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#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE

Vol. 24 No. 47	Tuesday November 11, 2025

Todd Pigeon is a senior P&L leader with expertise driving revenue capture, operations, sales enablement, and customer experience initiatives for businesses with complex end-to-end supply chain and logistics challenges. He is Vice President of Sales at PayCargo, a leading service provider in logistics finance services. FlyingTypers had the opportunity to exchange views with Todd on his career and role in the company from his office in Miami.
Pontetto Railway Station

      Our talk started from Italy . . . I live in Turin and Todd lived for a period of his life in Genoa, actually to be precise in a wonderful village on the outskirts of Genoa called Bogliasco. He told me that he was regularly taking his train every morning from the station of Pontetto into Genoa to work. He also mentioned coming to Turin on repeated occasions with his family. Between 2008 and 2011 Todd was employed by Maersk in Italy and was the director in charge of developing commercially Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Malta. We can show a picture here that may bring back memories . . .
      Todd Pigeon has been employed in a great many countries, but for decades he worked for one employer only: Maersk, the great Danish maritime business developed through the integration of A.P. Moeller with other maritime assets in a development history that runs like a novel.
      We were talking of a great many countries . . . This is written on Todd’s profile, published on a popular social medium: “Global citizen who has lived and worked on four continents embracing diverse cultures and company values.” Our guest’s experience spans across markets in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. I asked Todd whether he had a preference. In a way his reply was predictable and surprising at the same time. He said: “Common across all of them is global trade, something I am addicted to.” This is a statement of facts with consequences; please continue reading and you will see that all the pieces come together in this case.
Todd Pigeon

      “Wherever you are working there will be China producing an endless array of articles that are exported to other areas that in their turn export their products to other commercial partners. Global trade is the communality for them all. The diversity of being bilingual in English and Spanish is an opportunity: I was able to experience and interact in different markets living in Latin America with depth of knowledge.
      “My greatest affiliation is probably Latin America, but . . . the Focaccia di Recco . . . What can I say? Food comes back to me from all these places . . . ”
      Todd and I continued chatting about food, his family experiences and, of all things . . . skiing in Chile! I think I have understood that Chile is the place where Todd’s heart beats faster. Easter Island, Patagonia, the Andes and the cities like Santiago with a distinguished style of life, a country that is impressive with its diversity all along the line.
      Bingo! That was the concept I wanted to talk about next and here it is served on my plate. I read in Mr. Pigeon’s CV a very interesting catch phrase: “Builds and empowers diverse teams.” I asked Todd to elaborate for me on this concept. In a way this is the area where Todd’s background comes in handy: reflecting the markets served, service is a multiple experience: not only air community, but ocean and multimodal. “I mean ‘diverse’ in all logistics ecosystems: working with colleagues who worked in airlines or in global ocean carriers, others who operate in intermodal road and rail operators. Emulating the voice of customers from a PayCargo perspective is the epitome of a service-oriented job.”
      Todd then spoke from a corporate point of view: “Our perspective is simple, we first need to allow the client relationship to develop; we pride ourselves in offering forms of integration, meaning integrating PayCargo’s platform with our customers’ operating systems. We empower customers to be able to conduct their business quickly and accurately through our platform. We work toward empowering the users of PayCargo more and more, so that they can proceed undisturbed with their operations.”
      I made a comment that the concept that Todd was offering so simply was not an ordinary idea, it required a mountain of work in the background: “it is easy to say it as you do, but not easy to make…” I said. Todd continued. “We are a platform built to continually earn our customers’ trust by enabling faster cargo release and more accurate, efficient payment reconciliation.” In his daily experience with customers, Todd noted that “customers adopt PayCargo instruments into their standard operating procedure. Unlike traditional payment methods, PayCargo provides immediate cargo release and detailed operational insights, helping customers streamline their workflows.”
      “Optimizing Payments and cargo flows” … sometimes words simply fly, even more than air cargo, more than airplanes or any other flying object. This is the initial and etymological meaning of the famous Latin expression ‘verba volant’, which we now use in a consequential manner, to imply that we need to write down what we wish to keep for the future. Originally it meant that words were giving concepts wings, hence they would travel far and fast.
      The words between Todd and I raised many concepts concerning air cargo settling systems, we touched upon CASS, CNS, the relationship between forwarders and airlines, FIATA and IATA and their long negotiations. Actually I think I did much of the talking in this. Todd suggested an important concept though: it all depends on the business requirement, PayCargo works on the incoming side at the moment, but there is nothing that impedes using the platform on exports, if that is required by the customers.
PayCargo air cargo americas booth

