“Air freight is the invisible but vital lifeline to oncology access. Behind every vial, there is an ecosystem of precision and timeliness.”
Yulia Seletaria, Global Director of Pharmaceuticals at Healthc’Air, speaks calmly but with conviction. Her words reflect an often overlooked truth: while awareness campaigns fill the public sphere every October, the logistical networks that enable global access to cancer treatments remain largely invisible.
Each shipment of breast cancer treatments represents more than just a shipment. It is the patient’s next round of treatment, the pharmaceutical manufacturer’s pledge to quality, and the industry’s silent promise to never compromise timing and temperature. This is where the human dimension of air cargo becomes clear – a system that combines operational precision with empathy.
Last mile risk: where seconds and degrees matter
according to Alex Guillenglobal small and medium sized life sciences and pharmaceutical companies in tiffThe greatest weaknesses in oncology therapies occur in the final phase of distribution.
“The greatest risk of temperature changes occurs during the last mile of delivery – especially for finished drug products that are shipped at 2-8°C or controlled room temperature.” He explained. “This phase often involves local distribution or direct delivery to the patient, where maintaining strict environmental control becomes more difficult.”
Newer cancer treatments often require extremely cold conditions, from -40°C to -196°C. For such processors, the risk extends to the entire supply chain. “Every delivery or delay increases the chance of deviation.” Gelin said.
For Tiff, the solution lies in constant vision. “Our trackers provide real-time visibility and instant alerts when a temperature deviation, delay or shock event occurs – so teams can immediately intervene to protect the shipment.” He said. The company’s managed monitoring services now oversee critical pharmaceutical shipments around the clock, intervening before product safety is compromised.
Every successful rescue translates directly into an outcome for the patient. Gelin pointed out Biocarea specialized logistics provider, for example: Using Tive dry ice sensors, Biocair continuously tracks location and temperature, allowing early corrective action. “Each intervention represents a patient receiving their treatment on time – proof that real-time monitoring directly translates to better health outcomes.” He added.
As more treatments get closer to the patient, the pressure on logistics increases. “The expansion of home health care is reshaping the cold chain from centralized distribution to direct delivery to the patient,” Gelin noted. “Every step outside of controlled facilities carries greater risk, making close monitoring and coordinated logistics essential.”
He added that airlines are making this transformation possible by expanding networks to include secondary airports and regional centers, “Reducing exposure time and ensuring treatments arrive safe, effective and ready to use.”
Delivery of care: GSA coordination layer
to Aitken SarayCEO of the company GSA International GroupThe challenge is not only technical, but also systemic. Oncology shipments move through multiple players – forwarders, handlers, airlines, regulators – and any misalignment can threaten integrity.
“Our teams know they are not just handling freight, they are managing critical treatments to people waiting in hospitals or at home.” Sarai said.
GSA’s global group handles oncology and other life sciences shipments for many airline partners around the world. Company cooperation with HealthCare It enhances those capabilities through coordinated standard operating procedures, proactive monitoring, and contingency planning.
Sarai points out that much of the industry’s risks arise from inconsistency. “Infrastructure, regulatory interpretation and availability of trained staff vary between regions.” He said. “This is where GSAs can make a difference – by anticipating issues, improving routing, and coordinating with partners before deviations occur.”
Transitions between processors or transfer modes are the weakest links. He added that GSAs act as stabilizing factors for the chain: ensuring certified capacity, rapid transition to temperature-controlled areas, and clear communication between all parties.
On the ground: accuracy of dealing and responsibility
in SwissportPharmaceuticals are not a niche commodity but are the backbone of major operations. “Air freight for pharmaceuticals and life sciences is at the heart of our pharmaceutical warehouses, for example in Basel, Switzerland. About sixty-five percent of their export volume is pharmaceutical products.” He said Dirk Govaertsthe company’s CEO for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India and Head of Global Shipping.
Swissport’s 23 authorized medicine centers – including centers in Basel, Brussels, Amsterdam, Nairobi and Tokyo Narita – are designed around traceability and temperature control. The facilities feature multiple temperature zones (+15°C to +25°C, +2°C to +8°C, and -20°C) and continuous environmental monitoring.
“The main danger is temperature deviation.” Govaerts said. “We mitigate this by fully tracking every step of processing and constantly monitoring the temperature in all storage areas.”
Swissport Cool + Connect The corridor, launched in Basel in 2024, allows pre-conditioned loading at +2°C to +8°C, reducing the need for trucking operations between warehouses and aircraft. “The facility reduces additional truck movements, reducing CO2 emissions while improving temperature stability.” He said.
Vision is also key. Customers receive automatic updates through Swissport’s CiQ platform and are notified immediately if any temperature deviation occurs. However, Govaerts believes that culture is as important as technology. “All shipping staff receive regular training on medication handling. Our fair culture helps teams understand that every shipment could be a life-saving treatment.”
