Air Cargo News—World's Top Air Cargo Publication

#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE
THE AIR CARGO NEWS THOUGHT LEADER


powered by FreeFind

Locate your favorite story

Vol. 14 No. 6 Tuesday January 20, 2015

Black Wings Pioneered Flight
Exactly 50 years before Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech, an intrepid young man, aged thirty-one, became the first licensed African American aviator. The odds are you will not even recognize his name.

Oliver Evans By Richard Malkin—No Desk Job For Him
It was Samuel Johnson who observed that languages are the pedigrees of nations. And it was Oliver Evans, chief cargo officer of Swiss International Airlines and chairman of The International Air Cargo Association, who leaned on those pedigrees to broaden his executive and managerial talents in a global air cargo universe.

Vol. 14 No. 5 FRIday January 16, 2015

Air Cargo News For January 16, 2015

“We believe this realignment will streamline our decision making and quicken our response to opportunities offered by our customers,” said United Cargo President Jan Krems, as United Cargo named Jacques Leijssenaar—an 18-year veteran from AF/KL Europe—as Vice President, Cargo Sales EMEIA. The appointment of Leijssenaar is part of a new re-aligned sales set up with all four sales divisions, including Vice President, Cargo Sales Americas Jim Bellinder, newly named Vice President, Cargo Sales Asia Pacific(APAC) Mirco Renfer, Managing Director, Cargo Sales Strategic Accounts Helen Kristensen, and the aforementioned Leijssenaar, reporting directly to Mr. Krems.

Chuckles For January 16, 2015

Drinking LaGuardia

Tim Peirce at the center of the entire LaGuardia Airport staff on a snowy February day in 1978.

I’m sitting at a bar in the basement of the Central Terminal Building (CTB) at LaGuardia Airport, in a space that used to be home to Manufacturers Hanover Trust Bank, reminiscing on a time that I thought would never go away.

Vol. 14 No. 4 Wednesday January 14, 2015

Best In Show—TIACA In Seoul
By now almost everyone who attended—and the legions of top flight air cargo companies that refrained from attending—have agreed that TIACA ACF held in Seoul, Korea, was on many levels less satisfactory than anticipated.
But what about the Air Cargo Forum (ACF), the sessions in which many well-intentioned and dedicated smart people came forward and gave it their all?

With a February 16, 2015, deadline for implementation, the TSA-mandated security updates for all-cargo aircraft—affecting all U.S. and non U.S.-based freighter aircraft operators into and out of the U.S.—drew sharp fire from TIACA Secretary General Doug Brittin. Brittin worked for the TSA before joining TIACA.

Lufthansa Cargo Cautiously Optimistic
With a cargo load factor of 69.7 percent (2013: 69.9 percent) Lufthansa Cargo says it transported more than 1.7 million tons of freight and mail in 2014, posting a slight year-on-year decline of -2.7 percent.

Chuckles For January 14, 2015

Remembering Johnn Norcum
   Word came early today that Johnn Norcum, born January 20,1935, died a few days short of age 80 last Friday, January 9, 2015, after a long battle with lung cancer.
   He is survived by his wife Mary, age 92.
   Johnn was one of the first sales guys for a Middle East airline in USA, when he took the top spot for Kuwait Air and set up offices in a building on Rockaway Blvd. back in the mid-1970s.

Vol. 14 No. 3 Monday January 12, 2015

Consumer Electronics Show

You cannot help it. You work in, or are connected by air cargo to, the airline business.
For many people, airlines depart from the familiar to explore places yet to be discovered.

New Wings For Malpensa
“By operating direct freighter flights into Malpensa we are offering first class connections from our entire network including

You may not know much about the Air Forwarders Association (AfA), but certainly almost everybody knows of the group’s president, Brandon Fried.
Brandon Fried seems to be everywhere and can be considered amongst the longest-lasting opinion makers in the air cargo industry; he is easily the most vocal and well-known forwarder anywhere.

Chuckles For January 12, 2015

RE: Way To Go Dick Tracy

Dear Geoffrey,
While being aware of Yogi Berra’s maxim “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future,” I feel it only fair to write in defense of IATA’s forecasting record for air cargo.

Paris Tragedy
We are moved by the senseless murder of the editor, cartoonists, and others at Charlie Hebdo and where this rampage also impacted innocents in a restaurant and a policeman last week in Paris.

Vol. 14 No. 2 Wednesday January 7, 2015

Buoyant Bellinder Brings 2015
Lucky 7—When Jim Bellinder was named Vice President, United Cargo Sales on January 7, 2013 (exactly two years ago today), he assumed command, leveraging 26 years of experience in Continental Airlines and United Cargo Sales.
He needed that experience and more, as we all know now.

