After a two-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, IAG Cargo announced that it has restarted its London-Sydney service and was met with strong load factors.

Deval Joshi, area commercial manager for Southeast Asia, and Australasia said Sydney is IAG Cargo's gateway into Australia and along with trucking connections into Melbourne, Brisbane, and Canberra, the service helps customers from Europe and North America access the Australian markets. 

IAG Cargo main exports perishables and foodstuffs such as avocados, watermelons, rockmelons (cantaloupes), and frozen meat products from Australia — but the cargo handling division of International Airlines Group said are opportunities to move lots of pets, as people have started travelling again.

"In addition, we do export aircraft equipment and parts, since Australia has a thriving domestic aviation industry. The parts that need servicing to come from Singapore, London, and other destinations where aircraft manufacturers have their own servicing and maintenance agreements," Joshi added.

IAG cargo has also been transporting e-commerce products, such as fashion and footwear.

Meanwhile, the IAG Cargo executive noted that the main products that come into Sydney include a lot of fashion, especially high-end fashion originating from Europe.

"It is only through air freight that fashion shipments can get from manufacturing centres to stores and boutiques in time to meet consumer demand for the latest trends," Joshi added, noting that the fulfilment cycle can be very tight with the need to ship to boutiques around the world in a matter of days and weeks.

"The speed of air cargo makes it the perfect option for high-end fashion houses and high street retailers alike," he added.

IAG Cargo also moves pharmaceuticals — including pet vaccines — into the country.