Imperial Air Cargo (Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) has been acquired by BidAir Cargo, a local cargo handling agent with operations that extend throughout Southern and Eastern Africa.

A 70/30 partnership between Imperial Logistics and Comair (South Africa) (CAW, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo), Imperial Air Cargo uses leased B737-200(F)s for night-time operations between Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, Cape Town International, Durban King Shaka, and Port Elizabeth. Road feeder services then connect Bloemfontein, George and East London to the four main airports.

This operation will complement BidAir Cargo's business model in which it manages the daytime cargo operations of domestic passenger operators at various airports around the country.

"As two separate companies we collaborated closely in serving the express logistics industry for many years,” Garry Marshall, BidAir Cargo Managing Director, told South Africa's Supply Chain Update. “Couriers kept pressing us for the extra convenience of a one-stop-shop so combining these operations makes good business sense. We now have a comprehensive range of daytime and overnight express services to satisfy the total needs of the courier industry via one point of access.”