Swiftair (Spain)

Airline overview

Swiftair S.A. is a Spanish specialist cargo airline founded in Madrid in 1986. It started with express freight between Madrid and the Balearic Islands and has grown into a cargo and charter operator covering Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The head office is in Madrid (Ingeniero Torres Quevedo 14, next to Madrid Barajas Airport), the main base is Madrid Barajas Airport and the parent company is Lusat Air SL. Its IATA code is WT, ICAO code SWT and callsign SWIFT. The official website is swiftair.com.

In business structure the company centres on supplying capacity for express and mail, providing scheduled cargo, charters and whole-aircraft capacity to global express operators such as DHL, UPS and FedEx and to cross-border e-commerce companies, alongside ACMI wet leasing, passenger charters and air services for United Nations missions. Published information shows more than 1,350 staff and a maintenance system run to EASA Part 145 standards, with stations and maintenance sites in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. In October 2025 the infrastructure investor Antin Infrastructure Partners acquired a majority stake for about EUR 280 million, with founder and chief executive Salvador Moreno retaining a shareholding and continuing to run the company.

In group structure, the parent Lusat Air SL also owns Cygnus Air in Madrid (Boeing 757 freighter operations), Swiftair Hellas in Athens (formerly Mediterranean Air Freight) and the West Atlantic group in Malmo, Sweden, forming a cargo transfer system covering northern and southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

For Chinese shippers the capacity is concentrated within Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and the core value is regional final distribution and on-demand charters. Chinese cargo usually reaches a European hub such as Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam or Liege on a trunk flight, clears customs and connects within the network to secondary points in Spain, Portugal, southern France, North Africa and the Middle East, forming a complete chain from China to inland Europe and southbound markets.

China contact

There is no published office of its own in China. The airline has no published sales office or cargo department in China, so shippers who need its European, North African or Middle East capacity should contact its local agent in China, or ask Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited for help; website https://goodhope86.com.

Published head office information: the head office and maintenance base are at Ingeniero Torres Quevedo 14, Madrid, next to Madrid Barajas Airport; the official website is swiftair.com. Cargo sales and business contacts follow the details published on that site, with current telephone numbers and emails according to the airline's latest official channels. Office addresses and contacts can change with operations.

To check rates, space and flights, Chinese shippers can ask Goodhope Freight to approach the company's sales department or its ground agents at European stations. Because capacity is sold mainly under customer contracts and charter agreements, public channels normally offer no booking entry for end customers, so it is more efficient to deal through a freight forwarder.

Aircraft types and fleet

The fleet is made up of converted freighters and turboprop freighters; published information shows about 43 to 47 aircraft on the register in 2025 with an average age of about 25 years, built mainly on narrowbody jet freighters and ATR turboprop freighters, covering both high-frequency short and medium sectors and regional feeder routes.

The Airbus A321-200P2F is a converted narrowbody with main deck volume and payload at the high end for its class, suited to e-commerce and medium consignments, and its 2,300 nautical mile range covers the main sectors from Europe to North Africa and the Middle East. The Boeing 737-400SF and 737-800BCF/800BDSF are the main night express types within Europe, with some 737-800BDSF and 737-400SF explicitly operated for DHL on night hub-and-spoke runs between the Iberian Peninsula and major European hubs. The Boeing 757-200PCF and 757-200PF offer more payload and range for longer sectors and larger consignments. ATR 42-300F/300QC and ATR 72-200F/500F/600F turboprop freighters handle regional feeder and low-density routes, suited to short runways and frequent small consignments.

In handling terms the mix suits high-frequency night operations within Europe, with cargo mainly express items, e-commerce parcels, mail, auto parts, pharmaceuticals and general industrial goods. Jet freighter main deck doors take standard pallets and containers, while turboprop freighters carry mainly loose load; single-piece size is limited by the hold door, and very long or heavy pieces need loading conditions and ground equipment confirmed in advance, subject to the carrier's confirmation that day.

