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Vol. 15 No. 75 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016

Some Good News For A Change
Analysts and leading forwarders now believe air freight pricing and volume gains this summer could last until deep into the fourth quarter after August and September demand ticked upwards.
“The air freight market has picked up a bit and this is expected to be continuous until the second or third week of November,” said Paul Tsui, managing director of forwarding and logistics operator Janel Group and the immediate past chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding & Logistics and the Federation of Asia Pacific Aircargo Associations.

Vol. 15 No. 74 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

The Go-Go World of ATC
      “The actions we have taken this year have made us lean and overall in an excellent position to deal with 2017, no matter what happens.”
      Those words may sound like the new normal for 2016—brave statements offered up like trial balloons as overcapacity and weak markets continue to drive air cargo losses.
      But for Ingo Zimmer, CEO of fast-rising GSA ATC, who we spoke to in Frankfurt last week, a level-headed, conservative approach is fast on the heels as you read this.

Economic Impact Of Air Cargo
One of our industry’s significant shortcomings is that most people outside of the industry do not give much thought to the many lifestyle and economic benefits air cargo delivers and facilitates for their daily lives.
In times of crises when a child or loved one is critically ill and needs specialized medication, the expectation is that it will be either instantly available or will be sourced and available the next day at the latest.

Vol. 15 No. 73 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Keep Trading Or Start Fading
I challenge anyone to think of a more important institution tied to the overall economic success or the cumulative fortune of a city (or even an entire region or nation) than a major international hub airport. Maybe a global stock exchange, or perhaps an extensive rail transit system, or possibly a massive seaport. They are all worthy competitors, but they still do not live up to the pervasive daily influence and financial contribution that a gateway airport has in serving its surrounding area.

Pharma In Dubai Sky
Emirates SkyPharma, Emirates SkyCargo’s new purpose-built facility inaugurated on September 18 at Dubai International Airport, debuted 4,000 square meters dedicated to pharmaceutical cargo.
“As a leader in the global air cargo industry, we decided that it was not only important for us to build state-of-the-art cool chain facilities for the transport of pharma products, but to also go the extra mile and ensure the compliance of our operations against the highest international standards,” said SkyCargo DSVP Nabil Sultan.

Vol. 15 No. 72 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Helen From Schussboomer To Cargo Triumphant
     United Cargo's Managing Director Strategic Accounts Helen Kristensen greeted us with a big smile and effusive welcome as we arrived at United Cargo in downtown Chicago, Illinois.
     United Cargo operates a cluster of offices inside Willis Tower, which houses all the top officials of the airline.
     Once upon a time the place was known as United Airlines ‘World Headquarters,’ but now in the culture of a new United the offices at Willis have been designated as the ‘Corporate Support Center.’

Vol. 15 No. 71 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Hanjin Debacle Pain Into Gain
     Hanjin Shipping’s entry into receivership at the end of August left global ocean supply chains in a spin. Could the fallout see the air cargo market benefit?
     You might ask a forwarder, but the immediate answer points to the nightmare of possibly having to pay twice for shipping the same goods.
     “We pay upfront to Hanjin and they go into receivership, so when we finally find the goods locked up somewhere, in some cases we have to pay again.”

American Rates September
     “We continue to expand our network and invest in widebody airplanes, including four more Boeing 787-9s scheduled for delivery this year,” Jim Butler, President of American Airlines Cargo told FlyingTypers.
     “In 2016, we’ve added Haneda (HND), Sydney (SYD), and Auckland (AKL) and soon will be adding new service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Hong Kong (HKG).
     “Our extensive network and new fuel-efficient planes give us the ability to move cargo quickly and efficiently from one part of the world to the other—from Asia to Latin America and beyond.”

Vol. 15 No. 70 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Out On The Hustings
Turkish Cargo gained its IATA CEIV Pharma Certificate last month and also went “Hands Across Africa in late August with face-to-face meetings. Regional management visited the top 10 agencies in South Africa to gain a sense about Turkish Cargo services via JNB, which launched in May.

Vol. 15 No. 69 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Air Cargo 911-91111
I remember waking up on the morning of 9/11 and wishing I could go back to sleep. I was a junior in college and had chosen to have early morning classes on Tuesday—a big mistake for me, as I naturally kept night owl hours. My dorm apartment was relatively quiet when I got out of bed, but I could hear the television on in the living room; this was a normal occurrence as my actor student roommates were always up early and put the television on while they had breakfast and got ready for the day.
Ingo Zimmer On 9/11
Carmen Taylor On 9/11
Andrew Herdman On 9/11
Harald Zielinski On 9/11
John Cheetham On 9/11
Jo Frigger On 9/11
Franz Joseph Miller On 9/11
Robert Van de Weg On 9/11
Heide Enfield On 9/11
Dan Muscatello On 9/11
Neel Jones Shah On 9/11
Bill Boesch On 9/11

Vol. 15 No. 68 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

Lufthansa Cautiously Optimistic
New product launches and restocking could see rising demand on key trunk lanes out of Asia in the coming months.
A spokesman for Lufthansa Cargo said the carrier had seen “stable to slightly increasing demand in mainland China and HK” in recent weeks and that more gains could follow as the year progressed. “September is traditionally a month where new products stimulate demand from the High Tech sector and we expect this development this year again,” he said. “The same is true for the garment sector where seasonal demand increases are expected.”

de Juniac Calls For Cooperation
From the top post at Air France KLM—which, by any measure, was no walk in the park—to Director General and CEO of IATA, Alexandre de Juniac will now succeed Tony Tyler, who served as IATA DG and CEO.
“I am excited to be taking on this great responsibility. IATA plays a critical role in facilitating safe, efficient, and sustainable global air transport,” Mr. De Juniac said.

Why Disruption Doesn't Necessarily Mean Destruction
   A recent FlyingTypers article profiling Freightos noted some valid points about technology and logistics. Here at Freightos, we're the first to recognize the complexity of the trillion-dollar freight industry. And, as noted, "there is no magical digital solution."
   But a lack of a magical solution does not mean that there is no solution.
   Technology put a man on the moon, made global markets accessible, and can (almost) drive cars better than humans can.

Vol. 15 No. 67 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Turkish Cargo Steps Out In September
News that Turkish Cargo was awarded IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) certificate for its pharmaceutical operations comes as positive news following a summer of challenges for the fast-rising carrier.
Here in an exclusive conversation with Mr. Halit Anlatan, Vice President Cargo,FlyingTypers learned that the beat of growth and global cargo service has continued unabated for Turkish Air Cargo.

A Saphir Solution For Logistics
While industry talk swirls around big, bureaucratic organizations and trade shows raising flags that education is key to attracting an enhanced grade of executives into transportation, Albert Saphir (ABS Consulting) and Joe Espinosa (Florida Shipowners Group) are taking action. These two fine old hands at professional logistics (with track records of success and true ability to teach) are doing something as part of a private initiative to put business-driven logistics solutions within reach in warm, sunny Florida next month.

Vol. 15 No. 66 TUESDAY AUGUST 30, 2016

Uptick Challenged By Yields
The latest airline financials illustrate just how hard the sector has been hit by weak cargo markets, but new product launches could now be starting to boost demand.
Following on from positive signals in June, July Purchasing Manager Indexes and export data suggest high-value manufacturing activity in Asia is warming up. “PMIs are stabilized and there are signs that launches by Samsung and Apple are providing some support to electronics production as suppliers stock up,” said HSBC.

Why Express America Climbed ACIA Summit
Ask Executive Director of Express Association of America Michael Mullen what stands out in his mind as August rushes toward September and he prepares to attend the first U.S. Air Cargo Industry Affairs Summit (ACIA), and his answer is, in a word, “automated.”
“A key session at the ACIA Summit for our members will be the discussion of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and how this new system will impact the air cargo global supply chain.

Vol. 15 No. 65 THURSDAY AUGUST 25, 2016

41 Years Vital Views - Part 2
Here in Part II of Vital Views we continue our series of thoughts generated by individuals that have appeared in our pages since we began publishing in 1975. New Deal Forwarders . . .The late George A. Shipman (2010, age 73), was a management consultant and air cargo industry veteran (AA Cargo 25 years), with a particular wit and wisdom who for us in 1986 trained the spotlight on the cargo agent.

Barry Hansen Yesterday & Today
Our reasoning behind looking as far back as 50 years ago to see what the leading thinkers of air cargo were saying and doing to build this industry is to offer some balance and perspective as air cargo surges forward in 2016.
Today we have someone who has been involved in the marketing of freight forwarding, airline cargo, and the trucking business. He is able to talk about that experience yesterday and luckily for us from the perspective of today as well.

Emery Pioneered USA Freight Forwarding
     Our conversation with Barry Hansen brings to light mention of John Emery, Sr.
     John Emery, Sr., created the first certified air freight forwarding company in the United States of America.
     John Sr. was an officer in the Naval Air Transport Service and was a peacetime Railway Express manager.
     Emery Air Freight was an idea born of his wartime experiences, and the company enjoyed a dominant presence at the first blooming of modern air cargo.

Vol. 15 No. 64 MONDAY AUGUST 22, 2016

All About Airplanes Pt. 3- How Port Columbus Partnerships Build Air Cargo
     Port Columbus International Airport is centrally located in Ohio as home to a diverse mix of air carriers.
      The airport is operated by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also oversees the operation of cargo-dedicated Rikenbacker International Airport and general aviation airport Bolton Field.
      Additionally, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority is the Grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone No. 138. As Grantee, the Airport Authority is responsible for the administration, marketing, and oversight of FTZ No. 138 and can provide FTZ services in twenty-five Central Ohio counties.

Why Ohio
     FlyingTypers’ Editor/Publisher Geoffrey Arend was born in Toledo, Ohio, and spent the better part of his childhood there.
     During the late 1940s, Geoffrey attended DeVeaux Elementary School near the family home at 2212 Georgetown, just off Sylvania Ave., about a half mile away.      His mother, Jane, taught kindergarten there.
     The Arend family and relatives were quite active in city life.

Vol. 15 No. 63 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 17, 2016

Closely Watched Planes
     Resurgent Garuda Indonesian Airlines is looking to expand and buy some new airplanes.
   Both those objectives received a shot in the arm as the U.S. FAA upped the airline’s ranking this week to Category 1.
   That designation came after the airlines of Indonesia had wallowed on the Cat. 2 list for a number of years because of some truly horrific airline incidents. The change opens new horizons, including the possibility of new aircraft sales for Chicago, Illinois-based Boeing.

Giant Korean Flies Niches
     Excess capacity is forcing Korean Air to focus on niche markets, and seafood exports from North America are to the fore.
      After uplifting 1.5m tons last year, IATA’s latest 2015 air transport statistics, published July 5, ranked KE as the fifth largest carrier in the world after FedEx (7.1m), UPS (4.5m), Emirates (2.5m) and Cathay (1.6m).
      KE bolstered its freighter network last summer with three new services, including a Chicago-Halifax offering in August.

Cambodian Rail Back On Track
Cambodia may not be the fastest developing Asian state, but it sure is the fastest changing one.
Frequent visitors to the Kingdom of Wonders will note—even when returning after a few weeks of absence—new high rises, new brand stores, and an abundance of change at least in those parts of the country frequently visited by “barang,” as western foreigners are dubbed in Khmer.

Vol. 15 No. 62 MONDAY AUGUST 15, 2016

Cooling Their Brakes
LAN Aircraft cool their brakes on the tarmac last month in Santiago, Chile, after LATAM agreed to pay more than $22 million in fines to the USA Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a violation of the accounting provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
LATAM, while operating previously as LAN Airlines, made a $1.15 million consulting agreement with Argentina’s transportation ministry in 2006, supposedly to study airline routes, according to the Justice Department.

Is Freightos The Next Big Thing?
Headquartered in Hong Kong, Freightos, the new “online freight marketplace,” is making headlines as it claims to have the solution to revolutionizing the cargo market.
If that sounds like a familiar tune, well, you’ll get no argument from an increasingly skeptical world.

Vol. 15 No. 61 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 10, 2016

Upside Cargo Land Over Yonder
Despite global declines in cargo yields, Air New Zealand is remaining startlingly competitive. In FY 2016, the carrier saw net profit reach NZ$338m (USD$242m converted at current conversions rates), an increase of 154 percent year-on-year. Its distance from global markets saw lower fuel prices contribute considerably to the gains, but operating revenue also surged. And, more significantly, cargo volumes were up 9 percent, yield by 1.6 percent and revenues by 21 percent with growth particularly strong on Pacific long-haul services and into Singapore.

Chicago Air And Water Show
The 58th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show takes off next weekend, August 20 and 21. Presented by Shell and the City of Chicago, the show runs along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach serving as show center from 10am-3pm daily.
Strong in tradition and one of the largest free admission events of its kind, the show headliners include the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights.

Vol. 15 No. 60 MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016

Business Up Rates Challenged
Drewry’s latest reading of air freight markets was released a little late this month. But its final contents were surprisingly upbeat after a year of bearish pricing reports set to a backdrop of excess bellyhold capacity and poor macroeconomic demand forecasts.
Drewry’s East-West Air Freight Price Index - a weighted average of all-in airfreight "buy rates" paid by forwarders to airlines for standard deferred airport-to-airport airfreight services on 21 major East-West routes for cargoes above 1,000 kg - posted a 4.3 points gain in June to reach 84.8, the index’s highest reading since December 2015.

