Luxaviation ONE has appointed Markus Schmidt as vice president cargo, handing the 20-year air freight veteran operational and commercial leadership of the broker's full- and part-charter desk.

Schmidt joins from Chapman Freeborn Airchartering, where he most recently served as vice president cargo commercial operations Europe. He previously held senior roles at Etihad Airways, Celebi Aviation Holding and Asiana Airlines, giving him line experience across airline cargo sales, ground handling and charter brokerage on three continents.

Why the hire, and why now?

Patrick Hansen, CEO of Luxaviation Group, framed the move as the next phase of a cargo build-out that has already produced traction inside the division. "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, said client demand has moved past one-size-fits-all charter products. "Client requirements are becoming increasingly diverse, and 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."

What does the desk actually cover?

The Luxaviation ONE air cargo team handles full and part cargo charters, single-shipment air freight solutions, and project cargo for sectors including:

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

That sector mix matters for shippers. Automotive and aerospace tier-one suppliers have absorbed much of the recent container schedule unreliability, and brokers have responded by packaging ad-hoc air solutions to keep line-side production running when vessel ETAs slip.

Is the ocean-to-air shift really accelerating?

Luxaviation ONE says it is. The company attributes the trend to "changing trade flows, geopolitical developments and continued supply chain disruption" — structural drivers pulling freight off the sea and into aircraft bellies and charter holds, particularly where timing and supply chain continuity outweigh per-kilo cost.

For charter brokers, that translates into a heavier mix of spot and short-notice inquiries, especially on long-haul corridors where ocean reliability has slipped and shippers need a guaranteed arrival date rather than a window.

Schmidt, in his first public comment, said the focus will stay on outcomes rather than product type. "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."

What does this mean for shippers and forwarders?

For forwarders and shippers with time-critical flows, the appointment adds a senior commercial lead at a broker tied to a sizeable European business aviation operator. That structure gives Luxaviation ONE the option to bundle part-charter belly space with group lift when schedules tighten, and to route requests through a single account team rather than separate passenger and cargo desks.

Hansen said the group is preparing to grow cargo internationally. With Schmidt now in seat, the next test for Luxaviation ONE is whether the broker can convert rising spot demand on long-haul corridors into recurring contract volume — particularly in automotive, energy and humanitarian segments where supply chain disruption has turned air freight into a permanent line item rather than a last resort.