Airport services and schedules in China

Airport services in China

No published information. The airline operates no scheduled cargo flight non-stop from any airport in China, has no ground service or direct sales counter at a Chinese airport, and its published network is concentrated in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Chinese cargo can connect to its regional network only after reaching a European hub, which is the standard way to use its capacity.

On the Chinese side, cargo departs from major airports including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Zhengzhou and Hangzhou. After export declaration and security screening in China, cargo flies to a European hub, where the ground agent completes document transfer, transit security and reloading before it enters the European, North African and Middle East network. One air waybill covers the whole movement, with no second declaration in China.

European, North African and Middle East network schedules

Schedules are run mainly under customer contracts and charter agreements, and no complete scheduled cargo timetable is published. The network centres on Madrid Barajas and extends to the Iberian Peninsula, major European hubs, North Africa (Morocco, Algeria and others) and the Middle East, with capacity in the Mediterranean and northern Europe complemented by the Greek subsidiary and Swedish group member. Actual points, frequencies and times are subject to the carrier's confirmation on the day of booking.

Times are local. Actual schedules vary with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.

On connections, after Chinese cargo reaches a European hub the ground agent completes international transit formalities and rebuilds pallets or containers to the loading requirements of the regional sector, connecting to the destination. Connection time depends on hub flight density and customs processing, and the day's connections govern; if the season changes or capacity shifts, the forwarder notifies the shipper in advance and adjusts the plan.

Cargo connections from China to Europe and southbound markets

From China, cargo connects once at a European hub such as Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam or Liege onto the Swiftair network, reaching major Spanish cities and secondary points, Portugal, southern France, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, and extending south to North African markets such as Morocco and Algeria and toward the Middle East. For regional points that large widebody freighters cannot cover, its narrowbody and turboprop freighters can reach them.

Major Chinese gateways such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Zhengzhou all have dense mainline services to these European hubs, so one air waybill can cover the whole journey. Cargo is handled under international transit procedures at the hub and does not need to be re-declared in China; the rate is built up leg by leg and calculated by the freight forwarder.

The network suits routine cargo such as electronic components, auto parts, machinery parts, medicines and medical supplies, textiles and garments, e-commerce parcels and mail. Charging follows IATA rules on the greater of gross and volumetric weight, with volumetric weight calculated as length times width times height divided by 6000; for low-density cargo, improving packaging in advance controls the chargeable weight. Heavy or oversize pieces need hold door dimensions, floor loading and ground handling equipment confirmed in advance.

For small or scattered consignments, cargo can be consolidated and handed over at the European hub for the regional flights; for a single large consignment, project materials or fixed-transit cargo, pallet, space or whole-aircraft charters can be requested. Transit from China to Europe and North Africa depends on the airport, hub and season, and the forwarder sets out the expected transit and capacity plan with the quotation.

Freight advantages from China

For shippers in China, the advantages of using this carrier's capacity are as follows.

First, final coverage in Europe and southbound markets. The fleet is mainly narrowbody and turboprop freighters and can reach secondary points in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa and the Middle East that large widebody freighters cannot, so Chinese cargo gains good last-mile reach after the trunk movement to Europe.

Second, an established night express system. The airline provides night hub-and-spoke capacity to global express operators, with stable procedures for night departures and landings, fast loading and next-day delivery, which suits time-sensitive express, e-commerce parcels and samples.

Third, a complete range of aircraft sizes. ATR turboprop freighters, the 737 family, the 757 and the converted A321 form a ladder from regional to medium range, so the lower-cost aircraft can be matched to volume and distance.

Fourth, fast response on charters and wet leases. The airline takes non-scheduled freighter charters and ACMI wet leases, so Chinese exporters' project cargo, exhibition materials, seasonal restocking and urgent spare parts can be moved on a whole-aircraft or pallet charter.