Pride of the Nation
We have noticed this delicious graphic streaming along with messages from our friends and colleagues at Turkish Airlines.

Letter to Lufthansa
    Firstly, we hope that all is well and that after a long gray period of time the sunshine is over your heads at your Frankfurt home.
     Although we have not been invited to any of your press briefings in 2016, we follow your progress in German-owned media, including Handelsblatt, DVZ, and in the German-owned Air Cargo Newspublication in London, and certainly from our sources both in Germany and around the world.
     Of course, just like all other airlines you want to increase yields, but one thing we have learned covering this beat is often that attempt can end up have the net effect of shooting yourself through the foot.

Elevate Women Says Dhankar
    Ever since she was a little girl, Nisha Dhankar wanted to fly.
      In the early days, she used to look up at the birds in the sky and wanted to be like them. But as she grew older, Dhankar had to adapt herself to the changing realities.
      Though circumstances prevented her from flying, she could still have something to do with aviation.
      “I was always excited to join aviation and its related businesses and at the first available opportunity grabbed the air cargo industry,” she told ACNFT.

Sweet Summer Farewell
    One of the more endearing aspects of our business is the love of airplanes we all feel everyday.
   Here are some of the 450 people of Lufthansa Technik at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport (SXF) bidding auf wiedersehen to the last Boeing B737s maintained at that base on July 12.
   A320s will replace the aircraft type come October.

Vol. 15 No. 59 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016

Lufthansa Cargo's Long Hot Summer
    “Lufthansa Cargo is under the obligation to post profits or it will cease to exist independently and be reintegrated in the carrier's passenger division.”
     That statement, made by Lufthansa Cargo Senior VP-Europe and Africa Joachim Haas in 1998, came to mind yesterday. According to outgoing Lufthansa Chief Financial Officer Simone Menne, the carrier will post a loss this year due to "massive overcapacities" among air-freight carriers.
     The loss at Lufthansa Cargo unit will be its first in six years.

Repo Man Moves Customer Claim
Earlier this year, a rather unusual request for airside access was presented to the Duty Manager of Salzburg airport (IATA: SZG, ICAO: LOWS).
A court-appointed bailiff—in Austrian German most fittingly dubbed “Exekutor”—was about to impound a Thomas Cook aircraft because of delay compensations owed by the airline to an air passenger for several years.

Vol. 15 No. 58 MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016

Ron Davies: A Man & His Airlines
It is hard to think of aviation history and not include the man who singlehandedly created the greatest and most prolific stream of aviation-related books, recording not only the history of several of the world’s airlines but also the entire detailed story of commercial aviation itself.
To say that aviation history really starts and stops with R.E.G. Davies is no overstatement.

Why Ron (R.E.G.) Davies Matters
In the summer of 2011 Geoffrey Arend wrote an obituary about his friend, Ron (R.E.G.) Davies, for FlyingTypers. In it Geoff eulogized their long friendship and close association, praising Ron’s enduring legacy to air transport history—his many airline books, his indefatigable research, and his contribution to aviation archives. After more than 40 years in the USA, 30 of them spent as the first Curator of Air Transport at the National Air and Space Museum, Ron had returned to his home country of England after finally retiring at the age of 89. He died a few months later, shortly after his 90th birthday.

Vol. 15 No. 57 THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016

Africa To India September Take-Off
In the next few months RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines expect to formally establish a strategic partnership that would see the two African carriers working closely together. Under the terms of a deal provisionally reached earlier this month, Ethiopian Airlines will acquire a 49 percent stake in the smaller RwandAir, giving it the opportunity to create a new east African hub in the Rwandan capital of Kigali.

India To Africa Waiting In The Wings
The overtures to boost trade made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to 54 African leaders at last October’s third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) are yet to see action on the ground.
This, despite the Prime Minister’s emphasis that “Africa will remain at the center of our attention. Our engagement with Africa will remain intense and regular.”

Vol. 15 No. 56 MONDAY JULY 25, 2016

TempControl Krisha Medium Cool
    United Cargo’s Product Development & Marketing Manager Krisha Kucharski shows exuberance for air cargo and life, and it is simply irresistible.
    There are people who are competent and talented at what they do and then there are those that bring excitement, purpose, and teamwork to the task at hand, making it a communal adventure.
    Meeting Krisha is an effervescent experience, like uncorking your first bottle of champagne.

Letters To The Editor For July 25, 2016
First off, very late kudos for the ultra smooth transition from hard copy to your Industry-leading digital publication…Well done!
You were always the classy one and yes, I think occasionally of the In & Out Club (London) and our days with TIACA. I remember when TIACA reorganized and you had essentially Guenter (Rohrmann) as President and me as “Marketing Guy”with Garth (Davies) churning out communiqués. TIACA is sure a different “Kettle” now. It has evolved and come a long way.

Then There Was One
     David Thatcher, one of the last two surviving members of Jimmy Doolittle’s famed Tokyo Raiders, died June 22 in Missoula, Montana.
     Thatcher's death leaves just one remaining Doolittle Raider: retired Lt. Col. Dick Cole, Doolittle's co-pilot on crew No. 1.
     Come Labor Day and the end of summer this September, Dick Cole will celebrate his 101st birthday.

Vol. 15 No. 55 WEDNESDAY JULY 20, 2016

FIATA/IATA ACP
The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and The International Air Transport Association (IATA) have a deal to action a FIATA/IATA Air Cargo Program (IFACP) to replace the existing IATA Cargo Agency Program.

AFKLMP Aboard JFK Ark
Cargo Building 78 at John F. Kennedy International Airport is reborn as a 178,000-square foot air cargo facility and animal handling center under 30-year lease from the airport operator to ARK Management.
Cargo Building 78 is also the new home of Air France KLM Cargo and is now open for business. As part of “The Ark”—an expanded live animal center at JFK scheduled to open later this year—it features two cooler cells for pharmaceuticals, flowers, foodstuff, and perishable products and a full range of services to handle all manner of live animals (pets, zoo animals, birds, insects, fish, etc).

Vol. 15 No. 54 TUESDAY JULY 19, 2016

Panalpina Airflo Accelerates Perishables
In an air freight industry characterized by overcapacity and struggles to cope with macro headwinds and technological trends such as miniaturization, 3D printing, and the commoditization of technologies, which has reduced surges in demand for ‘must-have’ products, finding verticals that offer stable and profitable sources of cargo has become increasingly difficult. But, according to Panalpina, one such source of succor is the perishables business, defined as products that are time and temperature sensitive.

Sun & Moon
Once upon a time, long before FlyingTypers, I worked at KXEO Radio in Mexico, Missouri, running specialized programming at KWWR- FM.
The best part of my job was creating original studio productions and scheduling block programming of old-time radio shows of the 1930s & 1940s, including The Lone Ranger, Gangbusters, The Shadow, and others.

Vol. 15 No. 53 THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016

From Russia With Love
Why Is This Man Smiling? Boeing's Ray Conner (left) knows that the venerable B747 will stay in business as Alexey Isaikin of Volga-Dnepr Group goes public with the commemorative certificates confirming long-term logistics support and an order for 20 747-8 Freighters.

CNS Field Of Dreams
     Now we are in the gone-fishing, lazy, hazy days of summer, and a voice rises from the baseball movie Field of Dreams that whispers:
      “If you build it, they will come.”
      Cargo Network Services (CNS) has just announced an air cargo conference for early October, calling it the “U.S. Air Cargo Industry Affairs Summit” (USACIA). It will be held in Washington, DC, October 3-5, 2016.

Feeling Brendan Gill
“You feel, in New York City, the energy coming up out of the sidewalks, you know that you are in the midst of something tremendous, and if something tremendous hasn't yet happened, it's just about to happen,” said the great writer and New Yorker Brendan Gill.
Gill reported “The City” for The New Yorker magazine, and for a time during the 1980s all but lived in Grand Central Station, where he was the driving force whipping everyone into a preservationist frenzy until the great train station was saved and on its way toward restoration.

Vol. 15 No. 52 MONDAY JULY 11, 2016

Ullrich Met The Challenge
    Peter Ullrich, CEO/Owner of Challenge Air Cargo, died June 29 in Miami, Florida. Challenge Air Cargo operated from January 1985 until UPS bought the company in February 2001.
    The measure of the man and what he meant to air cargo can be felt in a statement he once made:
    “I can proudly say that I have owned one of the few and last existing privately operated cargo airlines, building it from scratch up to its successful integration into the global operating UPS network in 2001.”

A Little Morning Music In Milano
Thomas Egenolf has an interesting area of responsibility as director of Italy, Malta, UK, and Ireland for Lufthansa Cargo.
He found a perfectly spirited bottle of Spumante to celebrate designating an MD-11F ‘Buongiorno Italy’ at Milano Malpensa Airport last week.

Oshkosh By Gosh Helluva Air Show
More than 10,000 aircraft and a half million flight enthusiasts will turn Wittman Regional Airport—a place you may have never heard of—into action central from July 25-31, when it transforms into the busiest airfield in the world for the EAA’s annual AirVenture Oshkosh.
The weeklong event is thrilling and provides some genuine, knee-slapping summer fun. Oshkosh draws visitors from more than 80 countries, many of whom fly in, of course.

Vol. 15 No. 51 TUESDAY JULY 05, 2016

Who Is In The Picture
DHL held its 16th DHL Global Life Sciences & Healthcare Conference in Miami June 20-22, and may have scored an industry first, giving almost everybody who attended an award.
The Carrier Award for Reliability and Excellence went to American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Swiss International Air Lines, and United Cargo.

Does New Panama Canal Work?
“The long-anticipated Panama Canal expansion opened on June 26, theoretically doubling capacity for the storied waterway.
Much larger vessels will be able to pass through the canal, and it’s expected that 10-20 percent of total cargo volume will shift from West Coast to East Coast ports.”

Family Time
Tomorrow is Eid Ul Fitr, which caps the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Muslims usually start the day with dawn prayers and cemetery visits to pay their respects, with families visiting each other and children receiving presents of new clothes, toys, shoes, and haircuts.

Vol. 15 No. 50 WEDNESDAY JUNE 29, 2016

On The Ground In London
We asked a friend—a UK stalwart and fellow reporter on the ground in London—to draw a word picture describing the post-Brexit scene in Britain that goes beyond what we have seen filtered through the media.
The reply was at once surprising and sad.

Mercury Rising
Former U.S. Sen. John Glenn speaks during a celebration for the renaming of Port Columbus International Airport to John Glenn Columbus International Airport on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio.

Vol. 15 No. 49 MONDAY JUNE 27, 2016

Brexit Pound Foolish
The Brexit vote results rolled in early Friday morning and were followed just as quickly by a tidal wave of instantaneous opinions from IATA to IAG to the food truck outside Heathrow Airport as to what an impending change to the way Europe operates might mean for them.
If you look closely and think on it, you’ll discover that nobody knows much for sure except that things will definitely change. The stock markets took a hit and the value of the GBP nosedived Friday, but both are expected to recover.

Vol. 15 No. 48 WEDNESDAY JUNE 22, 2016

Letters to the Editor for June 22, 2016
It has been almost 10 years to the day since I commented on a certain Mr. Bill’s (negative) statements addressed to Dr. Andreas Otto criticizing well-balanced price hikes. Well, time has proven Dr. Andreas right, as predicted by myself. But that’s history. Having said this, now, after these 10 years, I’d like to contribute another 2 cents to “Lufthansa Cutbacks Tip Of The Iceberg.” I guess, as a 30+ year “veteran” (now retired) of German Cargo/Lufthansa Cargo, I may still have enough of a clue to do so.

Siginon Roots In Africa
“We are committed to consistently serving our airline customers with exceptional service that is benchmarked against global standards,” declared Jared Oswago, Divisional Manager, Siginon Aviation at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. Singapore Airlines Cargo, a Siginon business partner for the past ten years, re-signed its handling contract for an additional three years.

Will Russia Save B-747
“Boeing Co & AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) may be nearing a $4 billion deal as Russia’s largest air-freight company could keep America’s iconic jumbo-jet production going.”

Pow, Right In The Kisser
Air cargo headlines the 100th Annual Farnborough Air Show next month in the UK as Lauren Kisser (above), Director of Amazon Prime Air, goes center stage with ‘Flying Safely in the Shared Airspace’ in the Drone Safety Theatre (July 16-17, 2016).
In her presentation, Ms. Kisser offers an overview meant to thrill the masses of Prime Air, Amazon’s future drone delivery system.

Beam Us Up, Fred
FedEx is incorporating artificial intelligence in trucks & planes.
Company founder Fred Smith predicts more powerful networks—coupled with artificial intelligence—will revolutionize medicine, politics, transportation, and many other aspects of the world.

Female Air Races USA
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University celebrates its 90th year as the hosting sponsor of the 2016 Air Race Classic (ARC), which kicked off last Saturday, June 18, with a barbecue on Embry Riddle’s campus in Prescott, Arizona, and culminates with a banquet in Daytona Beach on June 26.