India’s air cargo stakeholders received a big year-end gift from the Central Board of Excise and Customs (the board is part of the Government’s Ministry of Finance and responsible for collection of Customs duties).
On the last day of 2014, the Board issued a circular regarding the extension of 24/7 Customs clearance facility to more airports for all export goods and to seaports for specified import and export goods.

Chuckles For January 7, 2015

We have long thought about technology as human invention devoid of humanity—we create tools, but we rarely feel connected to those tools the way we do with, say, pets, children, family, and friends. The closest we have come in recent years is perhaps with the Apple iPhone’s Siri feature, which talks back to the user when asked a question.

Vol. 14 No. 1 Monday January 5, 2015

Up Up & Away 2015
Global air cargo demand now seems certain to soar well into 2015, and analysts believe Asian carriers and handlers are best placed to prosper.
“Volumes have stayed strong throughout all of 2014 and we see no reason for this not to continue into the New Year,” said Stewart Sinclair, managing director of Suvarnabhumi Airport ground handler Bangkok Flight Services. “There have been some additional charters related to the west Coast congestion, but in general we have seen continued strong volumes throughout the year.”

In 1930 writer and cartoonist Chester Gould imagined a world in which a hero detective named Dick Tracy communicated via a two-way wrist radio, which later became a wrist TV. It is not uncommon to find our future written by our past, as most science fiction scholars will contend that the best science fiction predicts the course of the future.
With that in mind, the Apple Smart Watch should be coming out during the first quarter of 2015.

Chuckles For January 5, 2015

Our positive results in 2014 show me that we are doing many things right . . .

Air France-KLM follows last year’s introduction of lightweight pallet nets with the introduction of lightweight pallets.

Even as carriers continue to flounder in India—the latest, according to aviation pundits, to go the Kingfisher way will be the low-cost SpiceJet—there is one airline that is thinking out of the box to be productive. The carrier is India’s largest—534 daily flights connecting to 37 destinations, including 5 international destinations—and is the only one that has made profits when most of the others have been swimming in the red. For the financial year that ended on March 31, 2014, India’s top five

Vol. 13 No. 104 Wednesday december 31, 2014

In Our Own Write
All year long we faithfully report the news with much fondness for this industry we love. We originated the name Air Cargo News in 1975, when our publication was founded in New York City 40 years ago.
In fact, we were the very first industry media to carry the title Air Cargo News.

One From The Heart For The Manta Rays
Air cargo and forwarder executives could unwittingly be participating in the illegal transport of manta ray products from Indonesia.
The hunting and trade of manta ray products was banned in Indonesia in February 2014, while the trafficking of manta rays without an export or re-export certificate issued by the ‘Management Authority of the State of export or re-export’ is also now banned under Appendix II of the UN’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

When I was a kid, maybe about 11 years old, my parents took me to a place in New York City’s West Greenwich Village called The White Horse Tavern.
“The Horse” (as locals called the place) was always filled with writers. It offered liberal libations and served up wonderful hamburgers wedged between slices of toasted bread.

Vol. 13 No. 103 Wednesday december 24, 2014

A Christmas Story
Christmas is quiet this year. Or relatively quiet, considering our rather spacious abode is usually stuffed to the rafters with family and Christmas visitors. I’ve grown quite accustomed to sharing a room with a sibling, but this year there are rooms to spare, and my sister and I have the pick of where we wish to rest our heads.

A Christmas Playlist
I remember when I learned John Scott Trotter wrote all of Bing Crosby’s arrangements, and his orchestra played on Crosby’s immortal album “White Christmas.”

Vol. 13 No. 102 FRIday december 19, 2014

Taking Control Of Lithium Shipping
A frame grab of a video that made its way into mainstream media worldwide shows a test conducted at the U.S.A. FAA technical center in Atlantic City, N.J., last April, where a cargo container packed with 5,000 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries simulated a single battery experiencing uncontrolled overheating.

When Over Is Not Out
Apparently, CHAMP CEO John Johnston has not departed the building entirely, despite reports this week in German logistics journal, Verkehrs Rundschau that he will be stepping down.

Best In Show Scores Productivity
   Several leading international air cargo gateways were at Air Cargo Handling (ACH) Milano this past September.
   Here we present Part Four of our exclusive series, with a deeper look into the session content at ACH Milano.
   Part Four will be followed in January by in-depth analysis of October’s TIACA Seoul, and finally November’s FIATA Istanbul.