      Todd gave me these examples: “Import and export are not coincidental; if you are not a large multinational, for a medium-size forwarder it is not possible to establish credit terms with all carriers, vendors and colleagues. Before you could settle an invoice by making a money transfer, which was normally long and costly, but now you just come to PayCargo and our process issues an immediate release for your goods. From an airline’s perspective, I get money faster and from a forwarder’s perspective I move cargo faster. On inbound settlements PayCargo is de facto the leader.”
      In regard of my question on how PayCargo is placed in a market of possible competitors, Todd was not prone to making big statements: “The options are driven by the market and ours is an additional service offering. There is however a growing demand for inbound cargo.”
      Todd Pigeon had served as Chief Commercial Officer in Sealand – A Maersk Company – between 2016 and 2021, so it was natural for me to ask him whether he felt a big difference between ocean and air cargo. He said it was not so different in the end. “Both encounter similar pressures, including global trade dynamics, sustainability, and talent recruitment. Some issues are the same either side . . . ” But there is a big difference indeed: “In ocean a segment of the market is composed by direct shippers and this does not exist in the air cargo business. “Understanding the supply chain from the shipper’s side is important. In air cargo direct shippers almost do not exist and this is a principal difference.”
There you go… time took its toll and we had to leave it at that, but my appetite for more remains intact and perhaps we shall have another conversation not so far in the future. Todd Pigeon is a remarkably cordial conversation partner and a person you would always wish you knew better than you actually do. I am not surprised that the longa manus of PayCargo attracted this fine executive from a top level ocean player such as Maersk.
Evening view of Bogliasco

When all is said and done one thing emerged clearly from our conversation: PayCargo is an innovative and promising system that fills the financial gap between customer and supplier; in logistics all the stakeholders find themselves in either position sooner or later. It is of great assistance for everybody to be able to solve the issue of settling charges by a ‘click’ at a fraction of the costs that we were used to absorbing in the past. No wonder PayCargo seems to be facing a promising future! I hope our readers appreciated the opportunity to hear Todd Pigeon’s views on the increasingly crucial role that PayCargo is playing in modern air cargo transactions.
We are looking forward to talking to Todd again soon, maybe nibbling on some Focaccia di Recco, looking at the coast of Liguria from one of the discreet terraces of Bogliasco.
Marco Sorgetti

Ingo Zimmer, CEO of All-Star GSSA ATC is waiting to see you in Miami at Air Cargo Americas today.

     Just like any top executive in air cargo today, he is fixing in his mind what will be said about the condition and power of his GSSA as it moves inexorably to the very top in every measurable estimation of quality and service.
     Today Zimmer’s ATC is at the top of its form in the very competitive business of representing the cargo fortunes of airlines in markets all over the world.
     “One sentence occurs to me all the time,” Ingo said:
“When the going gets tough—
The tough get going!”
     “With all the things freight forwarders have to deal with today, it seems reasonable, we should be there offering to accept any and all consignments right now,” Ingo said.
     “So in addition to the standard airfreight freight and consolidations it’s Full Charter, Part Charter, Co-Loads, Long Distance & Special Loads, what we call solutions business.
     “ATC’s professionals care for it all,” Ingo Zimmer said.
     ATC must be doing something right.
     In Miami, ATC is in with a full agenda of airline meetings.
   “Our take at ATC is that 2025 has been a challenging year with expert navigation a must from our side.
     “For sure the year has generated a maximum effort from our team to perform our services,” Ingo insists.
     “But you know usually somewhere there is a silver lining and ATC answers the call increasingly everywhere in the world and especially this week as we talk about our services in Latin America.
     “I’m on the road again and look forward to greeting old friends and meeting some new ones here in Miami November 11-13,” Ingo assures.
GDA/SSA