Vol. 15 No. 47 MONDAY JUNE 20, 2016

ULDs Ain't Just Cans Anymore
When it comes to ULDs, there a few outstanding people—like Bob Rogers from Nordisk known for his drastic and knowledgeable presentations delivered at industry meetings such as the IATA WCS and the TIACA ACF—who have dedicated their professional lives to raising awareness about the ‘unknown entity ULD.’ They have played a pivotal role in spreading the word. Urs Wiesendanger from Air Canada, who also serves as president of the organization ULD Care, is another stand-up stalwart for better understanding of best practices in ULDs.

Qatar Talks To The Animals
     Qatar Airways Cargo chief Ulrich Ogiermann (l) is pictured with Qatar Airways Cargo Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Peter Penseel. They were at Air Cargo China in Shanghai last week to unveil a big new trade show stand and talk to the press.
   Uli revealed:
   “In 2017, we will target areas such as Transpacific, Australia, and South America—do not be surprised if you see us becoming a strong player in all these markets in the next nine months.”

Vol. 15 No. 46 WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016

The Conversation Continues
Elliott Paige, Head of Cargo and Passenger Air Service Development at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, headlines the Air Cargo Association of Atlanta (AACA) Big Event Luncheon on June 21 to honor past presidents and announce scholarship winners.

Around The World Following The Sun
It felt a bit like the fabled departure of “The Lone Eagle,” when Charles Lindbergh took off in the dark for Paris 89 years ago. But this was 2016. The Swiss-made Solar Impulse 2 landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, June 11, at 4 a.m. It had just traveled for 4 hours and 41 minutes on a trip of 165 miles from Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania.

Orlando The Next Night
“We will gather in larger crowds. Some of us will be worried that it could happen again. But we will still gather. We win.”

Vol. 15 No. 45 MONDAY JUNE 13, 2016

Atlanta Activates Truck Staging
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the world’s most traveled airport, welcoming more than 100 million passengers in 2015, the most of any other airport in a single year. However, from a cargo standpoint, ATL ranks just 13th nationwide and 33rd internationally.

It's JFK Cargo Golf Day June 27
Joseph Badamo, President of the JFK Air Cargo Association (Silk Way Airlines, Vice President Sales, the Americas) advises that the ACA Golf Outing and all day brunch-to-dinner Summer 2016 event is once again at hand.
“We present our Third Annual Charity Golf Outing on June 27 at the Lido Beach Golf Club and everyone is invited,” Mr. Badamo declared.

Vol. 15 No. 44 WEDNESDAY JUNE 8, 2016

Gareth Joyce Is All About Choice
      Gareth Joyce has served as the President of Delta Cargo for almost a month now. In that time, he has worked continuously with the Cargo Sales team to strengthen the logistics arm at Delta, focusing on bold, new strategies that engage the Delta customer.
      In an air cargo world of choices, Gareth is happily accepting the challenge to drive shippers to Delta.
      “We have an opportunity to make Delta Cargo an entrepreneur inside of Delta,” Mr. Joyce declares.

Still A Thrill
“We’re thrilled to welcome Edelweiss Air back to Calgary,” said Senior Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer at Calgary Airport Stephan Poirier. Edelweiss Air commenced non-stop seasonal A330 service from Zurich running twice weekly from June to September.

One Roof Still At Home
This month Air France-KLM Cargo takes responsibility for all sales activities, bookings and enquiries for Delta Cargo in France and Germany. In May AF/KL took on the same activities for DL in Belgium under the Joint Venture’s emerging ‘one roof’ strategy.

Defused
An evacuated part of the airport in Hanover, Germany, shows empty seats after a recently discovered American bomb from World War II was defused late last month.
The town council in Langenhagen, where the airport is located, said the bomb squad unearthed and defused a 250-kilogram (551-pound) U.S. bomb.

The Champ Comes Home
An Eastern Airlines charter brings Mohammed Ali home to Louisville, Kentucky, from Phoenix, Arizona, where he died on Friday, June 3. The sports world along with much of the rest of the planet is mourning the loss of “The Greatest.”

Vol. 15 No. 43 MONDAY JUNE 6, 2016

See What The Bears In The Back Room Will Have
Recently, over a beer in a Bangkok bar, one leading air freight forwarder explained to your correspondent that air freight as an industry was now a completely different beast to the one he had originally started working in some 20+ years ago. “It’s not just the miniaturization of products and things like 3D printing, the whole idea of charging on a volumetric basis has been debunked,” he said. “In the future I can see multiple verticals finding new ways or producing goods which will erode demand for premium airport-to-airport services.”

LIGHTBOX: Memorial Day 2016

Porta Estellar Summer
     Porta Estellar ("Star Gate" in Catalan) was an immersive art installation featured at last year's La Mercé festival in Barcelona.
     Produced by PlayMID, a collaboration between studios Playmodes (Santi Vilanova and Eloi Maduell) and MID (Alex Posada), Porta Estellar featured innovative light and sound effects to take visitors on a galactic adventure.

Vol. 15 No. 42 WEDNESDAY JUNE 1, 2016

Mr. Jinks apparently has forgotten, or never knew, that when FedEx acquired Flying Tigers in 1989 FX became the owners of the #1 airline in the world for handling big ugly freight....

Vol. 15 No. 41 FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016

Undeclared DGR Via eBay
Internet auction platforms certainly have changed the way we live, value things, and sometimes even how we make a living.
Instead of letting that old laptop or cellphone gather dust, you sell it on e-Bay. And when you need a spare part for your 1950’s to 1980’s collectible car, chances are it can be found for less on e-Bay or some other auction platform—hence the e-Bay slogan, “if it exists in the world, in can probably be found on e-Bay.

MIA BRU Put Pharma On Ice
Miami and Brussels cargo facilities have been designated pharmaceuticals freight hubs, which means the two gateways have passed a Pharma Certification Program verifying high-value, temperature-sensitive drugs and medicines are transported in accordance with global best practices according to IATA.

Security & Weekend On Wheels
     “All types of cargo thieves, whether organized or not, are very active during the long Memorial Day Weekend,” said Cargo Security Alliance this week as the big U.S. holiday approaches, adding:
      “Theft activity (be it a burglary of a warehouse or theft of a transportation conveyance) can increase as much as 40 percent over non-holiday periods,” CSA advises.

Vol. 15 No. 40 MONDAY MAY 16, 2016

Women in Charge: How Women Power Unisys Cargo
    Carriers, ground handlers, and forwarders use Unisys technology services to move about 20 percent of the world’s air cargo.
     About two hundred people are engaged at Unisys supporting solution management, product development, and service delivery of the cargo solutions. They are mainly based in centers in the U.S. and India, but also close to clients in many other countries.
     The Unisys group are highly skilled professionals, and about half are women.

Same Day United Matters
   “The United Cargo team is excited about our enhanced participation in the time:matters Sameday network,” said Jan Krems, President of United Cargo.
   “We know the importance of delivering fast, standardized, and highly reliable transport for time-critical shipments, and we believe United Cargo’s extensive U.S. flight network is a perfect fit for increased cooperation in the solutions time:matters provides for customers.
   “My thanks to the time:matters and United Cargo teams in Germany for the creativity and effort it took to make this collaboration happen.”

Watch The Birdie At A Golf Outing
Atlanta Airport Cargo Association (AACA), a great gateway cargo club, held its Annual Golf Outing on March 17 at Orchard Hills Golf Club.
“All of our friends were there and some of their best friends, too,” said photographer and good friend to all, Donna Mullins (Mullins International Solutions).

Vol. 15 No. 39 WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2016

SWIFT Kicks India Clearance Up A Notch
“I have never seen such a change in my 40 years in the air cargo industry,” said Tushar Jani, Chairman, Delhi Cargo Service Center. A veteran in the cargo business, Jani is well known as an innovative entrepreneur—he was one of the founders and former Chairman of Blue Dart Courier Services and Blue Dart Aviation—and was speaking about SWIFT, the Single Window System introduced recently at international airports around the country.

Spargel Zeit Asparagus Time Again
Our favorite yearly treat comes to New York City this week. Air cargo is once again delivering cases of the great German “royal vegetable,” spargel (white asparagus), once reserved for the upper classes. The German American Chamber of Commerce celebrates the season with its 15th Annual White Asparagus Dinner held at The Tribeca Rooftop in Manhattan.

Field Of Dreams
Remember Chinese logistics entrepreneur Jonathan Pang who went to Germany and purchased Parchim Airport?
Well, now it is seven years later and Mr. Pang and his airport are the subject of a documentary released this week (May 19) titled Parchim International.

Summer Waiting In The Wings
Passengers contemplating long lines are reflected in glass as they queue up for a security checkpoint under the atrium of the domestic passenger terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta.

Vol. 15 No. 38 MONDAY MAY 16, 2016

Turkish Opens Atlanta
“We are thrilled to welcome Turkish Airlines to Atlanta,” Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport General Manager Miguel Southwell said, as Turkish begins daily, nonstop B777-300 ER service Monday May 16, 2016 between Atlanta and Istanbul.
“Turkish Airlines daily passenger and cargo flights will open up business and leisure opportunities for thousands of new customers from both sides of the Atlantic,” Mr. Southwell said.

The Turkish Way
If you examine Turkish Airlines as delegates to IATA’s Cargo Network Services (CNS) undoubtedly did during their big Nashville event, what emerged—in addition to the slick, ultra modern aircraft transport and handling capabilities for all manner of cargo, from pharma to horses to heavy machinery and small packages—is Istanbul itself as the “Natural Bridge between Asia and Europe.”

Coming In 17, You Know What That Means
Mark Sutch (General Manager Marketing & Sales, Cathay Pacific), Simon Large (Director Cargo, Cathay Pacific), Peter Gerber (CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Cargo) and Bernhard Kindelbacher (Senior Vice President Strategy, Subsidiaries & Business Development Lufthansa Cargo) with the big May 12 announcement that the future of Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific will involve combining cargo handling at Frankfurt & Hong Kong, coordinating sales, flights, and schedules, and opening up IT for cross access by customers.

Ain't Lion—Glad To Retire
A worker straps down cages that hold former circus lions on their arrival at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, April 30, 2016. Thirty-three lions rescued from various circuses in Peru and Colombia were winging their way to Johannesburg to live out the rest of their lives in a private sanctuary in South Africa, organized and paid for by Animal Defenders International.

FIATA Hits The Rails
Putting China & Europe on rail is a long held dream of FIATA President and Bejing-based Sinotrans Ltd. CEO Mr. Zhao Huxiang, as he reiterated in an opening address to a working group of global players that met in Shenzhen on May 12-13. The purpose of the meeting was to bring that dream closer to reality by sharing experiences and ideas in order to uncover innovative solutions.

Along Comes Pretty Little May
Mustangs were on the flight line at the annual 'Wings Over Illawarra' Airshow recently in Australia. The airshow took place at the Illawarra Regional Airport, a field located on the doorstep of Sydney.

Vol. 15 No. 37 WEDNESDAY MAY 11, 2016

India Numbers Rising
Over the last few weeks, a constant refrain in Indian aviation circles has been that within the next four-five years the country will become the third largest aviation market after the U.S. and China. Not without reason: Everyone has been quoting from a study done by KPMG and apex chambers of commerce body, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), called the “India Aviation Report.”

Get Ready To Jump A Hyperloop
Will people and cargo travel in a tube on the ground at the speed of sound?
That idea may have moved a step closer to reality as a company called Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT), which includes some Boeing and NASA veterans, says that it has licensed passive magnetic levitation technology to power a prototype system that promises to move humans and cargo at speeds of up to 750 miles per hour.

Vol. 15 No. 36 MONDAY MAY 9, 2016

Namaste Nisha Mahajan
Though Nisha Mahajan has been in the cargo business for quite some time, she says that her work at Namaste India Aviation is an exciting and challenging one. “No two days are similar in the cargo industry,” she told ACNFlyingTypers.

       Phom Penh Exclusive
     Looking for new markets remains a priority for some executives, especially after a rather lackluster and in some quarters even sluggish 2015.
      Now in 2016, uncertainty over China finding the next big thing continues as the long predicted migration of manufacturing to the low cost labor pool areas of Southeast Asia occurs.

Vol. 15 No. 35 TUESDAY MAY 3, 2016

Amazon Upstream Into Transportation
(Exclusive)—Rumors that Amazon is one of three bidders looking to establish a presence at Germany’s Frankfurt-Hahn Airport continue to mount. The location would offer easy access to warehouses across Europe, potentially generating cost savings and service improvements. It would also give Amazon better access to Germany, Europe’s largest economy.

Taking Stock Mixes Demand
The picture for freight demand remains mixed, but signs of an upturn in March and the sense that European and U.S. retailers are restocking are buoying industry confidence, at least on some lanes.

Are you ever at an event and can’t connect a face with a name?
Have you ever noticed that at some trade shows or big meetings, there is always one guy that seems to know everybody’s name?

When it comes to dedication to development of Latin American and especially South America air cargo, few in the market have the chops and gravitas of Claudio Silva.

Vol. 15 No. 34 THURSDAY APRIL 28, 2016

Get Down & Play The Logistics Game
     Meet Andy Page and Patricia Smedley, former UK teachers and as unlikely a duo for change as you might expect.
      These two have concocted a board game intended to excite and inspire 9-19 year olds about logistics and the global supply chain.
      The game is called “Business on the Move,” and their particular dream became a reality for kids in the UK in the summer of 2014.