The behavior of one Korean Air executive illustrates how, despite all its accomplishments, South Korea is still trying to escape its past.
The success of South Korea’s economy over the last five decades has become something of an inspiration for today’s emerging economies.

A ceremony was held in Dubai recently to launch a commemorative line of postal stamps recalling the rich heritage of aviation and its contribution to the amazing growth and development of Dubai.
Many important people attended the event, including HRH Sheikh Maktoum (pictured far right), but what caught our eye was the man in the dark suit, seated in a wheel chair in the front row.

“This film combines beautiful, original photography and animation to create a joyful portrait celebrating one of the world’s best loved design icons.
“It’s a nostalgic visual poem that conjures up a dreamlike recreation of Concorde’s heyday.

Vol. 13 No. 101 Tuesday december 16, 2014

Ray Of Hope For Delta Cargo

Having piloted the big carrier’s cargo fortune into a positive air space in 2014, Delta Cargo VP Cargo Commercial Ray Curtis is in Atlanta looking forward to 2015.

Any Which Way But Down
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to change the country’s ‘Look East’ policy to an ‘Act East’ has prompted the aviation ministry to ensure that the country’s North-Eastern region is better connected.
In fact, the new civil aviation policy draft has specifically mentioned that a special package would be developed for the North-East.

Drone On
The FAA of the United States has stated four companies will get their drone wings in order to figure out how to fly the things without smacking into other aircraft or people on the ground.

Dear Geoffrey,

Thank you for your very kind words on my impending retirement. I will miss interacting with my friends in the airline industry and especially those in the JFK area. I will not miss the commute every day to JFK from Long Island,

Vol. 13 No. 100 FRiday december 12, 2014

Air Cargo News For December 12, 2014

Oliver Steps Down
News that SWISS Chief Cargo Officer Oliver Evans will step down in September 2015—retiring in the same “long goodbye” manner we saw when Ram Menen packed it in from Emirates in 2013 and Des Vertannes left IATA in 2014—has been met with sadness as well as some

1, 2, 3, Look At Mr. Lee
Singapore’s Changi Airport is something of a mystery. Widely acknowledged as one of the world’s leading airports, a wander around its calming terminals reveals facilities designed to within an inch of perfection.
Unlike most global hubs, it is rare to even see queues. A seat is always easy to find and the staff is polite, helpful, and well-trained.

Suggestions that Apple block-booked air capacity out of China to expedite the shipment of the iPhone 6 and prevent counter-product launches by competitors illustrate just what an important strategic tool (as well the means of reaching market) air freight has become for the world’s largest electronics providers.

Molinelli Was Always Certain
There are some people in air cargo who are certain to be where you expect them, despite the years and changing winds and circumstances.
We were thinking about that when we heard long time JFK International Airport cargo man Gerald “Gerry” Molinelli has decided to pack it in. Molinelli will depart his current post as Senior Cargo Executive at Emirates Sky Cargo on December 31, after 42 years of continued service.

Our friend and air cargo great Jim Erickson (Amerijet) tells us The JFK Air Cargo Association and The JFK Cargo Sales Manager's Club Annual Holiday Luncheon is on for Tuesday, December 16 from 11:30 am–3:00 pm at Russo’s On The Bay, just off the main runways of JFK International Airport in Howard Beach, New York.

Vol. 13 No. 99 Tuesday december 9, 2014

Finnair Readies Big Leap Forward
It was early in the morning last week, just a few days before Finland’s Independence Day (December 6th), when we sat with Pasi Nopanen in one of those vest pocket hotels that line Rockaway Boulevard. Like the dashed lines on a map, Rockaway Boulevard’s hotels draw the pathway to New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport.

Air Rates Up Through Chinese New Year
2015 may be the Year of the Sheep in the Chinese lunar calendar, but the bulls seem to be ruling the air cargo business—December continues with projections of demand driven by ocean slowdown continuing into the first quarter of next year.
Strong air freight demand on key lanes could be sustained into 2015 as U.S. port chaos continues to drive Transpacific demand in the lead up to Chinese New Year in February.

Best In Show What Airports Can Do

Some leading international air cargo gateways were at Air Cargo Handling (ACH) Milano this past September.
Here we present Part Three of our exclusive series with a deeper look into the session content at ACH Milano. Part Three will be followed by in-depth analysis of TIACA Seoul held in October, and finally FIATA Istanbul held in November.

Dear Geoffrey,
Thank you for bringing the report on the DB Schenker lawsuit, and Bill’s always simple and to the point comments.
Honestly, this whole issue is just a big mess and the only winners, if we want to call it that, are the attorneys involved.

