Lufthansa cuts handling time for expedited products

   A new express service from Lufthansa Cargo provides a personal escort and short cut-off windows for time-sensitive, critical cargo to make sure it gets on the next flight.
   Lufthansa Cargo said it accepts pallets and containers of any weight for “Courier.Solutions.”
   Customers at Frankfurt Airport can drop off cargo as late as 90 minutes prior to departure. The drop-off deadline is 60 minutes at some other airports. Lufthansa shortened the acceptance time from its express product “td.Flash” by 30 minutes at many airports.
   The express product provides faster departure for cargo moving on connecting flights than expedited services previously offered by Lufthansa. At Frankfurt, the transit time is 60 minutes compared to three hours for “td.Flash.” In Munich, it takes 50 minutes between the time a feeder aircraft arrives and the departure of the onward flight.
   Lufthansa Cargo personnel will accompany a Courier.Solutions shipment all the way to the aircraft hold to make sure it gets on the right plane in time, the company said. In the case of trans-shipments, staff will make sure the cargo is transferred from one plane to the next. The company also provides constant electronic monitoring of the shipment throughout the trip.
   The service is aimed at urgent shipments such as medicine or items for a trade fair. As with td.Flash, cargo is guaranteed access to a flight.
   Lufthansa Cargo joint venture time:matters will provide the special handling services. time:matters provides same-day courier and emergency logistics services for spare parts, documents and other time-critical shipments using a variety of available carriers. 
   Courier.Solutions can be booked through any Lufthansa Cargo office. Customers will be able to book through call centers and mobile devices within the year, Lufthansa said. — Eric Kulisch