With its innovative Cargo Connector service meeting with great success in the US, IAG Cargo today announces that it has launched the service in Houston and Seattle, following a three week trial at the airports. For consignments of less than 300 kilos, freight forwarders in these cities can now opt to have IAG Cargo collect and courier cargo direct from their premises to the airport, at no additional cost, with freight screening arranged as required. The service benefits freight forwarders by allowing them to book cargo at short notice, as well as removing the need for them to pay for their own driver and truck, which can prove costly during busy periods Joe LeBeau, Regional Commercial Manager North America, at IAG Cargo, commented: “We have been delighted by the success of Cargo Connector in the US. Our launch cities, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles are now experiencing high levels of demand for the service and word is spreading fast. Indeed so high is demand for Cargo Connector in Houston and Seattle, we have decided to launch it fully after just three weeks of trial. It is a little over 18 months since we first launched Cargo Connector but it has become a massive success – both in the US and beyond.” Cargo Connector is the first freight collection service of its kind and is available in a total of seven US airports: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta, as well as the two new cities launching today. It is also available at IAG Cargo’s UK hub operation at London Heathrow. Drivers arrive in IAG Cargo-branded vans and in addition to collecting freight are able to process new cargo bookings on-the-spot, making it easier than ever for freight forwarders to connect to IAG Cargo’s network of 350 destinations. LeBeau concluded: “Businesses in Seattle and Houston are clearly ready for Cargo Connector. It is ideal for businesses of any kind looking to ship low weight cargo, but we have found it has been particularly popular for high-value goods, the online retail industry and the electronics industry. And it is not just in these new locations that we are seeing good levels of take up; Cargo Connector is proving successful across the board. Take Chicago, where we have just added a new van to our fleet to help keep up with customer orders. We have big plans for the future when it comes to Cargo Connector, so watch this space for new location launches and updates to the Cargo Connector offering.”