Fifth, capacity coordination within the group. The parent also owns cargo operators in Madrid, Athens and Sweden, so capacity can be shifted between northern and southern Europe and the Mediterranean to handle late orders and changes of destination.

Overall the airline suits Chinese shippers exporting industrial goods and parts to the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa and the Middle East, e-commerce and express customers needing next-day delivery within Europe, and manufacturers and engineering contractors needing whole-aircraft charters or project transport. Arranging everything through a forwarder secures rates, space, transit time and ground handling together.

For cargo whose destination is outside the direct network, European truck flights can complete delivery, forming an air-road solution; road networks between the Iberian Peninsula and western Europe are well developed, balancing transit time and cost, which particularly suits larger consignments with more relaxed deadlines.

Booking path from China

Chinese shippers book this carrier's capacity as follows.

First, give the forwarder the cargo details: commodity, pieces, gross weight, volume, origin airport and destination airport. Second, the forwarder assesses routes and capacity, fixes the connection through Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam or Liege and confirms whether the destination is covered. Third, the booking is made through the airline's sales department or its ground agents at European stations, and the actual carrier or issuing agent produces the air waybill. Fourth, cargo departs from the Chinese airport, connects at the European hub and joins the regional flight. Fifth, it clears and is collected at destination, or is delivered by truck flight.

A freight forwarder manages the air waybill, tracking and exception handling throughout. Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited can handle all of these steps and provides a single point of contact from quotation and booking through to delivery.

Documents to prepare before booking include the commercial invoice, packing list, declaration data and the import documents the destination requires; special cargo also needs the relevant certificates and permits. The rate normally covers base freight, fuel surcharge and screening fee, with transit handling charged separately for cargo routed through a hub and road haulage charged separately for final truck delivery; the forwarder lists all charges at quotation stage. Once the booking is confirmed the forwarder issues the air waybill and passes on the booking details, so the shipper can track the whole journey with the waybill number.

Because its capacity is sold mainly against customer contracts, there is no public booking channel for end customers, and Chinese shippers contacting the airline directly usually get no answer on capacity or rates. Enquiring through a licensed freight forwarder gives several priced options at once and avoids the time lost approaching each party separately.

Special services and additional information

The airline's cargo service centres on whole-aircraft capacity solutions covering aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, with capacity customised by route, time window and aircraft type. The scheduled European cargo network and night express network form the base capacity, non-scheduled freighter charters cover temporary and project demand, and ACMI wet leases serve airlines and charter brokers.

Common commodities are express items, e-commerce parcels, mail, auto parts, medicines and medical supplies, industrial components and general industrial goods. Temperature-controlled cargo, live animals, valuables and dangerous goods need conditions, packaging and documents confirmed with the carrier before booking, and some categories may be restricted, subject to the carrier's confirmation that day.

On the ground, the airline has administrative offices and a maintenance hangar in Madrid, runs maintenance to EASA Part 145 standards and has maintenance sites at major European and North African points, supporting night operations and fast loading. For large or heavy cargo, hold door dimensions, floor loading and handling equipment must be confirmed in advance so the cargo can be loaded on arrival.

On intermodal options, for cargo with relaxed transit requirements or destinations far from an airport, air to a European hub followed by a truck flight balances time and cost; sea to a European base port and then inland transport is the usual choice for bulk cargo. Goodhope Freight can quote air and sea-air options side by side on the cargo parameters to help the shipper balance transit time and cost.

On service commitments, the freight forwarder updates the shipper at four points: booking, handover, transit and arrival. If a flight is rescheduled or capacity changes, an alternative is offered at once. Rates and transit times are stated in full at quotation, and no charge is added beyond surcharges published by the carrier, so costs stay transparent throughout.

Data sources: The material is compiled from the airline's official website, public industry material and public fleet data. Office addresses, contacts, fleet composition and route arrangements may change with operations, and the carrier's confirmation on the day of booking applies.

Common freight questions