Left: Tod D. Willman addresses the MCO Air Cargo Association. Right: Featured speaker Diego Vergara Casado
shares air cargo data and trends in the air cargo industry.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando International Airport (MCO) is making way for More Cargo Options in 2026, as discussed earlier this week during an MCO Air Cargo Association Meeting that attracted a group of logistics and supply chain professionals from across Central Florida.

The meeting also brought together representing organizations from a cross-section of the industry, including international shipping corporations, domestic and international airlines, ground handling services, freight forwarders, construction and engineering firms, local and federal government officials, and other important stakeholders.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) MCO Cargo Association hosted the meeting, which included an overview of new developments and a discussion on how to make MCO more attractive to the air cargo industry.

“We want you to tell us what we can do to make Orlando International a better airport for air cargo because we want to diversify as an airport,” said Tod D. Willman, Assistant Vice President of Cargo Development for GOAA. “With our new Tokyo and Madrid services, and other new international services, we are truly becoming a gateway to the world, and more than just a leisure airport.”

While Orlando and surrounding areas are known for famous characters and world-class attractions, the area also has vibrant aerospace, simulation, life sciences, and educational ecosystems. These industries make MCO an ideal destination for cargo operations while offering a convenient location with easy access to the interstate highways and less congestion than other airports in the region. In addition, MCO offers an extensive domestic network and has 60 international origin and destination pairs that offer widebody belly capacity to Europe, South America, and the Middle East.

Diego Vergara Casado, Business Development Manager for Cargo Network Services (CNS), a subsidiary of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), was the featured speaker for the afternoon. Mr. Casado shared data that provided insight into global cargo industry trends in recent years, and how those trends will impact cargo operations in the coming year.

“By volume, air cargo accounted for less than 1% of global trade in 2024. But by value, air cargo accounted for almost 25% (of global trade). This is because air cargo is the preferred mode for high-value goods, such as semi-conductors, perishables, precious metals, and more.”

GOAA’s Vision, adopted by the GOAA Board in October 2025, includes the goal to develop at least one new cargo processing facility.

The vision is based on four foundational pillars: Customer Experience, Community, Infrastructure and People. To learn more about GOAA’s future plans, please click here.