Airline, Hub Airport and Parcel Carrier Combine to Launch New European Air Freight Service

THE NETHERLANDS – EUROPE – Dutch airline KLM is joining forces with Parcel International to launch a new same-day intra-European air cargo delivery service called 12send, making use of the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s baggage system and KLM’s European network. Schiphol Cargo and KLM Cargo have backed the service, following a successful pilot trial in October 2016 on KLM routes between Amsterdam and Barcelona-El Prat, Spain. Air freight shipped on the 12send service is processed and loaded by Schiphol’s luggage system, and travels to KLM destinations Europe-wide. Parcel International handles first and last mile, delivering to the final customer by electric van and e-bike. Jonas van Stekelenburg, Head of Cargo, Schiphol Cargo said:

“Same-day delivery is soon to be a standard, and as Europe’s leading e-commerce hub, we have backed an innovative high-end service which is also CO₂ responsible. Schiphol has a world-class baggage system which is fast, secure, and seamless, and working with KLM’s efficient network and Parcel International’s e-commerce expertise we are confident 12send will be a valuable enlargement of European air freight services, and meet the growing needs of our air freight partners.”

Marcel de Nooijer, Executive Vice President at KLM Cargo & Managing Director of Martinair Holland, said the service set a new standard in terms of cross-border delivery, continuing:

“With the belly capacity of KLM’s broad European passenger network we offer great solutions for all customers in the rapidly growing cross-border e-commerce market and the trend towards delivery within 24 hours. We are glad to develop this service together with Parcel International and Schiphol Airport and set a new standard in terms of cross-border same day delivery in Europe.”

Casper Plat, Partner at Parcel International maintained a similarly enthusiastic line commenting that customers ordering goods such as fast fashion and books demanded a same-day service but currently often had to wait at least until next day for delivery via truck. He observed:

“Thanks to 12send, same-day delivery of e-commerce goods is now possible in the whole of Europe by harnessing otherwise unused cargo capacity of passenger planes. This means we can provide an ‘ordered before noon, delivered before 11pm’ service all over the Continent. The partnership between Schiphol, KLM, and Parcel International joins our strengths to the benefit of our customers, who are demanding shorter and shorter fulfilment times.”

Parcel International says it intends to expand the service progressively with 12send operational to twenty European cities in the next few years.