Hangar A provides nationwide next-day and two-day delivery without large distribution centres by leveraging commercial airline cargo capacity, offering cost-efficient speed, high visibility, and flexibility for both small parcels and oversized freight.
Its Express Cargo Management System integrates with customer systems via an API-first architecture, using AI to automate routing, optimise carrier selection, predict exceptions, and deliver live, end-to-end visibility through centralised dashboards.
Rapid scaling for e-commerce, expanded carrier partnerships, and plans to grow injection markets and enter new North American locations position Hangar A as a versatile logistics partner across multiple sectors.

As e-commerce booms and expectations for faster, cheaper, and more transparent delivery rise, an opportunity has emerged for companies that are able to offer nationwide next-day and two-day shipping without the costly burden of physical infrastructure.

“Hangar A offers businesses a true alternative to legacy express carriers by combining speed, flexibility, and a tech-enabled approach to delivery,” Kevin Kerns, CEO and President of Hangar A, said. “With our nationwide network, companies can offer next-day or 2-day shipping without the high cost of building, leasing, or managing multiple distribution centers across the country.”

Unlike traditional models that rely heavily on large-scale warehousing, Hangar A’s model minimises fixed overhead and leverages air cargo networks to provide wide-scale delivery capabilities. “This dramatically reduces fixed overhead while accelerating fulfillment,” Kerns noted. “Whether shipping small parcels or large items, our platform enables faster delivery at rates competitive with slower, over-the-road options.”

One of the company’s most touted features is its deep commitment to visibility. “A key differentiator is our superior visibility—a capability that continues to be the number one reason customers choose Hangar A over lower-cost alternatives,” Kerns emhasised. “We’ve invested in experienced talent and platform features that help shippers see the full package journey, from origin to doorstep, with unmatched clarity.”

The cargo backbone

One of Hangar A’s strategic advantages lies in its close-knit relationships with major U.S. airlines like United, American, and Delta. These partnerships aren’t just symbolic—they’re structural enablers that allow Hangar A to maintain consistent cargo capacity and route flexibility that directly influences cost and customer satisfaction.

“Our strategic relationships with leading U.S. airlines give us consistent access to lift capacity—the available cargo space on commercial aircraft—and a broad mix of routes across the country,” Kerns explained.

“This allows us to dynamically match shipments with the most efficient flights, especially for high-volume corridors, and offer optimal transit times and pricing.”

By embedding itself into the commercial airline freight ecosystem, Hangar A benefits from the operational regularity and breadth of passenger flights, converting them into expedited cargo solutions. “These partnerships also ensure network stability and allow us to serve both standard-sized and oversized freight, with wide-body aircraft enabling the transport of big and bulky items that might otherwise require specialised carriers,” Kerns added.

Scaling for the e-commerce surge

The explosion in e-commerce volumes has turned delivery logistics into a battlefield of speed and efficiency. Hangar A, recognising this early, pivoted swiftly to accommodate the rising demand by fortifying its platform and network.

“To meet growing e-commerce demand, we’ve scaled both our express delivery network and our technology platform,” Kerns stated. “Our eCMS is built for high-volume order flows and now supports massive throughput in small parcel deliveries, which has become our fastest-growing segment.”

This segment growth is backed by targeted network expansion and digital automation. “We’ve expanded our national footprint by adding more air and ground carrier partners and refining our eCMS platform to automate decisions and handle complexity with ease,” he expressed. “This has made us an ideal partner for brands that want to scale nationwide quickly without adding fixed logistics infrastructure.”

Integration, intelligence, and insights

Designed to integrate seamlessly with customer systems Hangar A’s Express Cargo Management System (eCMS) eliminates data silos and fosters real-time coordination.

“Our API-first approach means we’ve made deliberate investments in building a robust integration layer for the eCMS—allowing it to easily connect with our clients’ TMS, OMS, and ERP systems,” Kerns said. “Rather than requiring extensive custom development, our API infrastructure is built to plug in and synchronise data quickly and securely.”

Beyond integration, AI is quietly revolutionising logistics decisions within the eCMS. “AI within the eCMS helps automate routing decisions, optimise carrier selection, and predict exceptions before they happen,” Kerns explained. “AI and machine learning analyse historical data to identify patterns and optimise decision-making, which leads to faster delivery, fewer delays, and a smoother customer experience overall.”

