s discreet announcement to customers.
Less of a tidal wave of carriers deciding to drop fuel surcharges, but more of a steady drip.
Emirates SkyCargo made the first move, swiftly followed by Qatar Airways, with IAG, the cargo arm of British Airways and Iberia, following suit, alongside Scandinavia’s SAS.
All the while, there has been a steady stream of airlines announcing a reduction in the fuel element of their freight tariff, signalling a dogged resistance to all-in rates.
Shippers and forwarders remain optimistic though that other carriers will make the switch to all-in rates. The European Shippers’ Council in Brussels says that a number of carriers have indicated that a switch is imminent.
But some airlines view fuel volatility as the one “constant” in a changing world, and would prefer to retain a variable surcharge to meet the peaks and troughs of oil prices. ■
