Talk about a baptism by fire.
      One day Gareth Joyce is sailing down a long ribbon highway as president of Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., and the next he is flying through some of the more turbulent airline business years as president of Delta Cargo.
      “Delta Cargo is undergoing a transformation,” Mr. Joyce said in an exclusive interview. “We are building a business that is innovative, thoughtful, and reliable.
      “Our planes are already getting to their destination more reliably than any other global U.S. carrier; now we have to deliver that same level of reliability to our cargo customers.
      “We have used 2016 to learn and listen.
      “We are out in the marketplace asking our customers what they would like to see and plan to build our business around their needs.”

       
GPS-Enabled Same Day Service

      “A great example of how we intend to leverage these lessons is the launch of DASH Critical & Medical, the first fully GPS-enabled, same-day product offered by a U.S. freight provider.
      “With a strong network and enhanced connectivity through SkyTeam Cargo and our JV partners, we make routing efficient and more cost effective.
      “Looking ahead for 2017, Delta Cargo will continue to enhance and differentiate our DASH products to enrich our domestic offering.
      “Internationally, we are testing new services that better meet the needs of our customers and we look forward to sharing more details in 2017.”

      “At Delta Cargo, we see freight forwarders as critical partners in our success as we are working with these key stakeholders to improve our business and ensure that it better meets their needs.

      “Our vast network sets Delta apart from the competition.
      “But that’s not enough.
      “We offer a range of products and services, continuously assessing which of these are most valuable to our partners.
      For instance, Delta Cargo is well down the path of CEIV certification across our network to support best in class Pharma shipments in all of our hubs and major gateways.
      “We are also moving to 24/7 customer service support for both our Call Center and Day or Departure team.
      “We are building a Cargo team that can deliver unparalleled reliability for our customers and that will serve to further distance Delta Cargo from our competitors.
      “This extends beyond Delta Cargo to our strategic and JV partners as we work to create the best cargo experience.”
       
The Promise

      “Innovation is a brand promise with Delta and we’ll be delivering on that with Delta Cargo moving forward.
      “For us, innovation means that we can develop, test, and introduce products and services that better meet the needs of our key customers.
      “We are working to provide greater visibility to shipments along their journey.
      “Through enhanced customer experience, technology investment, and metrics-driven performance, we are building a cargo provider that puts the customer first and earns their loyalty through outstanding performance.”

      “As an industry, air cargo can work to better meet the needs of our customers.
      “Electronic AWBs, simplification, and automation are key themes.
      “Air cargo should continue discussing policies that impact the air cargo space to make it easier to do business with us.”

      “Delta Cargo brings differentiated products and services tailored and developed around customer needs, like our 24/7 customer service support.
      “Shippers also benefit from our technology investment in track and trace and specialized product development in areas such as Pharma. Delta is continuing to expand internationally and as the airline looks into new opportunities to connect the world, Delta Cargo is becoming more connected with global trade.
      “For example in 2016, Delta operated nine new international segments, providing more connectivity into Germany, Italy, Japan, and France.
      “Next year Delta has seven newly announced routes, with three new markets. Also in 2017 Delta commences accepting delivery of 25 A350 aircraft, enabling further expansion of our cargo offering, alongside our JV partners,” Gareth Joyce concluded.
Geoffrey