Cathay Cargo's newest digital solution, Cathay Mail aims to ensure a superior client experience that better satisfies post offices' needs for shipment visibility, dependability and speed.

The cargo division of Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific, Cathay Cargo has launched Cathay Mail, an advanced digital solution that re-envisages the mail-shipment process. In a press statement, Cathay Cargo says it aims to offer customers greater transparency for post offices and provide the track-and-trace visibility. Cathay Mail was developed to ensure a superior client experience that better satisfies post offices’ needs for shipment visibility, dependability and speed, says the airline.

The statement adds that the updated ‘mail as cargo’ solution from Cathay Cargo uses the PAWB, or postal air waybill to link mail-handling data with air cargo systems. The use of electronic data interchange (EDI) technology eliminates most of the previous shipment paperwork and gives designated operators at the origin and destination post offices greater visibility of shipments down to the mail bag or “receptacle” level, enabling them to provide e-commerce shippers with package-level track-and-trace visibility.

Cathay Cargo says that in the Indian market, it offers the Cathay Mail solution to India Post. It helps convert CARDIT messages into a PAWB to create an online booking in CX-Cargospot, which is completely automated. The partnership offers high engagement and coordination between the two organisations to deliver the best service standards, timely uplift, smooth transit transfers, and on-time delivery with high real-time transportation visibility.

The information also enables Cathay Cargo to manage capacity against actual volumes of mail on flights, so it can make allowances for surges in ad hoc demand or make unused space available for other cargo.

“Cathay Mail highlights how we have adapted technology and digitalisation to offer real benefits to our customers. By fully integrating mail-handling functions with our cargo operations and expertise, our innovative new mail solution provides a sophisticated suite of tools and facilities to support our postal partners,” says Tom Owen, Director Cargo.

In its statement, Cathay Cargo says that it aims to outperform the 95 pc industry “visibility performance” standard and set its own stretch targets to ensure it exceeds contractual standards. The EzyPost platform will also produce monthly reports that will be available to post office customers. This accessible and more accurate data will simplify the measurement of contractual performance.

The statement adds that digital data available from the PAWB now makes it easier to reconcile shipments for billing as well as measure performance. Cathay Cargo will be adding KPIs to its mail performance monitoring suite, which is accessible on the EzyPost platform. Indices such as on-time delivery and visibility performance will be accessible and updated from live data.

“This new investment in our mail-handling capability increases the attractiveness of Hong Kong as a global mail hub, giving post offices the confidence to move mail more seamlessly to, from and through Hong Kong,” added Owen.

“During the pandemic, we collaborated with India Post to provide uninterrupted connectivity, uplifting mail bags from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Currently, we serve around 14 destinations on our network. Our commitment to delivering exceptional service has resulted in strong growth in tonnage and revenue. Through Cathay Mail, we look forward to expanding our partnership and serve more destinations in the future,” says Rajesh Menon, Regional Head of Cargo, South Asia, Middle East & Africa.