Objective of future investments Liège and chicagoexpanding Swissport’s ability to handle ultra-low temperatures (-60°C and below) as demand for gene therapy logistics accelerates.
Airlines in Oncology Logistics Center
to Lufthansa CargoLife sciences and pharma logistics are not a seasonal focus but a strategic pillar. “Life sciences and pharmaceuticals form a strategic pillar of Lufthansa Cargo’s business and represent one of its steadily growing sectors.” said Orte Wirtz, Head of Global Sales and Product Management at Lufthansa Cargo.
Every year the company handles large volumes of vaccines, diagnostics and oncology drugs through its global network of more than 230 pharmaceutical terminals – 30 CEIV Pharma certified and six GDPR certified.
One final operation demonstrates the precision required. “A pioneering breast cancer treatment is regularly flown from Dublin to Tokyo under active temperature control conditions, first on an Airbus A321F to Frankfurt, then on a Boeing 777F to Narita.” The airline noticed. Both flights use Envirotainer units under constant supervision by Lufthansa’s drug control tower.
“Ensuring the safety of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals during air transport requires careful coordination across all stages of handling.” Wirtz said.
Lufthansa Cargo addresses these challenges through clearly defined processes, proven infrastructure and continuous innovation, both for actively temperature-controlled cargoes and passively supported cargoes. The carrier uses pre-conditioned storage, thermal covers, an exposure time calculator, and sensor-enabled ULDs that transmit live data.
Company LCCevo The modernization project – a €600 million investment scheduled to be completed by 2030 – will transform Frankfurt into one of the most advanced pharmaceutical logistics centers in Europe, fully integrated with smart monitoring and automation.
Beyond technology, Wirtz highlights its role in expanding reach. “Through Brussels Airlines’ strong network in Africa, Lufthansa Cargo connects pharmaceutical manufacturers to remote regions, helping to ensure that essential treatments reach the patients who depend on them.”
Resilience remains central. “Recent months have shown once again how important flexibility and transparency are to maintaining reliable pharmaceutical logistics.” The airline added.
Sustainability lies alongside that of reliability. “For Lufthansa Cargo, climate protection and product safety go hand in hand.” The carrier is enhancing efficiency and sustainability through fleet and facility modernization, certified environmental management, and the use of sustainable aviation fuel, all of which contribute to its long-term goal of climate-neutral operations.
Looking to the future, Wirtz expects increased demand for rapid, temperature-sensitive transportation of advanced therapies. “By 2030, air cargo will remain indispensable for providing advanced cancer treatments globally.” The airline said.
Bridging access and awareness
Healthc’Air is at the intersection of technology, compliance and compassion. For Julia Seletaria, every operational standard starts with empathy. “Air transport can only be as strong as the weakest link in the chain.” She said. “That’s why we at Healthc’Air are focusing on building smart corridors for aerial medicines – connecting approved terminals with trained partners and coordinated standard operating procedures.”
These lanes support more than off-the-shelf medications. “Air freight supports every stage of healthcare – from biological samples for genomic testing to research medicines and diagnostic reagents.” She explained.
Healthc’Air philosophy, “From plane to bottle”reflects the shift towards fully connected logistics – where data visibility and human responsibility move hand in hand. “Every shipment of oncology therapeutics is much more than just temperature data and transit milestones – it is an opportunity for someone to continue treatment and live.”
Seletaria views awareness initiatives as more than just symbolic. “People move medicines, not systems – and awareness, especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, reminds us that behind every box there is someone with hope.”
Predictive supply chains and human focus
For Guillén in Tiv, the next transformation will depend on intelligence, not reaction. “The next wave of reliability will come from predictive, not reactive, cold chain management.” He said.
Real-time IoT sensors will still be essential, but their value will deepen as AI analyzes millions of data points to predict risk patterns and automate interventions. “These innovations will help maintain the safety of medicines and ensure every patient receives their treatment as intended.”
Across the ecosystem – from Lufthansa’s digital medicine map to Swissport’s real-time handling data, from network monitoring of GSAs to Healthc’Air corridor validation – the same transformation is taking place: transforming air cargo from a mode of transportation into a network of proactive care.
Oncology logistics is no longer a hidden specialty. Each innovation in surveillance, infrastructure and collaboration represents a thread in a larger tapestry that brings together global access to treatment.
The risks are not measured in tons, but in lives: the mother waiting for her next dose, the researcher whose experimental shipment arrived intact, the hospital technician whose storage data confirms its stability.
As industry marks Breast Cancer Awareness MonthIts quietest work may also be its most impactful – ensuring that every vial entrusted to airfreight arrives safe, cold and full of hope.
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