Luxaviation ONE has appointed Markus Schmidt, most recently Vice President Cargo Commercial Operations Europe at Chapman Freeborn Airchartering, as its Vice President Cargo, charging him with expanding the charter brokerage's air freight activities amid a sustained shift from ocean to air.

Schmidt brings more than 20 years of international air cargo experience to the role. Before Chapman Freeborn, he held senior positions at Etihad Airways, Celebi Aviation Holding and Asiana Airlines, with a career spanning cargo charter, commercial operations, airline and supplier relationships, strategic account management and business development.

What does the appointment signal?

The move marks the next step in the development of Luxaviation ONE's cargo charter and air freight business. Luxaviation ONE is the dedicated charter brokerage division of Luxaviation Group, and Schmidt will lead and further develop the existing air cargo team while working with clients and partners to grow the unit's cargo activities internationally.

Patrick Hansen, CEO of Luxaviation Group, framed the hire as a response to demonstrated demand. "Since establishing our cargo capabilities within Luxaviation ONE, we have seen significant potential to broaden the solutions we provide to clients," Hansen said. "Markus's appointment is an important next step in that development, bringing extensive industry expertise to an established team and supporting our plans to further grow our cargo activities internationally."

Romain Alati, CEO of Luxaviation ONE, pointed to increasingly diverse client requirements as the commercial driver behind the hire. "Our ambition is to be a trusted partner for air freight solutions," Alati said. "Markus brings extensive industry experience and a strong understanding of the market. His appointment strengthens our Air Cargo team and enables us to build on our existing capabilities with the right partners to meet a broad range of requirements."

Which segments does the cargo team cover?

The air cargo team handles full and part cargo charters as well as air freight solutions for individual shipments and specific cargo volumes. Its sector coverage includes:

• Automotive and aerospace
• Oil and gas, and mining
• Textiles and garments
• Humanitarian and government cargo
• Valuable cargo and artworks
• E-commerce and general cargo
• Dangerous goods and other specialised shipments

Why now?

Luxaviation ONE said the appointment comes against a backdrop of changing trade flows, geopolitical developments and continued supply chain disruption. Those conditions are increasingly pushing shippers from ocean to air freight, particularly where timing and supply chain continuity are critical — a shift that expands the addressable market for charter brokers able to assemble capacity quickly across freighter and combi options.

Schmidt himself emphasized a requirement-first approach to the business. "Every cargo solution starts with the requirement. Whether it is a smaller shipment, a part charter or a larger charter operation, our role is to understand what is needed and identify the appropriate solution," he said. "I look forward to building on the expertise already in place and strengthening long-term relationships across our network."

With a seasoned charter operator now leading its cargo desk, Luxaviation ONE is positioning itself to capture more of the ad hoc and project freight demand that supply chain disruption keeps pushing toward air.