Nepal Story One Year Later
On the anniversary of the first Nepal quake on April 25 2015, FlyingTypers caught up with Gagan Mukhia, Country Manager of DHL Express Nepal.
As reported by our correspondent a year ago, on the day the first 7.8 magnitude quake shattered the Himalayan country, most DHL staff were enjoying a team bonding picnic on a pleasant hill some 30 minutes outside the capital Kathmandu.

India Needs Infrastructure & Process Efficiencies
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet recently opened the doors for the $75 billion UAE investments in India’s infrastructure, it also signaled the beginning of a project that had been hampered by a lack of funds. Set for establishment near Delhi’s international airport, the ECC or Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre is only a part of a project that includes an air cargo complex spread over 144 hectares of land.

Letters To The Editor For April 28, 2016
Congratulations on being named a FIATA Fellow.
Bob Keen from British International Freight Association (BIFA) did share the FIATA Fellow news with me a while ago and said he enjoyed a beer with you at the event in Zurich earlier this month.

Vol. 15 No. 33 MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016

Take A Tip From The Tulips
This is a special time of year. In a small corner of our rather tiny backyard, the most wonderful pair of tulips are back in bloom to help welcome the sweet springtime.
They are gazing up at the sun after having waited patiently for the New York City weather to warm up. They finally opened up this morning.

Vol. 15 No. 32 THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2016
FIATA Goes Green In San Antonio Members from FIATA World Congress Dublin (upcoming for October 3-8) hit the streets of San Antonio, Texas, as part of the Transport Intermediaries Association's (TIA) 5k Charity Run at TIA’s Capital Ideas Conference and Exhibition, which ran April 6-9. Not Easy Being Green This Friday, April 22, 2016, is Earth Day. We are now entering the 46th year of an environmental movement that continues to inspire thought, challenge ideas, ignite passion, and motivate people to action. “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green” is a popular song written by Joe Raposo, originally performed by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street, the long-running children’s show on the Public Broadcasting System in America.
Chuckles For April 21, 2016 BIFA Backs Multimodal May Ian Matheson writes that Birmingham, UK, is “one of the homes of the Industrial Revolution.” That works for air cargo, since BIFA—the British International Freight Association—appears in Birmingham at Multimodal 2016 from May 10-12, 2016. “BIFA uses Multimodal 2016 as its prime annual event to showcase the Association’s offerings to logistics visitors from all over the country,” Ian reports. Eye In The Sky A new nail-biter movie featuring Helen Mirren and the late Alan Rickman explores the moral quandaries of remote control warfare...
Prince Was American Royalty The artist known as Prince died today in Minnesota. Prince was that most unique type of singer-songwriter—a complete original. He combined so many types of music, mixing Big Band, Rock & Roll, and R&B. Prince’s stage presence was electric—he was always beautifully costumed, alive with energy and spirit, and equipped with a beautiful voice and stupendous guitar. Passover Blessings

Vol. 15 No. 31 MONDAY APRIL 18, 2016
Tristan And American Cargo The tale of Tristan and Iseult might tell the tale of a medieval romantic tragedy, but the story of Tristan Koch, American Airlines Cargo Managing Director Cargo Sales EMEA ISC, is far more uplifting. To this fast-rising star, things are looking better everyday. The Lionel Track At CNS Lionel van der Walt, a South African who has been part of IATA for the past decade (mostly on the passenger side), went into the spotlight and took center stage as IATA Cargo Network Services (CNS) President and Host of the Partnership Conference in Nashville.
Chuckles For April 18, 2016 Cargo Is Country Music The cargo community met where country music rules, and for 3 days Nashville became customer country. We spent some time with the spirited group that hosted United Cargo adventures last week. DFW Gives Good Catchment During a break in the action at CNS we were talking to DFW about their catchment area numbers, (including HOU, ELP, LRD, STL, MCI, BPT): Asia accounts for more than one-half of air cargo trade, with the aforementioned gateways solidly part of DFW catchment area. In Africa: Nigeria, South Africa, and Angola are the three largest trading partners with DFW.
Remembering Bill Langenberg We were saddened to learn of the passing of William “Bill” Langenberg. Bill served as District Sales Manager at Burlington Northern Air Freight and BAX Global at LAX during the late 70s and 80s.

Vol. 15 No. 30 MONDAY APRIL 11, 2016

Why Issa Baluch Matters
We spent a couple of days in March at the big FIATA meeting in Zurich, Switzerland. There the fabled 90-year-old organization stepped outside itself to bestow upon me the title of “FIATA Fellow” in a lovely ceremony inside a 700-year-old restaurant near FIATA HQ.
In a world of meaningless awards meant only to pump up the bank accounts of publications and organizations, being recognized for excellence by the airlines’ biggest customer was, to our mind, the exception that makes the rule.

Vol. 15 No. 29 SUNDAY APRIL 10, 2016

EMO Trans Ready For Partnership 2016
     Fast-growing logistics specialist EMO Trans arrived in Nashville for the IATA CNS Partnership Conference ready to do business.
   EMO has actively supported and participated in CNS Partnership for the past two decades.
   “CNS Partnership is an important part of our strategy to get close to our partners as we continue to work together on behalf of our customers,” said President EMO Trans Marco Rohrer (center), pictured with Corporate Airfreight Manager Tilo Weger (left), and Midwest USA Regional Manager Uwe Kaeding (right).

Stanley Lim Hwee Hong Two Ways

Panama Papers United World Press
Hats off to the 376 reporters from more than 100 news outlets and 80 countries around the world! The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) parked their egos and worked together for a year to report on the corruption of several world leaders, making for the biggest blockbuster story of this or any news cycle. The resultant Panama Papers have uncovered political deception and a conspiracy to hide tax monies in offshore accounts.

Vol. 15 No. 28 WEDNESDAY APRIL 06, 2016

The CNS Partnership Meetapalooza
It's that time of year again: the 26th CNS Partnership Conference is back to bring together airlines and forwarders for a few days of golfing, networking, and comparing big ideas.
The confab starts Sunday, April 10 in Nashville, TN. For more info click here.

Vol. 15 No. 27 MONDAY APRIL 04, 2016

Delta Cargo Marketing From The Ground Up
Ask Delta Cargo’s Product & Express Development Manager Pawel Borkowski what is moving up the Cool Chain right now, and his answer is immediate:
“Delta Cargo’s premium products drive a significant portion of our revenue mix, so far up 2 percent YoY for 2016.”

April No Fooling
April 1st is a date when the unexpected can sometimes be revealed as an “April Fool’s joke.”
So you can imagine the irony this past April 1st when Japan Airlines (JAL) President Yoshiharu Ueki (C) and newly hired employees held up their paper planes to celebrate the day at the JAL hanger at Tokyo's Haneda. Meanwhile, in the passenger terminal, furious customers were lined up to demand refunds of their money after a computer glitch fouled the day for thousands.

Vol. 15 No. 26 WEDNESDAY MARCH 30, 2016

Steiger Was A Fighter
Dirk Steiger was a fighter. He died far too young—at the age of 53—on March 22, 2016, in Frankfurt, Germany.
Whether it was battling against the night flight ban at Frankfurt a few years ago, or refusing to back down from the debilitating illness that eventually took his life, Dirk never minded the odds and was an intense, smart, and original thinker in air cargo.

Vol. 15 No. 25 FRIDAY MARCH 25, 2016

Oliver From Arms' Length
“The best view of a territory is always from a certain distance: this is what I am now able to enjoy since my departure from that wonderful company which I led for 12 years with great pride and delight, Swiss WorldCargo. It is therefore my pleasure to try and describe that view in the humble hope that my vantage point offers some fresh insights.”

BER Two-Step
As we reported last week, the new capital airport “Willy Brandt International” in Berlin, Germany, is an ongoing boondoggle—a national and international embarrassment of cost overruns and delayed completion. The General Accounting Office (GA) of the State of Brandenburg published a damning report decrying the shortcomings surrounding construction of the airport-to-be and accusing both the supervisory board and the senior management for neglect of their legal obligations.

Vol. 15 No. 24 MONDAY MARCH 21, 2016

Geoffrey Named FIATA Fellow
On Saturday, March 20, 2016, The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) honored FlyingTypers’ Editor/Publisher Geoffrey Arend, bestowing upon him the title of FIATA Fellow for his contributions to the air cargo industry.
Accompanied by his son Geoffrey II, Mr. Arend was given the unprecedented recognition—the first time for someone outside of FIATA, the largest organization of freight forwarders in the world.

SWISSerific Posts Profits 2015
“SWISS is well positioned and equipped, and this enabled us to respond successfully to the high competitive pressures,” declared Thomas Klühr, CEO Swiss International Air Lines, as the carrier’s corporate report declared the carrier achieved an operating profit (adjusted EBIT) of CHF 453 million for 2015, a 34 percent improvement on the previous year (2014: CHF 337 million) and the third-best operating result in the company’s history.
“But the challenges of last year will also accompany us throughout the year ahead. This is why we will align ourselves even more closely with our partners within the Lufthansa Group, to even better meet our customers’ needs and tap further synergic potential,” he added.

Cuban Cargo Havana Good Time
      After a half-century blockade some thought would never end, U.S. and Cuban air carriers stand poised to commence what will surely be a growing roster of services between the United States and Cuba.
      It’s anybody’s guess where these potential monthly frequencies might leave air cargo, but the circuitous routes airborne consignments have taken during the “no fly” era are a good indication of the impact this will have on the industry.
      For example, air cargo between Havana and Europe has been thriving, and while the door was shut between the United States and Cuba, business did not slacken between Toronto, Canada, and the island nation.

Vol. 15 No. 23 THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016

Buoyant Bellinder Sunny Side Up
     Do you know what we like about Jim Bellinder, Vice President Cargo Sales Americas for United Cargo?
     Jim is an airline guy who moves in an upbeat fashion that might suggest he has a bit of Jet-A coursing through his system.
     Buoyant Bellinder seems to keep himself sunny side up.
     Not such an easy thing to do as business challenges and other cycles come into play in 2016, but in the big game, when the time is late and winning is on the line, you want Jim on your side.

Cargo 2000 Is Now Cargo iQ
“Cargo iQ members work together to measure success and continuously improve the value of airfreight for customers,” said Ariaen Zimmerman, Executive Director, Cargo iQ, as the IATA special interest group Cargo 2000 (C2K) is rebranded and with new members reborn as Cargo iQ (CiQ?). Emirates SkyCargo joins several other new members as Cargo iQ was trumpeted as the big news out of Berlin this week.

BER Bumbles Into 2016
     In Germany—more precisely, in Berlin, its capital and former Reichshauptstadt—when it comes to the airport business, everything is far from being “in ordnung” (order); in fact to use another German word, things at BER are “chaos” (a mess)!
     The large infrastructure project at Berlin’s Willy Brandt International Airport has run out of money and despite huge cost overruns and a seeming endless period of time, it still requires more time to be completed.
     So maybe that is not big news, but keep reading.

Hands On Maritime Easy As ABS
     ABS Consulting, which offers some excellent training courses in Florida, announced the 6th edition of their Maritime Logistics Training Course. It takes place at the Residence Inn by Marriott, Miramar, Florida, on April 27-28, 2016.
     In 2014, Albert Saphir (above) and Joe Espinosa created this 2-day training course based on industry requests for practical training and education. They launched the first course in February 2014; since then, all iterations of the course have sold out!
     “Our content is just about unchanged from the previous editions as the overall format has been very well received by the attendees.

Vol. 15 No. 22 WEDNESDAY MARCH 16, 2016

Every Which Way With Samways
When asked to offer some insight into air cargo in 2016 both domestically (U.S.) and internationally, Roger Samways, Managing Director Global and Key Accounts for American Airlines Cargo, related the following.
“The international market makes up a lot of our business. And although the macroeconomic situation worldwide isn’t necessarily encouraging, there are still plenty of opportunities as we continue to focus on building stronger relationships with our customers and developing new partnerships, and as our overall network continues to expand (as with our newly acquired presence in Haneda, Sydney, etc.). ”

Honestly Shobana
      Shobana Devarajulu, Cargo Services Manager, Cathay Pacific at Delhi is candid enough to say that she strayed into air cargo “honestly by accident…”
     Shobana joined the airline “to do aircraft weight and balance for cargo freighters” but was asked to work in cargo acceptance.
     She was quick to understand the huge potential and the vast scope the work provided.
     “I decided to continue in the industry,” she says. That was around a dozen years ago and Shobana has not regretted her decision since.

Up The Irish 2016
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these words as you lift your glass to friends and family:
May the road rise up to meet you
And may the wind always be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the raindrops fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the small of his hand.

Vol. 15 No. 21 MONDAY MARCH 14, 2016

World Cargo Symposium Insight Out
Here is a glimpse at our picks for the interesting session tracks at IATA’s World Cargo Symposium (WCS), taking place this week in Berlin, Germany, from March 15-17.The air cargo industry is gathering its best and brightest for three days of face-to-face contact and around-the-clock meetings.

Imagine Ray Curtis With Superpowers
As the chief cargo officer at Delta Airlines Cargo, Vice President Global Sales and Marketing Ray Curtis is many things to a host of people around the world.
During more than 30 years in the air cargo business, Ray has continuously moved up the ladder, equipped with the experience of belonging to a transportation family—his mom, Joan, was a well-known early pioneer in cargo, working for a forwarder at JFK International Airport in New York.

