Since stepping into the role of Etihad Aviation Group’s Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo in 2020, Martin Drew has spearheaded initiatives that have enabled Etihad Cargo to achieve year-on-year growth. Despite the challenges face by the aviation sector in the past 12 months, Drew has successfully bridged the gap between passenger and cargo operations and has continued to strengthen the position of cargo with Etihad Aviation Group.
Drew has led the carrier to build on the success Etihad Cargo achieved in 2021. In the first half of 2022, Etihad Cargo achieved record mid-year revenue results, posting revenue of USD802 million — the best mid-year results in Etihad Cargo’s history — representing a 6% increase in revenue compared to the same period in 2021, and carrying 295,000 tonnes of freight.
Under Drew’s leadership, Etihad Cargo has continued to work more closely than ever with partners and customers to deliver on the carrier’s service promises and provide agile and innovative capacity solutions in response to the evolving market’s demands.
Drew has reinforced Etihad Cargo’s commitment to being the air cargo partner of choice. He has supported his teams to ensure they deliver on service promises and provide solutions that meet customers’ air cargo needs. Demonstrating the carrier’s commitment to providing the highest standards of customer service, Etihad Cargo maintained a strong On Time Performance rate of 83% freighter despite the challenging handling environment across the network.
Drew has strengthened Etihad Cargo’s continuous improvement culture, enhancing the carrier’s operations, processes and products to meet internationally recognised standards. In 2022, Etihad Cargo achieved Cargo iQ recertification, the requirements of which are at the core of Etihad Cargo’s Service Delivery and Performance Management. Etihad Cargo also became the first Middle Eastern airline and only the third globally to hold the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Live Animals, Fresh and Pharma certifications in 2022.
Drew has also facilitated growth across several of Etihad Cargo’s premium products with the appointment of dedicated product managers. In addition to ensuring Etihad Cargo’s products comply with international guidelines and regulations, the carrier has enhanced its services to meet capacity demands. As a result, the performance of Etihad Cargo’s award-winning, CEIV Pharma-certified PharmaLife product increased by 46% in H1 2022. Etihad Cargo’s CEIV Live Animals-certified products dedicated to the transportation of live animals, LiveAnimals and SkyStables, have also witnessed year-on-year performance increases, with a 52% increase in the movement of live animals and a 137% increase in the movement of horses compared to H1 2021.
To ensure the carrier remains future-ready, Drew has continued the digitalisation journey Etihad Cargo commenced in 2018. He has continued to explore Etihad Cargo’s capabilities with a view to offering customers an enhanced experience through the introduction of new technology. As a result, the carrier has launched an enhanced online booking portal to provide customers with a quicker, easier booking process. Usage of the online booking portal has surged, with 57% more bookings made via the portal.
Drew recognised how critical technology and digitalisation would be to ensuring Etihad Cargo’s continued success and position as the air cargo partner of choice. He has sought out solutions that will benefit not only Etihad Cargo’s customers but also airports, ground handling staff and other stakeholders.
To harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI), Drew and his team are exploring AI-driven cargo dimensions measurement and capacity planning optimisation. Once trials have been completed, these digital solutions will become practical tools in minimising leaking and optimising offload recovery. Furthermore, Etihad Cargo has continued to invest in and support efforts toward automated reporting and real-time information and achieved 81% e-AWB adoption in H1 2022, benefiting the carrier’s customers and accelerating its journey to paperless airline operations.
Drew has also prioritised sustainability, ensuring Etihad Cargo remains fully aligned with Etihad Aviation Group’s initiatives and its pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In addition to replacing 3,000 containers from its original aluminium unit load device (ULD) fleet with environmentally friendly lightweight versions, Etihad Cargo has partnered with B Medical Systems to develop and launch the industry’s first airline-specific passive temperature-controlled solution for the transportation of life-saving drugs, vaccines and high-value pharmaceuticals.
Further enhancing Etihad Cargo’s pharmaceutical capabilities, Drew has forged partnerships across the pharma supply chain. As a founding member of the HOPE Consortium and the national carrier of the UAE, Etihad Cargo played an integral role in facilitating the transportation of vaccines and medication.
The carrier collaborated with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Rafed, and global innovative biopharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to bring the world’s first shipment of Sotrovimab, an anti-viral treatment for COVID-19, to Abu Dhabi. Etihad Cargo also carried the first AstraZeneca’s Evusheld medication in 2021, making the UAE one of the first countries globally to receive the long-acting antibody medication, marking an important milestone for healthcare, logistics and supply chain entities that continue to contribute to the evolution of Abu Dhabi’s medical sector.