Cathay Cargo is continuing to enhance the digital experience for customers with the latest upgrade to the Cathay Cargo online booking platform.  

Last year, the platform added functionality enabling users to see their booking history and drill down into the details of individual shipments. This new iteration enables users to review and amend bookings themselves before reconfirming or cancelling them without leaving the site or contacting Cathay Cargo sales teams. This innovation is the latest step in making cathaycargo.com a one-stop for customers’ air cargo and shipment needs.  

Head of Cargo Distribution Simon Ng says the Manage Booking feature is an eagerly anticipated addition to the cathaycargo.com booking platform. “It was the most requested item according to our biannual customer survey,” he says. “People were telling us that they liked the flexibility of Click & Ship because they could use it 24/7, but if they needed to amend bookings they had to call the sales team. Now they'll be able to do it themselves, no matter the channel used to make the original booking.”

The functionality will also be available to EzyCargo™ users once they have completed a one-time registration on cathaycargo.com. 

The new Manage Booking function at a glance

• Omni-channel coverage

All bookings, regardless of original booking channel, can be managed through Manage Booking.

• 24/7 booking management

Bookings can be amended using data points such as size, weight and schedule, without the need to call the Cathay Cargo sales team. 

• Preview before you commit

The system enables users to preview changes to their booking or booking status before confirming them. 

• Instant confirmation for eligible bookings

Eligible bookings will be confirmed instantly, and the new booking status will appear, except in cases that require review by Cathay Cargo. Bookings that are under review will be processed at the earliest opportunity by the sales team.

• Enhanced transparency

Once changes are made, the system will notify the relevant booking contact by email. Changes made up to RCS (Airline Received/Ready for Carriage) are also recorded so customers can keep track of every booking amendment.

The enthusiasm for this new feature is apparent. Cargo Distribution Manager Serwing Lo says that the first booking modification came through around 30 minutes after the system went live. “And that was without any promotion,” she says. “We think customers are really going to appreciate being able to modify their booking and see the rate reflected instantly, so that the whole process is now much more like managing bookings on the passenger side.”

Nico Lin, Air Freight Coload Manager at UEC Group, appreciates the efficiency this brings to their operation. “Manage Booking has significantly improved our operational efficiency,” he says. “The ability to access transparent pricing and real-time availability in one system allows our team to respond faster to client needs and market changes. It is an invaluable tool that has greatly reduced our turnaround time.”

Feedback from Yusen Logistics’ Air Freight Forwarding Division added that the transparency of records is also proving helpful. “Having a complete history of all booking changes in one place allows our team to track every modification and understand exactly how a shipment has evolved. This clear audit trail, combined with the real-time previews of changes before we confirm them, has significantly reduced errors and improved our internal accountability. It is a highly reliable tool for maintaining data accuracy in a busy environment,” the forwarder noted.

These reflect the overall objectives for Manage Booking, according to James Evans, General Manager Cargo Commercial. "We know that our customers want greater control, more flexibility, and greater transparency over shipments,” he says. “We are confident that they will enjoy having the power that Manage Booking through cathaycargo.com puts at their fingertips."