More frequent supply chain disruption, more severe business impact. That’s the forecast for 2026, prompting businesses everywhere to design resilience strategies that can withstand the challenges ahead. But where does air freight come into the equation?

Despite being the fastest mode of transport, few organisations will be minded to restructure their entire supply chain networks around it. It’s more likely they turn to air freight as a backup plan for when speed really matters, such as when dealing with urgent customer demands, short product lifespans, or last-minute restocking.

Yet still, even backup plans can fail, especially if they’re rushed or underprepared. Fortunately, there’s plenty that can be done to avoid risks. Here, we’ve provided practical guidance on how to get your air freight backup plan ready for action when you need it most.

Why do your contingencies need to be ready-to-execute?

As supply chain disruptions usually happen without warning, it’s critical that any contingency plan can be executed in the moment. But for air freight, capacity crunches make this a particularly pressing requirement.

Let’s look at the numbers. According to the latest available data from The International Air Transport Association (IATA), global air cargo demand grew 0.8% year-on-year in June 2025. That figure might not look like much, but it’s the story behind it that makes for more compelling reading.

Namely, that Asia-Pacific saw a 9.0% lift, while North America saw an 8.3% drop, in year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in this period. It is thought that ongoing uncertainty surrounding the world’s economy and tariff policies has been a key factor in contributing to these trends.

This means that demand for air freight on key trade lanes – the same ones that are likely to be affected in 2026 – is already competitive. A black swan event is only going to cause this competition to grow fiercer and create a scramble for capacity. To prevent your air freight contingencies from falling at the first hurdle, it’s therefore imperative that any plans are ready-to-execute.

How to develop an air freight backup plan that’s ready for action

Start by mapping your dependencies. Do you know which touchpoints along your supply chain experience the most congestion? Whether it’s from the sourcing location or the market entry checkpoint – or somewhere in-between – knowing the areas where bottlenecks have been most common helps you prioritise resources and introduce mitigation strategies before a crisis hits.

Next, turn your attention to individual product lines and your commercial strategy. Which shipments cannot afford delays? Is there a new product launch deadline that you need to meet? Do some of your products have short lifespans? Identifying your most valuable lanes and SKUs in advance – and matching them with key dates in the calendar – ensures that resilience planning protects core revenue streams.

With this knowledge at hand, you can start to think about stress testing. Yet to do this, you need the right tools in place. Do you have digital twins or what-if scenario planning capabilities in-house? These technologies can help derisk any potential actions. For example, monthly or quarterly scenario simulations allow your teams to practise pivots so you can secure capacity before competitors.

And, finally, codify these elements into a best practice framework. Here, you should be looking across the supply chain. In other words, do you have pre-approved reroutes for every checkpoint in your supply chain? Creating a ready-to-execute activation playbook gives you a head start on the competition for when disruption inevitably hits.

Why trust Maersk for your air freight contingencies?

If you’re really looking into using air freight for contingencies next year, having a trusted partner by your side can make a huge difference. Here are three reasons why you should choose Maersk to be that partner.

1. Extensive assets: As we have our own-controlled assets, combined with a strategic network of partner airlines, we can offer increased reliability when disruption strikes.
2. Greater reach: With a global network, comprising 75,000+ trade lanes, we can help you reroute to more locations without experiencing lengthy delays – and our experts can help you prepare resilience-driven reroutes for every situation in advance.
3. One-stop shop: Not only do we have air freight capabilities, but as we’re an integrator, we can serve every logistics need. Combine air freight with other Maersk services, including Customs, Inland, and Contract Logistics, for fewer handovers and more seamless transportation from end to end.

Above all else, working in partnership with Maersk Air Freight means you can rest assured that your backup plans work. By that, we mean that we’ll be on hand to support you with robust, responsive, and reliable alternatives that are ready-to-execute, so you can achieve true supply chain resilience

Want to start preparing your air freight backup plan? Book a meeting with one of our air experts.

Prefer to get more information on Maersk Air Freight? Learn more here.