When you talk air cargo with Alaska Airlines, in addition to the full menu   of non-stop air cargo services five days a week from Seattle to both Tokyo and Seoul, you get the very strong indication from Ian Morgan who serves as Vice-President Cargo that this is one resource that is a comer in our business in 2026.
      “Our Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo network serve 14 locations across Asia, the South Pacific, Canada and Mexico from our global gateways in Honolulu (HNL) and Seattle (SEA). Nonstop long-haul service from Seattle (SEA) to Rome begins April 28, and to London on May 21, with more coming up and down the line,” Ian says proudly.

      Ian Morgan in 2026 is the go-to air cargo executive at Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo, who makes no bones about it when he declares that, “2026 is an important year.
      “We have finally become one airline since Single Operating Certificate was issued, and with our new combined carrier of Alaska and Hawaiian, 1 plus 1 didn't equal 2; 1 plus 1 equals exponentially more in terms of global reach and service. “On January 10, when we transitioned to a single cargo operating system, it brought all our data under one roof, and a single booking platform for our customers. This now extends our flagship product GoldStreak to our important customer base in Hawaii. In addition to this, we will be starting operations into Europe for the first time, with the start of LHR/FCO.
      “We have a packed year ahead, with significant progress for our customer base, and there is more to come.”
      We caught up with Ian as he readies for Air Cargo 2026; he is leading the way during an exciting adventure as 2026 goes deeper.
      “The past year was about proving what we can achieve and laying the foundation for future growth, and our customers are already seeing the results with our global expansion out of Seattle. Our cargo division continues to show how important we are to the company’s success, and I could not be prouder of our team.
      “Now, 2026 will be a pivotal year as we continue to expand. At the same time, we recognize we have the responsibility to improve across all aspects of our business, including customer service and operations. We are investing in our technology and our infrastructure so we can deliver a world class shipping product as a world class airline.”

Man With A Plan

      “When we spoke last year, we talked about the excitement of what was to come.
      “Well, now it’s here! As I mentioned, uur single cargo booking system for all of our customers just launched in January, and this is a big improvement for our customers. That opened online booking for Hawaiian Air Cargo customers, using the same platform as we have at Alaska. We’ve also just finished the project of co-locating our teams at stations across our network, improving access to our entire portfolio of routes — now at 119, and continuing to grow.”
      Ian is animated about what’s next, “we are excited about preparing to launch in Europe, with service to Rome starting in April. And in May, we launch in London, where of course, I began my career and have very deep roots.”
      We ask Ian, what’s the driver, the joy of winning or the fear of losing?
He responds without a beat, “For me, it has always been both — one feeds the other.
      “But I must admit I have a real sense of confidence going into 2026.
       “Of course, this industry and environment will continue to throw us curveballs, but when you are part of something special, like I am fortunate to be at Alaska, you can be prepared. They say hope is not a strategy, but I believe that hope, belief, trust and faith are the key elements that make a strategy successful. We have these in abundance, and that is what will drive us in 2026.”
       Who do you admire in business and life? “Jason Berry became COO of Alaska/ Hawaiian Air Cargo, and will continue to lead cargo. Definitely huge admiration there.
       “And, frankly, I admire and respect our whole industry — partners and competitors alike.
       “We are a community, and time and again we have proved that we succeed when we support one another.
       “We are here in Orlando; the AfA is a great example of that spirit. Cargo is an incredible community and after 47 years in this industry, it remains a privilege to be a part of it, and one I never take for granted.
       “To paraphrase what I always will share:  If you can still be an optimist after 47 years in this industry, then you have succeeded.”
       We asked this all-time air cargo pro what are some measures and perhaps basic rules that air cargo can employ to advance the business? What might air cargo change or adopt?
       “One of the biggest questions is AI: where it fits and, more importantly, how it can help. We continue to explore its potential and have found opportunities. At the same time, we are a people-driven business, and that is something we will never lose sight of. Even as we improve our technologies, we are careful to keep our customer service personal and individualized, which is one of our biggest strengths.”
       We asked Ian, based on his years in the industry, whether there will continue to be an airline/forwarder partnership as core to the business. And what his view is on how that partnership can continue to prosper.
       “The forwarder partnership becomes even more important to us with our expansion. As we enter new markets, we will need their support to be successful. We look forward to expanding our customer base and bringing value to those relationships.
       “We always look forward to AirCargo. Every opportunity to connect with our customers is important, so we do our best to ensure Alaska is represented as much as possible. We want to hear directly from the cargo community and we want make certain that we are positioned exactly where you need us to be.
       “And no matter where that is, we look forward to meeting you there.”
        Ian adds, “my focus is on continuously creating reasons for our customers to want to do business with us. That can come from investment in infrastructure like IT, that positions us well for the future. Perhaps even more important are the investments we’re making in our teams as we bring the cargo operations of Alaska and Hawaiian together. They are our most important investment because they provide the excellent customer service people have come to love. Some wise words I think about often: ‘Look after your team and they will look after the customer.’”
       As we close our conversation, we ask Ian, what he does to relax. He smiles and says, “You may have to ask me about this in Q2! Look, I’m fortunate to truly love what I do. At this moment, as we are off and running at the start of a year of growth, I’ll admit I’m not as focused on relaxing. We’re creating something new, and that’s very exciting.”
Geoffrey Arend

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