Röhlig expands Air Freight capacity to support Europe–Australia cargo amid Middle East disruptions

Röhlig Logistics has rapidly expanded controlled air freight capacity by up to three times to support customers moving cargo between Europe and Australia/New Zealand as disruptions impact traditional transit routes through the Middle East logistics corridor.

The Middle East has long served as a critical hub for Europe–Oceania air freight, with major gateways in the United Arab Emirates connecting Europe with Australia and New Zealand. Middle East service disruption including recent airport and airspace closures across this corridor are forcing many shippers to seek alternative air freight routes and additional cargo capacity to maintain supply chain continuity.

In response, Röhlig Logistics has implemented contingency solutions including dedicated freighter charters, expanded commercial air freight uplift, alternative routing strategies bypassing affected hubs, and additional carrier partnerships across global air freight networks.

As a trusted logistics partner in challenging times, Röhlig’s global teams are working around the clock to protect supply chain continuity for customers navigating this rapidly evolving situation.

Alternative Air Freight routes for Europe–Australia shipments

Through close coordination with airline partners and internal operations teams, Röhlig has increased controlled air freight capacity by two to three times across key trade lanes connecting Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

These measures are designed to:

Maintain cargo flow between Europe and Australia/New Zealand
Minimise supply chain disruption
Provide reliable alternatives to Middle East transit routes
Support urgent and high-value shipments

Dedicated Boeing 747 charter adds over 100 tonnes of capacity

To further support customers, Röhlig arranged a dedicated Boeing 747 freighter charter to Sydney, delivering more than 100 tonnes of cargo capacity for time-critical and oversized shipments moving between Europe and Oceania.

The aircraft transported approximately 110 tonnes of cargo (450 cubic metres), loaded across 31 main deck positions and nine lower deck positions, along with a 20-foot pallet for specialised freight.

The charter operation required significant international coordination, including two flight crews and technical stopovers in Baku (GYD) and Hong Kong (HKG) before arriving in Sydney.

Our customers needed capacity and fast solutions, and our team moved quickly to deliver. Coordinating shipments from 101 customers across nine countries in just three days is no small task, but it shows the strength of the Röhlig network and the commitment of our people to keep supply chains moving,

Brett Smith
Airfreight Manager APAC
Röhlig Logistics

Coordinated global response across Air and Sea Freight

The capacity expansion forms part of a broader contingency strategy implemented by Röhlig’s global air freight teams to maintain reliable cargo flows despite evolving global routing challenges.

Röhlig teams across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Southeast Asia remain closely coordinated to manage developments and provide customers with practical logistics solutions.

Importantly, booking processes remain unchanged, allowing customers to continue arranging shipments through their existing Röhlig contacts.

Upon arrival in Sydney, Röhlig’s operations team ensured rapid cargo handling and distribution.

With dedicated collections beginning at 4:00 AM, the Sydney warehouse team processed 41 cargo units within five hours, enabling customers to receive their shipments without delay.

It took a lot of coordination across teams and partners to make this freighter operation happen. Our team did an amazing job managing all the moving parts, ensuring customer cargo was delivered on time while continuing to provide flexible logistics solutions,

Sydney Warehouse Manager
Röhlig Logistics

Supporting customers through global Air Freight disruptions

With the Middle East acting as a central logistics hub for many global trade lanes, disruptions can quickly impact cargo flows between Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Businesses moving freight across these corridors may need to review transit routes, secure capacity early, consider charter options for urgent shipments, and work with logistics partners that offer flexible routing solutions.

By expanding controlled capacity and deploying dedicated charter solutions, Röhlig Logistics continues to support customers navigating disruptions across global air freight networks.

Röhlig Logistics remains focused on providing reliable solutions and ensuring consistency across customers’ global supply chains.

Customers are encouraged to get in touch with our offices via phone, email, or in person to discuss the options available to support their logistics needs.

Want to know more?

Contact your local team to discuss solutions tailored to your business.

Find your local office