In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club Insight series (https://www.thefreightbuyersclub.com), host Mike King sits down with Neel Jones Shah—former senior executive at Flexport, Delta, and United—to dissect the biggest forces shaping air cargo in 2025. From Trump’s latest tariffs and their impact on e-commerce exports to the slow pace of air freight digitalization, Neel shares candid insights on where the industry is headed. He also reflects on Flexport’s bold ambitions, why combination airlines may have the upper hand in a downturn, and how geopolitical risks—from the Suez Canal to de minimis rules—will shake up supply chains. Could air cargo be facing a major slump?

Brought to you by Ontegos Cloud (https://www.ontegos.cloud).

Guest

Neel Jones Shah, former senior executive at Flexport, Delta Airlines and United Cargo. 

Episode in more detail:

Highlights from a fascinating career (1.26)

The evolution of freight buyers (3.49)

Flexport: achievements and mishaps (5.34)

Why is the air forwarding supply chain digital-resistant? (9.13)

Trump’s tariffs will hit e-commerce hard—here’s how (15.00)

Air freight supply vs demand (21.28)

Does tariff uncertainty discourage diversification? (23.00)

Geopolitical risks in 2025 (25.00)

Is a bearish storm looming for air cargo? (28.15)

Winners and losers (31.16)

Why is air cargo so slow? (33.51)

How to make supply chains better for BCOs (36.17)