American Airlines adds value to the cold chain

On the eve of the annual meeting of The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) annual meeting this week, American Airlines Cargo division announced the expansion of its cold-chain service.

ExpediteTC will include a new solution for the requirements of cold packaging during transit.

The new solution, called ExpediteTC Passive, supports ambient temperature control using state-of-the-art cool rooms, expedited handling processes and high-visibility monitoring to ensure cargo is handled within desired temperature ranges. This offering augments American’s current service, ExpediteTC Active, which utilizes dry ice and battery-powered containers to actively regulate temperature levels, regardless of ambient conditions.

“Our new ExpediteTC Passive cold-chain service provides our customers with another important option for moving time- and temperature-sensitive cargo,” said Dave Brooks, president of American Airlines Cargo. “The worldwide rollout of this service is supported by extensive training to provide a consistent, reliable service across our network.”

Preparation for launch of the new service included a pilot program and training of 2,400 ground and warehouse employees around the world. The service integrates American’s proprietary high-visibility system with distinct processes used by employees to support temperature control during handling.

American Airlines has been an innovator in this technology from the very beginning,” said Brandon Fried, executive director of the Air Forwarders Association. “It comes as no surprise that they are continuing to refine their technology.

Shippers may access online tracking and receive notification alerts via e-mail or mobile phone. ExpediteTC is supported by a 100 percent money-back guarantee that the shipment will be flown on the routing for which it was booked. In addition, a help desk is available for the service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.