Revolutionizing Europe's Freight Landscape: The Cargo Transformation Unveiled

According to a recent publication by Virgin Atlantic Cargo, the airline has revamped its freight operations throughout continental Europe. This new strategy consolidates services under one umbrella, enhancing oversight across 14 nations with a centralized control tower located in the Netherlands.The goal? To boost shipment visibility and align more closely with their transatlantic cargo ambitions.

The shift to this unified airfreight support model came after an extensive selection process.

“We engaged in a thorough tendering process with several top-tier companies,” shared Laura Baillie, the commercial development manager at Virgin Atlantic Cargo. “TCE stood out as the best partner due to their capability to provide a cohesive pan-European solution that meets our high operational and commercial standards.”

This transition replaces a previously fragmented approach with streamlined coordination and management.

“Our pan-European offering enhances service efficiency for customers, improving tracking visibility and reliability,” Baillie added.

The Role of the Netherlands

The Netherlands is now pivotal in this operational framework. the newly established control tower there facilitates real-time coordination of trucking logistics across Europe.

“By setting up an operations control tower in the Netherlands, we’ve significantly boosted efficiency through truck consolidation while enhancing customer visibility,” explained Baillie. “Trucks are now documented from origin points, which improves transparency.”

This strategic location also fosters better collaboration between Virgin Atlantic’s commercial teams and TCE’s network, allowing quicker responses to market changes or disruptions.

Certainly rolling out this new structure across 14 markets required meticulous planning—especially around peak seasons.

“Implementing change can be tricky,” Baillie noted. “However, thanks to careful planning and foresight, we managed a smooth transition that delivered benefits quickly.”

The team meticulously timed each handover to prevent any disruption; where suppliers changed hands, they ensured daily operations remained unaffected.

“By strategically shifting from existing suppliers during peak times when necesary,we maintained continuity for our customers while delivering our renowned service,” she added.