This technology stack also enables powerful end-to-end visibility. “Hangar A’s eCMS includes a Command Center Console for shippers, giving them a live, centralised view of their shipments across the entire delivery network,” he shared. “We also provide an exception management dashboard that flags issues in real time.”

Serving sizes and sectors

Hangar A has distinguished itself not just by speed and tech but by its versatility in handling everything from high-volume small parcels to oversized shipments. “Hangar A is uniquely equipped to handle big and bulky items thanks to our platform, our carrier partnerships, and our operational infrastructure,” Kerns said.

From auto parts and appliances to electronics and healthcare equipment, the system is designed to evaluate size, weight, and urgency. “Our system receives shipment dimensions and weight as inputs and evaluates them to determine the appropriate aircraft types and lanes,” he highlighted.

This same adaptability has made Hangar A an invaluable logistics partner across verticals. “In healthcare, we’ve supported urgent next-day shipments of medical supplies and devices with time-definite delivery windows,” Kerns outlined. “For manufacturers, we’ve helped maintain production continuity by expediting high-value components… and in retail, our network enables omnichannel brands to offer fast nationwide shipping without having to invest in multiple warehouses.”

Route optimisation

Zone skipping and strategic routing are critical to Hangar A’s efficiency model. “Our eCMS platform uses data-driven logic to recommend zone-skipping strategies by analysing shipment origin, destination, weight, and urgency,” Kerns declared. “This lets our clients bypass traditional carrier zones and get packages to customers faster—often at lower cost.”

Customer service is another cornerstone of the brand’s reputation. “Every client is assigned a dedicated support contact, and our in-house operations team monitors shipments daily,” he said. “We offer email and phone support, along with automated tracking updates and exception alerts.”

Feedback loops help the company continuously refine its services. “For example, our recently released POD functionality—which provides delivery photos or recipient signatures—was built in direct response to a customer request,” Kerns revealed.

Looking ahead, Hangar A’s growth trajectory is clear and ambitious. “We plan to significantly expand our domestic footprint by increasing the number of injection markets from 40 to approximately 60 by the end of the year,” he continued. “We’re also entering new North American markets, including Canada… and working with global clients that want to inject goods into our US network from overseas manufacturing hubs.”

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DHL Global Forwarding has appointed Henk Venema as its new Executive Vice President for Global Airfreight, reinforcing its focus on reliability, transparency, and service performance.
Announced by CEO Oscar de Bok, the move brings Venema’s two decades of operational experience across Exel, UTI, Geodis, and DHL into a global leadership role.
Previously head of DHL’s Benelux business, Venema is expected to strengthen airfreight execution through his expertise in carrier relations, capacity management, and customer-focused operations. His appointment reflects DHL’s strategy to act with greater speed and consistency in a complex air cargo market.

DHL Global Forwarding has named Henk Venema as its new Executive Vice President for Global Airfreight, a move aimed at strengthening the forwarder’s reliability, transparency and service performance in a demanding airfreight environment.

“We announced that Henk Venema will take on the role of EVP Global Airfreight for DHL Global Forwarding. Henk brings a depth of operational experience that matters in Airfreight. He understands the product from every angle; carriers, capacity, service quality, pricing and the day-to-day realities of running a resilient network. His more than 20 year career across Exel, UTI, Geodis and, for nearly a decade DHL, has shaped a leader who is close to the customer and clear on what good looks like.”

Oscar de Bok announced the appointment, highlighting Venema’s extensive operational experience across carriers, capacity, service quality, pricing and daily network management. Venema has built a career spanning more than 20 years at Exel, UTI, Geodis and, for nearly a decade, DHL. His background across these global logistics companies has given him a broad understanding of freight operations and customer-facing service.

Before stepping into the global airfreight role, Venema led DHL’s Benelux business. This regional leadership experience, combined with his long exposure to major international supply chain organisations, places him among the senior operational leaders within DHL’s global forwarding division. De Bok said Venema’s deep understanding of the airfreight product will support DHL’s ambition to deliver consistently, act with speed and create real value for customers. He added that Venema’s leadership will help reinforce the reliability and service performance that customers expect from a forwarder

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