Amazon Airborne
In a deal that will see Amazon acquire up to 19.9 percent percent of Air Transport Services Group, Inc., (ATSG), Amazon Fulfillment Services, Inc.—an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc., (as expected)—has agreed to have ASTG operate an air cargo network via twenty B767s to serve Amazon customers in the United States.

Tempelhof Is A Green Paradise
“The airport at Tempelhof unites the characteristics of an inland sea with the yearning for faraway places,”a delighted observer once said.
Attendees of World Cargo Symposium might want to get out of the hotel this week and take a walk over to one of the best public parks in the world, where a veritable green paradise has been crafted out of what was once the gateway of The Berlin Airlift, where modern air cargo was born in 1948.

Vol. 15 No. 20 WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

What Will Boost India Cargo?
The picture of a heavy bag containing the 2016-17 Indian Budget being handled by Parliament staff, which bannered our March 2, 2016, FlyingTypers issue, was indeed a telling one.
Like any journalist keen on a good story, my editor commented, “Undoubtedly, somewhere in that bag are the air cargo hopes held by the aviation dreamers and doers of India.”

Of B727s & MD88s
       On March 2 the first Boeing 727 (N7001U) ever built took off for its final flight, traveling from Paine Field in Everett, Washington, to Boeing Field in Seattle.
      The plane will go on permanent display at the Museum of Flight as part of Boeing's centennial celebration at the museum.
      The B727 was restored inside and out at the Museum of Flight Restoration Center at Paine Field.

Go JFK Expo March 31
It’s hard not to fall in love with the annual JFK International Airport “Air Cargo Association Expo,” held at Russo’s On The Bay near the main runways of the southern Queens facility in New York City. Transportation alums gather in Howard Beach, Queens, on March 31, 2016 all day from 08:00 until 17:00 hours.

Vol. 15 No. 19 MONDAY MARCH 7, 2016

Will Ocean Containers Add Lift?
New container weighing rules for ocean freight that will implemented this July have the potential to give air freight demand a welcome boost if maritime supply chains are disrupted. Indeed, one leading carrier believes the introduction of the new regulations has the potential to temporarily reverse the long-term modal shift of cargo from air to ocean.

Drone Hits Plane
An octocopter-type drone is seen here midflight. Airline pilots are calling for tests to discover what would happen if a drone hit a passenger jet amid a recent spate of near misses.
The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) wants the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to back research into the possible consequences of such collisions.

Quick Before It Melts
Is KOLD KART too cool for school?
When it comes to carrying temperature sensitive cargo—whether perishables or pharmaceuticals—keeping the right cool just got a bit easier as Air France KLM Martinair is adding ‘KOLD KART’ technology.

Meanwhile At The FBO
      Politics aside, the marketing triumph of the year is billionaire Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arriving at several different airports aboard his own aircraft.
      First, the jet circles the field and does a low flyover.
      Then the sleek Boeing B757 (arguably the most beautiful twin jet ever built) taxis up to an airport hangar filled with supporters and media and Trump steps off the branded jet and waves “Presidential Style,” and the crowd just goes wild.

Vol. 15 No. 18 WEDNESDAY MARCH 2, 2016

India Buried Under The Weight
Despite what you might have heard about India recently, it looks like hope for long-awaited business reforms are slowly fading away in 2016.
Air cargo leaders may have been thinking big thoughts at a trade show in Mumbai last month, but despite ongoing efforts to eliminate red tape from the process, PM Narendra Modi has seen his big ticket reforms delayed and diluted.

Where Are We Now?
The predicted pre-Chinese New Year upsurge in air freight demand in January and early February failed to materialize, leaving carriers facing a bleak first quarter, with many Western retailers’ inventories reported to still be well-stocked.
“It simply didn’t happen,” said one Hong Kong-based forwarder. “Exports from China, Korea, and Taiwan were slow, and we’re not now expecting any upturn until at least the end of March and perhaps longer.”

View From A Fish Eye
Two stewardesses onboard a Sichuan Airlines A330-300 last week at the start of direct, twice weekly flights between Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in China and Prague Vaclav Havel Airport in Czech Republic.

Chuckles For March 2, 2016

Nagpur SEZ MIHAN
Nagpur will soon benefit as the only city in India to develop the ambitious Special Economic Zone (SEZ), featuring a Multimodal International Hub and Airport. (MIHAN)
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with Minister for Surface Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari have revived the MIHAN plans.

Over The Moon
A Delta Airlines jet on approach to Sky Harbor International Airport passes the nearly full moon rising in the distance on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Vol. 15 No. 17 TUESDAY MARCH 1, 2016

Carmen Taylor Unplugged
Back in 2012, Carmen Taylor, Managing Director of AA Cargo’s Latin America sales division, which includes South America, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, and the southeast region of the United States, was recognized by Miami World Trade Center for “exceptional leadership in promoting and enhancing free trade and international business.”

5/20 Or Fight
(Delhi Exclusive) Even as air cargo went center stage last week in Mumbai, elsewhere India’s top air cargo practitioners were discussing how India’s transportaton sector was expected to grow by more than 180 percent within the next 15 years—a large part of which will be due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign. However, a battle royale is shaping up between the government’s civil aviation ministry and the non-government airlines.

A Brief Conversation With Duncan Watson
     Ask Duncan Watson—the lively and energetic air cargo Vice President moving up at Emirates—what his top priority is as February 2016 comes to a close, and his answer is immediate.
     “Our restructure is just about complete.
     “Emirates air cargo’s business in the United States has grown at such an accelerated clip that we decided to create three distinct regions, which all came together as of last January.”

A Leap Of Faith
1978 wasn’t a leap year, but had my older brother been born in either 1976 or 1980, and just one day later, he would be a leap year baby, or a ‘leapling.’ He would have turned about nine years old yesterday, despite his five-o-clock shadow and six-foot-three frame.
Why do we observe leap years? One would think, given how paltry are the days in February (the shortest month), we could just make the decision to throw February an extra day and, well, call it a day. But it’s a bit more complicated than that.

Vol. 15 No. 16 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

Lithium Ban Enacted
On February 22, the ICAO Governing Council adopted a new safety measure on an interim basis, which prohibits carriage of Lithium ion batteries on passenger aircraft.
The decision goes into effect April 1, 2016, and pertains only to Lithium ion batteries shipped as cargo and not to those contained in personal electronic devices carried by passengers and crew.

Lithium-batteries, the final frontier. These are the voyages of disillusioned and frustrated dangerous goods-cum-hazmat experts in their seven year mission: To make some sense of notorious packing instructions 965 to 970 covering Lithium batteries, to seek their true meaning and a way to explain the regulatory requirements applicable to the shipping of Lithium batteries by air to those involved in the transport chain, and boldly go where no hazmat staff has ever gone before.

Beam Me Up, Scotty
William Shatner hopes to arrange a show to celebrate 50 years of Star Trek in 2016—and it might even be a musical.
The 84-year-old Shatner, who played Captain Kirk when the television series launched in 1966, believes an anniversary show for Star Trek's half century is in order.

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 don't even know his name.
As we celebrate Black History Month, it seems the enormity of “black history” continues to unfold and reveal itself. Today we explore what for us was a startling revelation: a virtually unknown man with claims to several aviation firsts. His accomplishments are not only noteworthy because he was a person of color, but also for their influence in advancing the history of aviation.

Vol. 15 No. 15 MONDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2016

An Evening Along The Chism Trail
We spent a wonderful evening last Thursday (February 18) sitting with Ed Chism, recently retired Cargo Manager, USA Emirates Sky Cargo, Duncan Watson, VP Cargo Commercial Operations America, Middle East, & GCC, and a couple hundred “close friends” at an event to honored and celebrate Ed’s retirement.

     Some things never change.
     It was 1929 when the giant Dornier DO-X landed in New York to be re-engined at North Beach Airport (today’s LaGuardia) before continuing on its a worldwide flight.
     The DO-X utilized a dozen Liberty engines in a “push-pull” configuration.
     Folks who know about Liberty engines (of WWI fame) might also recall that those pioneering (and reliable for their time) power plants ran at one speed: “on.” Based on the technology of the day, each push-pull pair required a mechanic that shinnied inside the wing and up between the engines whilst en-route to service.

Vol. 15 No. 14 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2016

Uli: The Quiet Man of Air Cargo
“Speak softly and carry a big stick,” said Theodore Roosevelt, arguably one of the greatest presidents in United States history.
We were thinking about TR while watching Uli Ogiermann as he sat mostly silent at an October press conference at Qatar Airways in Doha. His repose continued later at the meeting room table while Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker fielded reporters’ questions.

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday, February 10th, that ICAO’s Air Navigation Commission, (ANC), has recommended the introduction of an outright ban on rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries transported as shipments (UN 3480) on passenger aircraft.
The decision on the ban is to be made by the ICAO Council later this month and could go into effect as early as April 1st, 2016, sources say.

Chuckles for February 17, 2016

Arafa Goes Global At Swiss
Snow continues to visit us in the northeast, but our trustiest weatherman, the groundhog, has forecast an early spring, so we should soon be amid a flurry of flowers rather than snowflakes. The promise of warm weather couldn’t come at a better time, too, with the month of love already a week underway and the desire for fresh-cut flowers only growing.

Letters to the Editor for February 17, 2016
    You always write so nicely about everything and everyone, so I hope you'll write something about my friend (and old boss) Jos van der Woensel.
   As you know, Jos died 5 years ago in 2011.
   Saw the FlyingTypers article last week with John Vuursteen detailing the Sequoia Tree at SPL Oost, and John mentioned Jos, his colleague at Seaboard World Airlines.

My Friend In Holland
     My friend in Holland, Jos van der Woensel, is currently in the fight of his life.
     Dutch-born van der Woensel spent 18 years as an air cargo GSA for a company he started called Zygene EFC bv.
     Prior to that time, Jos was part of the famed “Foreign Legion” and was a disciple of Al Levinson at Seaboard World Airways.

Vol. 15 No. 13 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016

When LAX Landed The Beatles
Here is a break in the day’s occupation and an extra special issue for all you lovers celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 14th.
When The Beatles arrived in Los Angeles time stood still. It’s now fifty-two years later and our dear friend Michael Webber is helping us remember the event.

Bram Gräber, Executive Vice President of Air France/KLM/Martinair Cargo prioritizes the Pharma business as “a top concern for our airline group.”
“In an increasingly demanding environment for time and temperature sensitive shipments, adding the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators Certification (CEIV) this week reconfirms our commitment to offering the highest possible quality standards in support of our customers’ business activities.

Chuckles for February 12, 2016

Coo Coo For Keukenhof Returns
Snow continues to visit us in the northeast, but our trustiest weatherman, the groundhog, has forecast an early spring, so we should soon be amid a flurry of flowers rather than snowflakes. The promise of warm weather couldn’t come at a better time, too, with the month of love already a week underway and the desire for fresh-cut flowers only growing.

Vol. 15 No. 12 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016

Drones Outnumber Airplanes
On December 21 the U.S. FAA began drone registration, and right now they are awfully glad they did.
As of today, the number of drones potentially flying in U.S. skies outnumber the number of piloted aircraft—including private and commercial crafts—as more than 325,000 people have registered their drones as of last Friday.

      Indian exporters will benefit from a new gateway in the south of the country.
      At least, that is the plan.
      Visakhapatnam International Airport has chalked out plans to boost domestic cargo and will hopefully see full-scale operations by the end of February 2016.
      Now that the airport operator, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has finalized a private entity, Delex Cargo India, to operate the cargo terminal, moves have begun to start international cargo operations.

Chuckles for February 10, 2016

Etihad Into The Light
Although it has often found itself caught up in rows with regulators and competitors (mainly in Europe) about how it has funded and managed its expansion, there is no doubt that Etihad, alongside Qatar and Emirates, is a major star in the world of air freight even when markets are stubbornly slow.

Recharge Lithium SoC
On Wednesday, February 3, 2016, our story “Recharge Lithium in 2016” reported that an Addendum to IATA’s 57th edition of the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) mandates April 1, 2016, as the date a maximum state of charge (SoC) of 30 percent rule would be applicable for all lithium ion batteries “shipped or contained in or packed with equipment.”
That sentence should have read lithium ion batteries (UN 3480) “shipped by themselves must be at no more than 30 percent SoC” (not including the words “shipped or contained in equipment”).

Vol. 15 No. 11 MONDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2016

Jan Krems Sexy Cargo
Winston Churchill said of Franklin Roosevelt that “meeting him was like uncorking your first bottle of champagne,” which is exactly what it felt like to us recently when we sat down and talked to Jan Krems, President of United Cargo.
Face to face, Jan comes across as a broad thinker and a brilliant air cargo mind. But he also seems a very approachable guy who knows how to both motivate people and thinking, and have some fun as well.

     Being a retired old cargo boy, I would like to wish you the best for 2016 in good health, etc.
  I am an ex-Seaboard sales-manager, ex-Seaboard general manager and the last director of the Benelux and Scandinavia.
  Also I thank you very much for your article “Schiphol Enigma,” published in July 2012 of your famous cargo publication.

Year Of The Fire Monkey
Last night Americans may have celebrated their grand old tradition of tossing a pigskin around and tackling each other needlessly (as far as I’m concerned), but today is Chinese New Year.
This Chinese New Year is the year of the Fire Monkey, which is an accurate descriptor for what fortunetellers say will be an unpredictable year ahead.

