Why do airlines change international air routes and how to deal with route cancellations or changes?
Air freight is crucial for importers seeking to ship goods quickly and efficiently. However, one challenge importers may face is the frequent adjustments made by airlines to their air freight routes. These changes can impact delivery schedules and overall supply chain management. In this article, we will explore the reasons behind these adjustments and provide importers with effective strategies for coping with temporary route cancellations.
Why Do Airlines Change or Cancel Air Freight Routes?
1. Market supply and demand fluctuations
Market supply and demand fluctuations drive capacity reallocation. Seasonal or sudden changes in freight demand are the most direct drivers of route adjustments. For example, before Black Friday, Christmas, and New Year (September to December each year), e-commerce demand surges in Europe and the United States. Airlines will temporarily increase the frequency of China to Europe and the United States routes and add all-cargo flights. During the off-season (such as the period after the Chinese New Year in January and February), when demand declines, some routes may be cut or smaller aircraft may be used to avoid idle capacity.
Furthermore, regional economic changes can also influence routes. For example, if a Southeast Asian country experiences a 20% increase in manufacturing exports, airlines may add new China-Southeast Asia transit routes to capture this incremental market.
2. Fluctuating fuel prices & operational costs
Jet fuel is an airline's largest expense. When prices spike, ultra-long-haul or less-cargo-intensive routes can quickly become unprofitable.
For example, an airline may suspend direct flights from a Chinese city to Europe during periods of high fuel costs. Instead, they may consolidate cargo through major hubs like Dubai, where they can achieve higher load factors and operational efficiency.
3. External risks and policy constraints
External factors such as geopolitical factors, policies and regulations, and natural disasters can force airlines to temporarily or permanently adjust their routes.
For example, following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, European airlines completely canceled Asia-Europe routes that crossed Russian airspace, switching instead to routes around the Arctic or the Middle East. This increased flight time and required the rescheduling of takeoff and landing airports. If a country suddenly introduced import restrictions (such as imposing high tariffs on specific goods), causing a sharp drop in cargo volume on that route, airlines would quickly suspend the relevant flights to avoid losses. Furthermore, emergencies such as epidemics and typhoons can temporarily disrupt flight plans. For example, some flights on the China to Southeast Asia coastal route may be canceled during typhoon season.
4. Infrastructure development
Upgrades or changes to airport infrastructure may affect flight schedules and routes. Airlines must adapt to these developments to ensure compliance with safety standards and improve operational efficiency, which may result in route adjustments.
Additionally, there are other reasons, such as airline strategic layout and competitive strategies. Leading airlines may adjust their routes to consolidate market share and squeeze out competitors.
Strategies for Temporarily Changing or Canceling Air Freight Routes
1. Early warning
Identify high-risk routes and reserve alternatives. Before shipping, check the recent cancellation rate of a route with the freight forwarder or airline's official website. If a route has a cancellation rate exceeding 10% in the past month (such as Southeast Asian routes during typhoon season or routes to geopolitical conflict zones), confirm alternative routes with the freight forwarder in advance.
For example, if you originally planned to ship goods through a direct flight from China to Europe, you can agree in advance to switch to a connecting route from China to Dubai to Europe in the event of cancellation. Specify the transit time and additional costs (such as whether a freight cost difference will be required). For urgent shipments, avoid low-frequency routes with only one or two flights per week. Prioritize high-frequency routes with daily or multiple flights per week to reduce the risk of no alternative flights in the event of cancellation.
2. Utilize key hub airports
Routes between major global hubs (e.g., AMS, DXB, SIN, PVG) have the highest frequency and most carrier options. Routing your goods through these hubs, even with a final trucking leg, often provides more reliable options than a direct flight to a secondary city.
Our Role: Our logistics experts will design the most resilient route for your cargo, leveraging hub-and-spoke models to ensure there are multiple contingency paths available.
3. Immediate response
Quickly handle specific scenarios to minimize delays and losses.
If the goods have not been shipped: You can contact the freight forwarder to change airlines, prioritizing flights with the same port of departure and destination. If there is no available space, negotiate a transfer via a nearby airport (e.g., a flight from Shanghai to Los Angeles can be rescheduled to Guangzhou, with the goods then transferred to Shanghai for pickup by road).
If the goods have been put into the airport warehouse: you can contact the freight forwarder and try to "prioritize the transfer", that is, give priority to allocating the goods to subsequent available flights (for example, if the original flight is cancelled, give priority to arranging a flight on the same route the next day). At the same time, track the status of the goods to avoid additional storage fees due to warehouse detention. If the subsequent flight's timeframe is insufficient to meet delivery requirements, request an "emergency delivery" to ship from another airport (e.g., a flight from Shanghai to London can be rescheduled to Shenzhen). Importers can also negotiate with distributors for later delivery.
4. Plan ahead
Plan your shipments in advance to anticipate potential changes, which is also what we tell our regular customers, especially during peak international logistics season, when air freight capacity is often full. This proactive approach allows you to adjust your logistics strategy, whether that’s booking alternative routes or adding inventory to buffer against delays.
Senghor Logistics can provide freight support for your import logistics. We have contracts with renowned airlines such as CA, CZ, TK, O3, and MU, and our vast network enables us to adapt immediately.
With over 10 years of experience, we can help you analyze your supply chain to determine where you can most effectively add buffers, turning potential crises into manageable obstacles.
Senghor Logistics also offers services such as ocean freight and rail freight, in addition to air freight, and is committed to providing customers with diverse shipping options from China.
We provide proactive updates and tracking services, so you won't be left in the dark. If we identify a potential business disruption, we'll notify you immediately and propose a preventative Plan B.
By understanding the reasons behind these changes and implementing proactive strategies, businesses can better manage air freight needs and maintain a resilient supply chain. Contact Senghor Logistics team today to discuss how we can build a more resilient and responsive air freight strategy for your business.
Post time: Oct-24-2025