Vol. 13 No. 98 Friday december 5, 2014

All About India 100 Days & Tomorrow
Narendra Modi’s government just celebrated its first 100 days in office. While 100 days is too short for any government to show its performance, ministers from almost every department have not stopped beating their drum and announcing the work they have started.

Women In Charge—Hear India Singh
India’s air cargo sector would have lost Vandana Singh if the rules from way back in the Nineties permitted young ladies to join the fighter squadrons of the Indian Air Force. Singh’s father, Brigadier S. L. Kapur was aware of the ambition of his daughter: to become a fighter pilot. In fact, he tried his utmost to fulfill her dreams, but the rules could not be bent or broken. So, Vandana settled for a career that would take her close to flying fighter jets.

Remember the Multimodal International Cargo hub and airport at Nagpur, in the center of India?
Known as the Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN), the almost forgotten project has been 10 years in the making. No wonder, then, that while campaigning for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at an election rally some time ago in Nagpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared, “The MIHAN file took 10 years to travel 500 meters—that is the tragedy of MIHAN.”

Trust Deficit Blocks Infrastructure Reform
Even before the dust could settle on the policy guidelines for Air Freight Stations issued by the Indian government, a section of cargo stakeholders have taken it upon themselves to lobby for improved cargo infrastructure.

A total of 54 boxes containing Deutsche Bahn's (German Railway) indictment against multiple airline companies stand at the delivery entrance to the regional court in Cologne, Germany, December 1, 2014.
RE: Enough Lawsuits Already
Dear Geoffrey,
It is amazing to me that a forwarder like DB Schenker, which demands the lowest rates and the highest service, wants to get money back from the airlines for fuel charges.

Vol. 13 No. 97 Tuesday december 2, 2014

Enough Lawsuits Already
Yesterday, December 1st at 1pm EST in Germany (our press release stated), Deutsche Bahn was to reveal to the media webinar details of the $2.2 billon lawsuit against 15 airlines, aimed to recover what they deem to be excessive fuel charges levied against their DB Schenker unit during the price-fixing dust up.

2020 On The Nose
Peter Gerber had barely just landed in the top spot at Lufthansa Cargo when he was called upon to introduce an affectionate goodbye party a couple weeks ago in Wiesbaden for his friend and colleague Andreas Otto, who moved on to the top spot as COO at Austrian Airlines.

Recently, as part of a series of excellent if not overlooked presentations at the Air Cargo Handlers Conference in Milan, Oliver Evans, Chief Cargo Officer, Swiss WorldCargo took the podium to present a fresh angle on e-freight.

Santa Delivered
The Season . . . Santa Claus arrived at Narita on November 28 after flying aboard Finnair, “The Airline of Santa.”
During his stay in Japan (until December 24, at which

If you mention the State of Wisconsin what immediately comes to mind—in addition to architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s home Taliesin in Spring Green—is the large, longstanding dairy industry.
Actually, every license plate in the state proclaims Wisconsin is “America’s Dairyland.”
But look again.

DON'T BE CONFUSED
OR
MISLED

   We are the original Air Cargo News founded 40 years ago in 1975 in New York City, USA.
    Edited by Geoffrey Arend, the acknowledged dean of air cargo publishers, we are the go to source for the air cargo industry worldwide.
    In-depth and knowledgeable coverage of the air cargo market.    No advertorials, no press releases, no dubious awards. Just market savvy.
   Responsible for saving the Marine Air Terminal, LaGuardia Airport, New York and Building One, Newark International Airport, New Jersey—historic first-generation aviation buildings.
   Only publication ever to be honored by the U.S. Department of Transportation for outstanding contribution to transportation and aviation.

Back Pages

DECEMBER 2013 Issues

January 2014 Issues

February 2014 Issues

March 2014 Issues

April 2014 Issues

May 2014 Issues

June 2014 Issues

July 2014 Issues

August 2014 Issues

September 2014 Issues

OCTOber 2014 Issues

November 2014 Issues

Katja Wichmann

Karen Reddington

Ingrid Sidiadinoto

Ram Menen
Senior Vice President
Emirates SkyCargo

Michael Webber
Webber Air Cargo
Airport Consulting

Opinions and comments expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher but remain solely those of the author(s).
Air Cargo News FlyingTypers reserves the right to edit all submissions for length and content. All photos and written material submitted to this publication become the property of All Cargo Media, Inc.

Copyright ©2015 ACM, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
PRIVACY POLICYr

100% Green