It's Your Fortune Cookie

Vol. 15 No. 10 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Recharge Lithium In 2016
      IATA recently issued an addendum to their published 57th edition of the IATA DGR.
     Lithium batteries continue to give headaches to shippers and operators alike.
     Aside from numerous new and amended operator variations, the first Addendum for the 57th edition of the IATA DGR mandates a maximum SoC of 30 percent applicable to all Lithium Ion and Lithium polymer batteries shipped or contained in or packed with equipment.

Although it happened at the height of Christmastide and it might have sailed right by many of us, the largest container ship to ever make port in North America arrived in the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California, on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015.
After making its maiden voyage from China, where it was built, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin docked before dawn with its cargo.

In The Picture
USA Trucking… From The Pacific Standard Magazine website comes this interesting infographic created by Shaye Anderson that captures the comings and goings of the USA trucking industry.

Chuckles for February 3, 2016

Regarding Pete Spaulding
It seems more like a hundred years ago that we said goodbye to Pete Spaulding. I first met Pete when he worked for TMA but got to know him more when he joined Summit. He was always fun to be around and was not afraid to tell you exactly what he was thinking.

Mardi Gras Know What It Means
Angel Crowley, Manager of the Duck Inn in Evansville, Indiana, is pairing corn with a pound of freshly steamed crawfish for a New Orleans-style meal. It’s a delectable offering for the sell-out crowd queuing up outside. The crowd and the meal are the result of her advanced preparations—six months ago she pre-ordered 1,500 pounds of crawfish and 400 pounds of shrimp from a merchant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, just for the occasion.
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, takes place next week on February 8.

Vol. 15 No. 09 MONDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2016

On Thursday, January 28, Ray Curtis was the guest speaker at JFK Air Cargo Association. He told a packed house of 200 people that Delta is dedicated to maintaining its position as “New York’s hometown airline.”
“I asked, ‘what do you need Delta Cargo to do?’”

Chuckles for February 01, 2016

Big Day For SWISS International
It was a big day in Switzerland as SWISS International just received the first of nine B777-300ERs on January 29, 2016. Harry Hohmeister, Chief Executive Officer of SWISS, shook hands with Boeing’s Bob Whittington when the deal was made in 2013. Also pictured are (r) Marcel Klaus, Chief SWISS Financial Officer and Rainer Hiltebrand, Chief Operation Officer.

Thanks For The Memories
An intrepid cargo community leader in Atlanta, our dear friend Donna Mullins (right) reports:
“The Atlanta International Forwarders & Brokers Association’s (AIFBA) February 9, 2016, luncheon (12-2pm $45 members, $65 non-members) at Atlanta Airport Marriott (Best Road) will not only be informative, it will also be an opportunity for the community to wish several of our stellar government officials a farewell as they journey out of the work day into the ‘whatever they want to do’ day.

Letter To The Editor - Remembering Peter Spaulding
A worker carefully lifts a travel crate containing an 8-year-old male Sumatran rhino named Harapan (Hope). Harapan flew as air cargo to Way Kambas National Park on Sumatra Island, after arrival at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Cengkareng, Indonesia, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015.

Vol. 15 No. 08 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27, 2016

EMO Trans Looks Good Down Under
     Preparing a story about Ian Ahern, Managing Director (and pioneer) of EMO Trans Australia, we are instantly struck by his bearing, sense of place, force in fact, and straightforward answers:
     “Where is your CV?” we ask.
     “I am afraid I don’t have one—Jo (Frigger, CEO of EMO Trans) might start to worry if I did!” he smiles.

     Air cargo stakeholders all across India are hoping that 2016 will be the year when air cargo will be viewed not merely as a money-spinner, but also as a separate entity with as much respect passenger services command.
     That hope comes from government moves to boost cargo.
     The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have initiated programs that will help the growth of air cargo—both domestic and international—in the country.

Chuckles for January 27, 2016

SkyCargo Stems From Valentines
‘Play me Hearts and Flowers,’ as the saying goes but no doubt in about a little over two weeks, the order of the day will be romance as an early indicator (along with pitchers and catchers showing up for Spring Training in Baseball) that a new season of romance and hope is tipping off.
But we wonder what the season of love means to air cargo?

Vol. 15 No. 07 MONDAY JANUARY 25, 2016

Regarding A Frozen Weekend
Here a group of men play football in the snow at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday, January 23, 2016.
The U.S. east coast from Washington, D.C. to New York City was slammed with record snow, shutting down all airports, banning motorists, and closing bridges, tunnels, and almost every form of transportation.

A pre-Chinese New Year peak season? Air freight managers certainly hope so. But while some Asian markets could see dynamic growth in 2016, the overall market is expected to be relatively flat.
China’s official holiday celebrations to mark Lunar New Year in 2016 are due to start on February 7th and last until the 13th, but in reality many workers in coastal factories will depart for distant villages earlier than the 7th and return far later, if they return at all.

The Art Of The Move
AF/KL/MP Cargo flew works by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian from Amsterdam to Brazil last week.
Two shipments with a total of 70 famous works by renowned Dutch painter Piet Mondrian were packed and shipped for Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (The Hague’s museum of modern art) aboard KLM’s scheduled B-777 service between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Chuckles for January 25, 2016

The Wow Factor
   Next time someone tells you that “somebody will always want to start up an airline,” believe it.
     Welcome to age of the super low-cost carrier! WOW Air has announced it will be flying four days a week from LAX to Iceland for as low as $99 each way.
     Wow Air, which joins Europe’s other super low-cost Norwegian Air, said it is also offering $199 flights for travelers who stopover in Iceland and then continue on to London, Paris, Berlin, and 18 other European destinations.

Pumping Traffic for January 25, 2016
Delta Airlines landed high, wide, and handsome in 2015 and will (sources say) show the love, sharing $1.5 billion between employees, shareholders, and customers next month just ahead of Valentines Day on February 12. As the oil slick costs continue to shrink, estimates see as much as $3 billion in fuel cost savings at DL during 2016...

Vol. 15 No. 06 THURSDAY JANUARY 21, 2016

Delta Cargo Rallies In Atlanta
“It’s our time to get together in an atmosphere of extending thanks, working together, comparing notes, and looking ahead,” said Ray Curtis, Delta Air Lines Cargo VP Global Sales, as the big Atlanta-based carrier came out running for 2016 this week as it hosts its Annual Global Sales Meeting.

The weather had just decided to shift to winter in Atlanta, Georgia, this week, and as the mercury plummeted for states across the Eastern U.S., Delta Cargo’s Annual Global Sales Meeting lifted off with everyone safe within the friendly confines of a warm downtown restaurant.

Chuckles for January 21, 2016

ATC Goes Single Pfeil
“Our customers, especially those customers we represent across regions, will now be able to fully realize the benefits of management and systems integration within our two largest regions, Europe and the United States, and beyond,” said Ingo Zimmer, CEO of ATC Incorporated. The fast-growing GSA announced Timothy Pfeil had been named Vice President and North American Managing Director, assuming the post formerly held by Don Cochran.

Pharma & Healthcare Logic
“Besides the regulatory landscape becoming more and more complex when it comes to the transportation of pharmaceutical products, the industry demands for more and more customized solutions and we believe that with our vertical industry approach and the choice of the right business partners such as Cargologic we are on the right track to meet the needs of the industry,” said Susanne Wellauer, Swiss WorldCargo’s Vertical Industry Manager Pharma & Healthcare.

Pumping Traffic for January 21, 2016
Air France has opened an A380 route from Paris CDG into Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City on January 12, bringing the big bird to that city for the first time.

Vol. 15 No. 05 MONDAY JANUARY 18, 2015

AirBridgeCargo Back To The Future
Ask Denis Ilin, CEO of AirBridgeCargo, what is new and needs to be shared with the global air cargo business as 2016 starts, and his answer is upbeat and immediate.
“In 2015 we have successfully continued our strategy of fleet and network expansion based on maintaining a high level of service and schedule reliability.

While many air cargo businesses are paying close attention to perishables, and industry publications and event organizers strive to attract hundreds of delegates to their conferences, companies that crave real action and market intelligence might do well by going to Berlin next month for Fruit Logistica, occurring February 3-5 at The Berlin ExpoCenter and City Cube.

Chuckles for January 18, 2016

King Of Concourse E
Getting stuck at the airport is often an interminable experience. It’s enough to pass through the welter of airport security, losing shoes and sometimes dignity to an impassive TSA crew, only to find oneself with few options for food aside from boiled-in-a-bag offal or questionable, plastic-entombed sandwiches.

Martin Luther King & Chicken Soup
   I remember one Martin Luther King Day standing and drinking a coffee at the counter while looking over the lunch buffet at Rocky's Coffee Shop inside the Marine Air Terminal.
   I looked up and lo and behold there was the Rev. Jesse Jackson surfing the buffet as well.
   I noticed that he was sniffling and said in his direction, “Happy King's Day.
   “Reverend Father, it sounds to me like you have a cold.”

Vol. 15 No. 04 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 13, 2016

Air Berlin's Winter Of Discontent
Clouds are thickening above Air Berlin and their deep-pocket investor Etihad Airways as 2016 gets underway.
The Administrative Court in Braunschweig, North Rhine-Westphalia, ruled on December 30th, 2015, in favor of the German air transport watchdog LBA (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt; the German CAA) supporting LBA’s decision not to authorize 29 Etihad Airways (EY) codeshare flights operated with Air Berlin (AB).

View From The Bridge
I am a firm believer that air transportation is needed, but I also think that the level or type of aircraft utilized to carry freight and potential return in terms of market share and additional factors—including in price and time requirements—needs to be analyzed to gain proper perspective when forming a correct overview of air cargo in 2016.
First up as we begin 2016 and this series of articles, let’s consider air cargo transported on passenger airlines.

Pumping Traffic for January 13, 2016
French Kiss . . . Well, this is the year TIACA attempts its comeback with one of the larger and more important air cargo industry events: The Air Cargo Forum & Exhibition (ACF) takes place in Paris from October 26-28.

Where Snow Is Not Just Another 4-Letter Word
In April the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (NEC/AAAE) will hold its International Snow Symposium in Buffalo, New York. It’s the 50th time this event has been staged since it took off in 1966.
Holding a snow event in Buffalo is always a good idea—it snows all winter in BUF, a result of both the natural path of the winter weather and the “Lake Effect” snowstorms that blow in off of the eastern edge of Lake Erie.

Letters To The Editor for January 13, 2016
Congratulations on 40 years of ACN/FlyingTypers. An entire generation enjoyed and benefited from your publication. Thank you for the memories.

Vol. 15 No. 03 MONDAY JANUARY 11, 2016

Lufthansa Cargo Hapag Lloyd Bel Étage
FlyingTypers has learned that German transportation giants Lufthansa Cargo and Hapag-Lloyd AG will meet on January 14 at Hapag’s headquarters in Ballindamm (Hamburg) for a meeting titled “Air Freight Meets Sea Freight.”

Best Moustache in Air Cargo
Worldwide Flight Services announces an agreement to acquire USA handling company Consolidated Aviation Services (CAS) for an “undisclosed sum” starting the new year with further consolidation in handling. In November 2015, WFS completed its acquisition of a 51% shareholding in Fraport Cargo Services.

Ocean Narrows Service Gap
Heavy consignments and growing service options as heavy rigs offload cargo after arrival at Port of Los Angeles. Catch a Wave . . . Jake Ferguson rides a wave in Sunset Beach, Calif., as loaded cargo ships are anchored outside the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Four Decades Vital Voices
1990. Joseph Le Louarn, regional director of customs at Roissy, France...2001. Pierre J. Jeanniot, director general, International Air transport Association...2006. Kenneth M. "Joe" Fralick, vice president-Cargo World Airways...1998. Richard Brannon, American Airlines’ managing director – Cargo Alliances and Industry Affairs.

Vol. 15 No. 02 THURSDAY JANUARY 7, 2016

United Heats Up The Cool Chain
“Our TempControl Center at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) represents United Cargo’s commitment to providing the best service possible to perishable and cool chain shippers and our commitment to remain a worldwide leader in the transport of pharmaceuticals and other temperature-controlled commodities,” said United Cargo President Jan Krems at a gala ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, January 6.

One of the outstanding founding fathers of Emirates Sky Cargo, Pradeep Kumar retired from his post as DSVP Revenue Optimization late last year to return to India and the closeness of aging parents and his family. He now reappears on the cargo scene in January 2016 as senior vice president cargo at Jet Airways.

IATA WCS Kicks Off Show Season
Let’s face it—there are plenty of places in the world holding cargo events in 2016 where you can take your hard-earned money.
But keeping it in your own backyard might be a better idea, if showing up at JFK, LHR, DXB, FRA, LAX, MIA, ATL, or any of the dozens of other gateways is local to you. They all feature lively and effective air cargo organizations that meet monthly and have done great things to build our industry for years.

Chuckles for January 7, 2016

Air Cargo With No Regrets
   This is one lady who had the courage and determination to move to air cargo, and she has not regretted it.
     Meet Abhilasha Koul.
     As part of Cathay Pacific Cargo based in New Delhi, she slipped into the cargo domain more than a dozen years ago.
     That was the beginning of her ‘love affair.’