      “In many ways, at AA Cargo we have our version of a “Chaos Manager.
      “When I joined the cargo division at the time of the US Airways–American Airlines merger in late 2013, I was tasked with building the Cargo Customer Experience department from the ground up.
      “One of our core responsibilities has always been to manage whatever chaos comes our way, whether it’s a shipment delay, a routing disruption or an unexpected operational challenge.”
      The speaker is Eric Mathieu Managing Director of Customer Experience at American Airlines Cargo.
      As the most important air cargo conference opens today in Miami at the Miami Convention Center, here comes an up close and personal few minutes, sharing a smart literate look inside American’s air cargo enterprise from a true veteran and connoisseur of the form.
      Eric began his career at US Airways and today with a smile and no shortness of elan opens up the heartline to what makes really makes those familiar words “Customer Service” work.

GA:   You probably hold one of the most difficult positions with regard to the required level of compliance. Your career indicates a strong bond with the customer. At times we see that customers’ needs and a strong compliance culture seem to stand at either ends of the company’s interests. How do you manage to conciliate these two strong and unavoidable facets so successfully in your job?
EM:   Balancing compliance and customer-centricity is one of the most challenging aspects of my role. I approach it by seeing these two priorities not as opposing forces, but as complementary pillars of trust.
     Compliance ensures we operate with integrity and protect our customers, while customer focus ensures we deliver value and build lasting relationships.
The key is transparency and collaboration. I make sure customers understand the ‘why’ behind compliance requirements and work with internal teams to find solutions that meet regulatory standards without compromising service quality. It’s about listening deeply, communicating clearly and being creative within the boundaries we have.
     Ultimately, compliance and customer care share the same goal: safeguarding the customer experience and the company’s reputation. When framed that way, they become partners rather than competitors.

GA:   From a certain point of view, you also oversee one of the most important positions in the company. How important is cultural diversity in your strategy? Secondly, it seems to be difficult for airlines to think of cargo at the same level as passengers in terms of strategy and importance, what about American’s view on this?
EM:   Cultural diversity is central to our strategy. In a global industry like ours, diversity isn’t just a value, it is a competitive advantage. Different perspectives drive innovation, help us understand customers across markets and allow us to anticipate needs.
     For me, diversity is about creating an environment where every voice matters and where collaboration across cultures leads to better decisions and stronger results. At American Airlines, we regularly hold team member engagement events promoting diversity. It also reflects the reality of our customers who come from every corner of the world, and our team should mirror that richness.
     Secondly, at American, cargo is a core part of our business strategy. While passenger operations are highly visible, cargo plays an equally critical role in our network and profitability. It’s not just about filling space; it’s about connecting global supply chains, supporting commerce and enabling customers to move goods reliably and efficiently. That’s why we invest in technology, infrastructure and customer experience for cargo with the same rigor we apply to passenger services.

GA:   Looking back . . . The arrangements for the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines represents one of the largest logistics operations ever, but can we say that the operation managed to stand on its feet from an economic point of view, or was just the benefit for American from the image point of view that justified the investment?
EM:   The COVID-19 vaccine distribution was one of the most complex logistics operations in history, and for us, it was never just about economics; it was about responsibility. It was about leveraging our expertise and global network to support a critical moment for humanity.
     The visibility and trust we earned were significant, but that wasn’t the driver. Our investment was guided by purpose: ensuring vaccines reached communities safely and quickly, and that the integrity of the product was safe guarded along the way. This was about doing the right thing while demonstrating the strength and reliability transporting critical temperature-controlled shipments.

