Expeditors International of Washington (NYSE:EXPD) has expanded its global Aircraft on Ground service, the Bellevue-based forwarder said on 20 July. An AOG move is the most expensive shipment in aviation: a grounded widebody can cost an operator six figures a day in lost revenue, crew repositioning and rebooked passengers. If you move aerospace parts, MRO consumables or rotables, this is a new set of hands you can call at 3am.
What Happened
Expeditors said it has pulled its critical logistics people into dedicated global teams, backed by 24/7/365 in-office support rather than an answering service or a rota of on-call phones. Those teams plug into the company's existing worldwide network of offices, customs brokers and gateway operations, so a part sourced in Singapore for an aircraft stuck in Frankfurt moves through one file and one point of contact.
The company framed the move as a response to rising demand for time-critical aviation and aerospace logistics. That demand is real. Fleet utilisation is high, aircraft are being kept in service longer, and the spare parts pipeline is still catching up after years of engine and airframe supply constraints. Every one of those pressures pushes more shipments into the AOG lane, where the freight moves next flight out and price is a distant second to time.
Impact on Freight Rates and Operations
AOG traffic does not price like general air cargo. You are buying capacity on the next departure, often as hand-carry or on-board courier, and the rate reflects that. Expect a multiple of standard express rates on the same lane, plus airport handling, customs clearance out of hours and, for engines or landing gear, oversize and dangerous goods handling.
The operational effect matters more than the rate card. More forwarders running structured AOG desks means better odds of finding a routing at 2am on a Sunday, and fewer shipments stuck because a broker's office is closed. It also puts pressure on the specialist AOG brokers who have owned this niche. For shippers, that is a good thing: more quoting options on a lane where you have historically had one or two.
Watch the knock-on effect on general air cargo out of aerospace hubs like Seattle, Toulouse, Singapore and Dubai. AOG shipments take priority on the aircraft, so during tight capacity weeks your standard airfreight can get rolled to make room.
What Shippers Should Do
- Pre-agree your AOG rates now, not during the emergency. Negotiating a hand-carry quote while an aircraft sits on stand costs you leverage and hours. Get a standing rate matrix by lane and weight break.
- Check whether 24/7 means a duty desk or a switchboard. Ask your forwarder for the out-of-hours escalation path by name and number, then test it once on a quiet weekend.
- Keep dimensional and DG paperwork ready for your top 20 parts. Batteries, oxygen generators, pressurised struts and chemicals all need declarations that take hours to produce cold. Pre-built files save a flight cycle.
- Split your parts flow. Route routine replenishment on planned LCL or standard air and reserve the AOG channel for genuine grounding events. Mixing the two inflates your logistics cost per aircraft.
Key Takeaway
AOG capacity is getting less scarce and more organised, but it only pays off if you have the rates, the paperwork and the out-of-hours contact agreed before an aircraft goes down.
Plan Your Shipment: Use our free CBM Calculator, Container Load Calculator, and LCL vs FCL Calculator to plan your next shipment.
Source: The Loadstar