Saying Goodbye And Hello
Before we can all say hello to the new hotel at JFK, we must say goodbye to the terminal that was. Thousands gathered at JFK International in New York late last year for an “Open House” to say goodbye to the iconic TWA Flight Center.
The “living sculpture,” designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen in 1962, has remained vacant since TWA went out of business in 2001.

Vol. 15 No. 01 TUESDAY JANUARY 5, 2016

“India has a special place for Ethiopian Airlines’ cargo business,” said Berhanu Kassa, Director Global Cargo Sales & Services, Ethiopian Airlines Cargo, when he was recently in Delhi to meet cargo agents and thank them for their business in 2015.
ACNFT managed to get him away from his meeting to find out Ethiopian’s cargo plans in general and India, in particular. Pointing to his airline’s age-old contacts with India, he said, “Ethiopian Airlines has been in India for over 40 years, connecting the sub-continent to all African nations in its wide network.

Ralph Arend: White House Lens
Ralph Arend is in Washington, D.C., as Creative Director for NowThis News, which interviewed U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday, January 5, 2016.
Ralph has created more than 100 videos for FlyingTypers since 2005, when this publication pioneered the first video coverage in air cargo.

Battered Image For Thai
The rather tranquil picture of a beautiful Thai Airways International aircraft gently cruising on its way to Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok is clobbered by reports from Thailand of a year (2015) that many would rather forget.

Chuckles for January 5, 2016

Importance of Jan Meurer
   The artist Paul Simon wrote, “The mother and child reunion, is only a motion away.”
     As we get older that meaning extends to include friends who once were front and center in our everyday life, but somehow have melted away in the swirl of creeping years and geography.
     Another truism you may have heard: “When you are old and it's cold and nobody cares much if you live or die, the one consolation is a bit of money that may get you by.”

Letters To The Editor
About Drones . . . You and I are old enough to remember MAD Magazine. I recall they did an article on the future when everyone would use private airplanes in the same quantity and frequency as cars.
The cartoon showed a sky full of vehicles. I have a similar nightmare vision of drones. We have filled the roads and clogged up our cities, and now will fill the skies with these monsters. I dread it, as they are a menace and need strict controls.

Vol. 14 No. 100 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 30, 2015

ATC Lands GOL Opens Brazil
ATC Aviation Services is GOL Linhas Aéreas’ new General Sales Agent for Brazil. One of the largest airlines in Brazil, GOL currently operates into 54 airports in the country and 13 international airports, with a total of 850 daily flights (domestic and international) and a fleet of 137 aircraft.

Finnair Team Building
“I warmly welcome Fredrik to Finnair Cargo; he’s the right person to lead our global cargo sales team supporting Finnair Cargo’s growth,” said Janne Tarvainen, Finnair VP Head of Cargo since November 1, as Fredrik Wildtgrube takes over as Finnair Cargo’s Head of Global Sales, effective January 11, 2016.

Chuckles for December 30, 2015 - A

Pumping Traffic
Big finish to 2015 for airplane stories—Boeing stock took a hit after reports that Delta picked up a used B777-200 for a mere $7 million USD, amidst a glut of used aircraft of that type parked out in the desert. At the same time, China Southern Airlines Co. signed a deal with Boeing worth over $10 billion for 110 planes on Thursday. Boeing, you might recall, recently hooked up with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. to build an aircraft completion center in China for Boeing 737s.

Chuckles for December 30, 2015 - B

Vol. 14 No. 99 THURSDAY DECEMBER 24, 2015
A Christmas Story Every year around this time, I struggle to find new words to offer to our loyal FlyingTypers’ readers. I am not immune to the warm responses inspired by our annual Christmas story, and I would be posturing if I said it doesn’t feel good to know it is so well received. However, the pressure mounts to say something new; to not rehash the things you already know; to provide some meaningful insight into our holiday gathering.
Michael's Christmas Playlist Our Christmas playlist for 2015 features 25 favorites created by Michael Kelly, Cargo Communications Manager from United Airlines. Michael includes pop vocals, big band, rhythm & blues, soul, rock ‘n’ roll, country, folk, world music, and even jazz, revealing a deep love and understanding of uplifting seasonal music that crosses all lines to spread the joy.
Homeward Bound: Pups In Peril The holiday season is filled with many traditions, but none so universal as the adoption of a Christmas pet. It saddens us to know there are so many animals in need of a good home. This year, if you can't adopt an animal in need, why not help those still waiting for a home? Chuckles for December 24, 2015

Vol. 14 No. 98 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2015

Celebrating 40 Years - History Alive
    In 1975, air cargo celebrated every new terminal and aircraft. The day Trans International Airlines (TIA) and World Airways took delivery of their B747s, the press flew around the skies and everybody ate cake.
   Seaboard World Airways was in business at JFK and everybody loved Seaboard and we did too. After all, SWA, like Air Cargo News, was a New York, hometown original.
   In 1975, the editorial idea of ACN was to cover the air cargo business as an objective, believable voice in air cargo.

Vol. 14 No. 97 FRIDAY DECEMBER 11, 2015

They All Know Jack
They threw a going away party for Jack Lampinski, Senior Director of the Americas at SWISS WorldCargo. Jack is retiring at the end of this month after 35 years at SWISS.
The gala was held at the beautiful Plattdeutsche Beer Garden near JFK International Airport. Three of the carrier’s top cargo managers from past and present were amongst a throng of friends, family, and customers, all of whom had taken some time away from the busy Christmas season to show up for an old friend and say goodbye.

Oh Susana Can TAME Cargo
Susana Estrada does not mince her words.
Straightforward and direct, Susana is the Director Cargo Systemwide for TAME, an airline with daily A330 flights from JFK to Quito, Ecuador, and A330 dailies from Ft. Lauderdale to Ecuador and beyond, interconnecting 800 flights to 32 destinations in South America.

Chuckles for December 11, 2015

Ho, Ho, Ho December Agents Meet
The Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI), the only national association representing the Air Cargo Industry in India, is holding its 42nd annual Convention in Ho Chi Minh City next week (December 16-19, 2015).

Vol. 14 No. 96 TUESDAY DECEMBER 1, 2015

New CNS President Named
Although the announcement is yet to made, Lionel Van der Walt, longtime house employee of IATA, has been named president of Cargo Network Services (CNS), and appears to have been handed a hot potato as the revolving door continues spinning at CNS.

Peak Just A Bump In The Night
Did November see the return of a traditional peak season, or simply a minor bump before a return to bearish normality? At this stage the jury is out, but the smart money is on the latter.
Congestion at major export hubs in Asia was evident through the first few weeks of the month, suggesting that new electronics product launches and holiday season demand finally gave air freight operators something to cheer.

Quote Of The Day - Carsten Wirths
“Thanks to the Lufthansa/ANA Cargo Joint Venture, we can connect our European network with direct connections to Japan and the continental de-feeder flights of ANA,” said Carsten Wirths, Area Manager Europe and Africa for Lufthansa Cargo.

Chuckles for December 1, 2015

SriLankan Hub In The Ocean
Apart from the leading Middle East cargo giants, not many carriers have been able to post the sort of freight growth rates SriLankan Airlines has managed in recent years. Mr. Chamara Ranasinghe, Head of Cargo, told FlyingTypers that despite the competitive pressures felt both from rival airlines and alternative shipment modes, UL managed to increase its volumes at an average of 5 percent year on year over the last five years.

Move Over, Boeing & Airbus
Move over, Boeing & Airbus. Here comes the ARJ21 jet at the airport in Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan province on November 29, 2015.

Vol. 14 No. 95 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2015

Angel On My Shoulders
They say the battle for air cargo is won or lost in the last quarter mile between the cargo facility and the aircraft hold.
Nobody has to tell that to Vice President, United Cargo Global Operations Angel Ramirez.

Security Needs Unified Approach
The cowardly attacks by ISIS terrorists in the heart of Europe continue to raise more questions than answers.
Common sense demands that describing the attackers as “Muslim terrorists” is a gross insult to the roughly 1.6 billion Muslim faithful who want nothing to do with the perverted interpretations brought forward by ISIS Jihadists.

Chuckles for November 25, 2015

Thanksgiving in America
Thanksgiving in America is held every fourth Thursday in November, and is the best of all the holidays that gather families and friends around a common celebration.
Personalities aside, this is one holiday that is a no-pressure deal.

Vol. 14 No. 94 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2015

Healthy Supply Chains Wanting
When talking Pharma, nearly everybody has a plan, a cooler, a flight, or a better idea. The Air Freight industry is always seeking supply chain solutions to serve the health care business. But the air cargo industry may have been given an important tool on the road to deeper development into health care.

People @aircargoamericas
One thing can be said for people in air cargo: they know how to have a good time, and you could see the good time they were having at Air Cargo Americas in Miami.
Of course, it gets late early at Air Cargo Americas, with the partying starting at the show’s opening—the Latin rhythms always deliver an on-time take off to the big events.

Chuckles for November 19, 2015

Le Beaujolais Est Arrivé
Each year on the third Thursday of November, at precisely one minute after midnight, thousands and thousands of bottles of the fruity Beaujolais Nouveau begin their race to the villages and towns of France and the rest of the world.

Vol. 14 No. 93 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2015

Does IATA CEIV Hold Water?
    Lately we have been hearing about the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV).
     To date, a few carriers have embraced CEIV Pharma and two gateways—BRU and MIA—have announced certification as well.
     But what is CEIV Pharma?

Atlanta Customs Brokers Host Turkey Feast
On Friday, November 20, in Atlanta, Georgia, a grand airport tradition occurs as Atlanta Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders throw open their doors for a couple of hours starting at high noon to share the love. It’s an open house where everybody is invited for a free, old-fashioned turkey dinner.

People @ Air Cargo Americas
Managing Director of AA Cargo's Latin America Sales Division Carmen Taylor (L) and President of World Trade Center Miami Charlotte Gallogly have individually had tremendous impact not only on Miami and Latin America, but on the history of air cargo as well.
"Everybody thinks that DHL is just an express carrier, but we are here to say DHL Aviation moves all types of big and small consignments," said Sales & Customer Services Manager Martha De Almeida Santos and Business Development Director Xavier Cerruto.

Elegy For Paris
We stand with France as deep sadness, grief, alarm, and resolve spread around the world after the senseless terrorist attacks and random murders in Paris on Friday, November 13.

Vol. 14 No. 92 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2015

On Friday this week the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines hosts its grandly titled Assembly of Presidents meeting at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Bali, Indonesia. The timing is not fortuitous.
Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, one of the busiest in South East Asia due to the island’s draw as a global tourism destination of some renown, has only been open intermittently since the start of November. The cause? An erupting volcano on the neighboring island of Lombok.

Qatar Cargo Pharma Express
“Qatar Airways is delighted to add Pharma Express routes from India, with service now operating from Mumbai via Ahmedabad to Doha on Tuesdays and Fridays and from Hyderabad to Doha on Wednesdays and Saturdays,” Chief Officer Cargo Ulrich Ogiermann said.

Dart Delays Additional Freighter
“Our new daily flight to Bologna combines not only our world-class service, but also convenient access to this important Italian gateway from across our global network,” said Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Commercial Operations Worldwide Thierry Antinori, as EK opened its fourth Italian gateway on November 3.

Chuckles for November 12, 2015

Sumatran Rhino Back Home
A worker carefully lifts a travel crate containing an 8-year-old male Sumatran rhino named Harapan (Hope). Harapan flew as air cargo to Way Kambas National Park on Sumatra Island, after arrival at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Cengkareng, Indonesia, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015.

Better News Rising
International Airlines Group (IAG), owner of both Iberia and British Airlines, raised their outlook of profit for 2015 late last month following better-than-expected 3rd quarter results and stronger flight demands during the summer.

Move Over Air Berlin
At Berlin Schoenefeld Airport (L-R) Ryanair Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs, Brandenburg Airport Coordinator Rainer Bretschneider, and an unidentified flight attendant cut the ribbon on a new Ryanair base last week.

Vol. 14 No. 91 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2015

Sultan of SkyCargo Opens Dubai South
Nothing was about to stop Emirates SkyCargo Divisional Senior Vice President Nabil Sultan as he hit the road on Tuesday, November 10, and moved swiftly down the long wide super highway between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) for the launch of Emirates SkyCargo’s new freighter home, Emirates SkyCentral.

Dubai Skyline in 2002 re-imagined in 2015.
Skyscrapers cut the background along the Sheikh Zayed Highway while pink flamingos look for food by the Creek at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Chuckles for November 10, 2015

Ciao Bologna
“Our new daily flight to Bologna combines not only our world-class service, but also convenient access to this important Italian gateway from across our global network,” said Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Commercial Operations Worldwide Thierry Antinori, as EK opened its fourth Italian gateway on November 3.

Letter To The Editor: IATA's New President
Recently the doors at IATA Cargo seem to be revolving, at least when it comes to air cargo executives.
A couple of years back Jens Tubbesing departed the CNS presidency almost overnight, and without warning.

Veteran's Day Stands For One
Once upon a time, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the first Veteran’s Day was observed in America to honor all the people that served in World War I—the war to end all wars.
Although wars have certainly not ended, and since 1918, when WW I ceased fire, there have been multiple occurrences of conflict, we can and will still celebrate the lives of those we lost and love.