GA:   Ever experienced or observed something that happened from an accident to service delivery, to something you might have wanted to prevent that happened anyway that could be described as unusual, or unexplained in air cargo?
EM:   As one of the largest airlines in the world, operating an extensive global network and transporting a wide range of complex commodities every day, we recognize that not everything always goes exactly as planned. Air cargo is a dynamic and intricate operation. Navigating weather disruptions, regulatory
constraints and the sheer diversity of shipments can sometimes lead to unexpected challenges.
     There have certainly been moments where something unusual or unexplained occurred—whether it was a delay caused by an unforeseen mechanical issue, a misrouted shipment due to a rare system glitch, or a situation we wished we could have prevented but couldn’t due to external factors.
     What truly defines us, however, is not the occurrence of these events, but the speed and precision with which we recover. Our ability to quickly coordinate across teams, communicate transparently with our customers and take corrective action is what makes the difference. It’s in those moments that our commitment to reliability, care and customer experience shines through.
     We view every challenge as an opportunity to learn, improve, and reinforce the trust our customers place in us.

GA:   Have you ever considered that someone or maybe more than one team member at American should be designated Chaos Manager? Or maybe that should be added to your title?
EM:   As I stated before, one of our core responsibilities has always been to manage whatever chaos comes our way.
      Today, that mission is carried out by a dedicated team of over 60 professionals strategically located across our network. Their sole focus is the recovery of shipments that don’t travel as planned. They’re supported by four major cargo contact centers, each based in a different country, allowing us to respond quickly and effectively no matter where the issue arises.
      While we may not officially call anyone a “Chaos Manager,” the spirit of that role is alive in our team’s daily work. It’s their agility, coordination and commitment to customer communication that turns disruption into resolution, and that’s what truly makes the difference.
Geoffrey Arend

  At airports around the USA we often see greeters welcoming overseas military transport coming and going.
  The tradition was started at the airports during Operation Desert Storm, and has continued in some quarters ever since.
  In Bangor, Maine, USA, The Maine Troop Greeters Organization reaches out at entry and departure points where many of our troops stationed around the world pass through via military flights.
  Here the warmth and devotion for our troops is extended by a dedicated group of senior citizens.
  These folks do the right thing in person at the airport, showing the love and respect for our troops.
  Once upon a time, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the first Veteran’s Day was observed in America to honor all the people that served in World War I—the war to end all wars.
  Although wars have certainly not ended, and since 1918, when WW I ceased fire, there have been multiple hundreds of occurrences of conflict, we can and will still celebrate the lives of those we lost and love and give thanks this day to all who serve.
  My Grandfather, now gone longer than I knew him, served in WW I.
  My Dad, also departed, served in WW II.
Geoffrey at Fort Dix   I did 13 months at U.S. government expense, prowling around the jungles of Southeast Asia while in Vietnam.
  The two elders in our family never talked much about war, although my Dad would often recall his time flying around inside the U.S. Navy F4U Corsair.
  I have always talked about Vietnam, and believe that while we should support our troops, we also must find an alternative to sending our young people into the meat grinder, which is the ultimate end game for any war.
  However we feel about war, it’s important while we observe Veteran’s Day, that we never forget as Americans to honor and care for our own.
Geoffrey Arend

If You Missed Any Of The Previous 3 Issues Of FlyingTypers Access complete issue by clicking on issue icon or Access specific articles by clicking on article title
Vol. 24 No. 44 FIATA Unites In Vietnam FIATA Vietnam In The Picture More On FIATA Vietnam Happy Diwali!	Vol. 24 No. 45 Last Mile & Trucker Bankruptcies Chuckles for October 31 Kale Exceeds Need For Speed Great Lady At ATC India Focus On Unified Logistics System	Vol. 24 No. 46 Jan Krems Still Loves Sexy Cargo In Dutch With The Dutchess Chuckles for November 4 More On More On TIACA

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