Vol. 14 No. 90 MONDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2015

Assault on Batteries Fails
A Pyrrhic victory occurs when the winner of a fight suffers such losses that their win is actually comparable to a defeat.
No doubt, losses in that measure negate or outweigh any achievement that may have been the goal of the conflict in the first place.

The Dubai Air Show opened Sunday amidst expectations of building up aircraft orderbooks, acrobatics above the desert, and a Gala Closing Dinner on Palm Island starring Katy Perry.
The five-day event (November 8-12) always sells lots of aircraft (both commercial and military) and opens a portal for Dubai to showcase itself.

Chuckles for November 9, 2015

View From The Bridge
Once upon a time, Pan American World Airways’ pilots and crew marched in formation towards waiting aircraft and the action was observed as an integral part of the journey.
Today, although much has changed, pilots and crew still get and deserve respect for what they do as they think about the safety of everyone who flies.

Troops 2 Trade
At times, the gracious effort some community-minded people in air cargo extend toward bettering both our business and the world around us is really amazing.

Living In The Age Of Airplanes
A new film, Living In The Age of Airplanes, narrated by Harrison Ford, debuted this month across America in select Imax theaters and digital venues.

Happy Diwali
“Looking for Enlightenment? Sparkling magic at Diwali--brilliantly beautiful India,” proclaimed Lufthansa of this imaginative view, as Lufthansa “Gets It On Diwali!”
November 11 begins Diwali (Divali, Dipawali, Deepavali, Dipabali), the festival of lights, and a grand family holiday in India.

Lufthansa Happy Diwali

Vol. 14 No. 89 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2015

Butler Blockbuster At Air Cargo Americas
At the Air & SeaCargo Americas luncheon in Miami on Wednesday, a large cross-section of the global air cargo industry was offered a clear vision of the world of tomorrow according to Jim Butler, president of American Cargo, the biggest airline in the world.
Mr. Butler has been mostly silent since he was named to the top AA Cargo post in 2013, laying back during the USAir into American Airlines era and preferring instead to allow for a learning curve whilst combining the forces of two cargo departments into one greater airline.

Living On A Cloud . . . Cloud-based IT solution SmartKargo executives Jay Shelat, Milind Tavshikar, and Vladimir Camacho are seen at Air Cargo Americas. They report interest is running high in the great new solution offering.

Chuckles for November 5, 2015

Miami International First U.S. CEIV Pharma Hub
At Air & SeaCargo Americas this week in Miami officials jump for joy after IATA designated Miami International Airport as the first CEIV Pharma freight hub in the U.S. joining (BRU) as the only two gateways to carry that designation in the world.

Letter To The Editor Re: 60 Minutes With The Chief
As the children of Salim and Maha Salaam we are honored and proud that even after 20 years since Salim left MEA, there are still distinguished gentlemen such as your good-self who remember him for what he stood for and believed in, and for that we thank you for your kind and sincere words.

Vol. 14 No. 88 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2015

Turkish Cargo Went Live With Its New IT System
Turkish Airlines opened up sensational new daily service connecting Miami to Istanbul October 25, and also went live last month with its new generation iCargo system, delivering software solution COMIS (Cargo Operations Management and Information System) to the carrier’s global offering.

The timeframe leading up to Christmastide—when the air cargo community exhales a long, deep breath, taking stock of 2015 while planning ahead for 2016—is once again here.
Recently, while standing and waiting for a full-body scan pre-flight and hoping that the prescription pills in my pocket didn’t set off the damn thing, I started thinking about who I know in air cargo who has done a stellar job to raise cargo security awareness.

Chuckles for November 4, 2015

Air At BDP Is Soaring
Unlike many of its peers, U.S.-based global logistics provider BDP International has seen air cargo demand soar this year, although the company’s bullish run has slowed as West Coast port congestion has been addressed. Senior Vice President of Global Air Freight at BDP Gary Phelps told FlyingTypers the company’s air cargo division had seen strong growth in the first half of the year compared to the same period of 2014.

EVA Freighter Disappearing Act
EVA Air (BR), the largest privately owned Taiwanese airline, has stopped their former thrice-weekly 747-400ERF freighter flights into Frankfurt, Germany, citing “lack of demand” and “a better yield for Asia–US-bound flights.”
With the withdrawal of the FRA-bound freighters, BR’s last main deck capacity into Europe is gone and the remaining uplift capacity of their 777 and 747 passenger versions out of Vienna (VIE), Amsterdam (SPL), and London (LHR) is but a fraction the former sizable uplift capacity of BR in the European cargo market.

All Animals Go To Heaven
Noah’s Ark has met its match. Decalcomania has transformed the world’s biggest airplane, and the results are stunning.
Emirates has covered two of its A380s with images of endangered animals. The carrier says it is going full throttle to raise awareness in a world that has driven some species of wildlife to the point of extinction.

Vol. 14 No. 87 MONDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Carmen Taylor's Air Cargo For All Seasons
A couple years back, in 2012, Carmen Taylor, managing director of AA Cargo’s Latin America sales division, which includes South America, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, and the southeast region of the United States, was recognized by Miami World Trade Center for “exceptional leadership in promoting and enhancing free trade and international business.”

Perhaps the most interesting part of our time in Qatar last week was the power-hour we spent face-to-face with Qatar Airways CEO His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, the man that everyone at Qatar Airways calls “Chief.”
As part of a major air cargo press gaggle at a 45-minute conference and then “an invited guest” for ten minutes of time in a small room with the Chief, we gained incredible insight into what makes QR Cargo great.

Hartsfield Puts Lamp On Cargo
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport General Manager Miguel Southwell talked to the local Chamber of Commerce recently about air cargo, according to The Gwinnett Daily Post.
“If you think of an airport as a plant, someplace where you process planes and people, you’re missing the point,” Southwell said.

Chuckles for November 2, 2015

US Airways 1939 Over The Rainbow
The last US Airways flight departed from Philadelphia International Airport at 10:36 a.m. on Friday, October 16, making scheduled stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, Phoenix, and San Francisco before returning as a red-eye flight back to Philadelphia on Saturday.
All future flights will fly under the American Airlines banner, following the completion of a merger announced in 2013.

Vol. 14 No. 86 THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2015

Qatar Plans Handling 7 Million Tons
Qatar Air Cargo held a media day on October 27 in Doha and His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive of Qatar Airways also known as “The Chief” showed up to deliver the news.
According to the latest IATA international FTK figures, Qatar Airways Cargo is now the third largest international cargo airline in the world.

In recent months FlyingTypers has found it hard to find bulls in the air freight market amid the welter of negative sentiment from economists, trade experts, and transport demand analysts.
Cathy Roberson, who recently founded her own think-tank, Logistics Trends & Insights LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia, is not exactly a bull on air freight.

Chuckles for October 29, 2015

Qatar Doha CTF Is A Beautiful Thing
Qatar offers a broad canvas about which to write, from its remarkable journey as an advanced, ancient culture to serving as an outpost of the developing global world to arriving center stage as one of the fastest growing, most dynamic cities on the planet.
The best way to take the pulse of Doha Cargo and the city it inhabits is to take a walk and talk to the people.

China Consolidation
Air China and China Southern Airlines are shown here on a computer in Tianjin, China, on October 22, 2015. China is considering combining some operations of the nation’s three biggest airlines as part of a broad reform of its state-owned enterprises, according to people familiar with the move.

Vol. 14 No. 85 MONDAY OCTOBER 26, 2015

Going Postal Has Never Been Better
Unless you are sending letters and packages from Mars, you probably have a favorite story about an encounter with the post office no matter where you are in the world.
For the purposes of this story, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is the focus.

You have to look closely at this great photo to spot Qatar Airways dynamic Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker.
He may be standing still on the stairway, but Mr. Al Baker seems to take new steps every day, adding lively debate to the transportation conversation.

Chuckles for October 26, 2015

Maureen O'Hara: A Life Well Lived
   My friend, the movie star Maureen O’Hara, died on Saturday, October 24, at age 95. She passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Boise, Idaho.
      Maureen made lots of movies—in fact, she was probably in more hits than anyone else of her time. Her notable movies include How Green Was My Valley,Miracle on 34th Street, The Quiet Man, and scores more.
     She was a real beauty, body and soul.

Vol. 14 No. 84 FRIDAY OCTOBER 23, 2015

Cumulus Raids & Collateral Damage
The widely reported cargo business raid codenamed “Cumulus” occurred in Germany on Wednesday, October 7, and involved some 1,200 police and customs officers raiding 150 premises. They swept the offices of ground handlers, forwarders, and airlines in Frankfurt (FRA), Germany’s most important cargo hub, and also Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), and Leipzig (LEJ).

“We are, aside from preparing show logistics and business planning aspects of Air Cargo Americas, also in the midst of gearing up for Super Sunday, this Sunday, the 25th when we have a full day of special programs and inaugurals at MIA.”

United Moving On Up
“This award is particularly gratifying because it was voted on by our customers,” said Jan Krems, president of United Cargo and vice president United Airlines.
“United Cargo team members and sales and service partners worldwide are dedicated to delivering business friendly service, and we’re pleased that our customers acknowledge our global commitment to the highest standards of quality.”

FIATA Online Learning Curve
“When the FIATA presidency approached me last year to serve as chairman of the newly formed FIATA Logistics Academy, (FLA) I did not hesitate,” Issa Baluch told FlyingTypers.
“They viewed my association with Harvard University and MIT as key in taking this vision of embracing the young professionals and the need to train the new generation of logisticians in our sector.”

Chuckles for October 23, 2015

Sorting Out Cables From Greece
Timeo, danaos, et dona ferentes is a Latin phrase from the writings of Virgil; it literally means “Fear the Danaans—the Greek—even when they bear gifts.”
In fact, it is a warning made to the citizens of Troja who brought in the wooden Trojan horse they thought was a donation to the Gods. The rest of the story is legend—Ulysses, accompanied by other Greek heroes, climbed out from a hiding place in the horse’s womb to fall upon the defenseless city at night, thus ending the 10-year Trojan War.

Our Big Fat Greek Airports
Talk about a shotgun marriage… While you were away this summer, Fraport swooped down and took over operations at 14 Greek Airports...

Vol. 14 No. 83 MONDAY OCTOBER 19, 2015

“Regrettably, as the aviation industry we have a severe image problem, since we are publicly blamed as one of the worst polluters worldwide causing noise, dirt, and ultimately global warming by emitting huge amounts of greenhouse gases.
“It’s time to change these widespread sentiments by communicating proactively the many environmental and technical achievements the aviation industry came up with in recent years and will go on contributing in the times ahead.”

Chuckles for October 19, 2015

India At Home Drives Growth
Blame India’s tech-savvy Prime Minister for the e-tail boom, but Narendra Modi’s push for smart cities and his love for social media have encouraged mouse-chasing Indians to go clickety-click from the confines of their homes.
The result? Domestic cargo has been experiencing growth and even low-cost carriers, with their constraints of quick turnaround times at airports, are going all out to get express cargo packages.

Vol. 14 No. 82 THURSDAY OCTOBER 15, 2015

GAC Orange Colors Cargo
Despite the huge fluctuations in the ocean market, air freight is still a more challenging market from a logistics management perspective, according to one leading 3PL.

What makes an airport “great” for cargo?
I guess it depends on who you are and where you are in the logistics chain because the playing field changes considerably if the focus is transfer activity versus origin and destination, or belly cargo versus freighter.

Hot Lunch October
The place to be if you are in New York City on October 22 is at the JFK Air Cargo Monthly Luncheon at Hilton JFK Airport. From 11:45 AM - 2:00 PM the tariff for a drink, lunch, and a speech is $45.

Chuckles for October 15, 2015

Picture of the Day
Wowser! It’s just like working inside some kind of Bauhaus masterpiece! Marking an historic first, flight attendants stand in stark contrast inside a Finnair Airbus A350 XWB as it arrived in Hamburg, Germany, this week on October 11, 2015.

Vol. 14 No. 81 TUESDAY OCTOBER 13, 2015

Frank Sumatra & Cargo Vision 2015
The razing of vast swathes of pristine Indonesian forest in Sumatra and Kalimantan by palm oil companies has left both locals and the city dwellers of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore smothered in smog clouds.

Delta Cargo Keys Miami
“No matter how you say it, the Delta Cargo team is all for Latin America and will appear in full force at Air & Sea Cargo Americas, running November 4-6 in Miami.
“We will be exhibiting with our joint venture partners Air France and KLM, whom we work with closely to provide an expanded network and a seamless product for our customers.”

Chuckles for October 13, 2015

TempControl Towers Above All
    Berlin Tegel (TXL) and Hamburg (HAM) are now United Cargo TempControl addresses, bringing the number of certified locations worldwide to 55 and counting.
   United connects TXL with daily Boeing 767s from Newark Liberty (EWR).
   HAM is served daily from EWR via B757s, but will be revamped to B767 dailies on October 25.

From Pitching Rooms to Pitching Back
Sanjay Aiyer likes to take risks. He quit the comfort of a job in a top hotel chain to follow his passion: becoming part of KLM’s cargo division at Mumbai. In the eight years he spent with the carrier, Aiyer learned the intricacies of the air cargo trade and in 2005, launched his own forwarding organization, Blue Bird Logistics, headquartered in Delhi.

Less Help When More Is Needed
Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) (or hazardous materials regulations, as they are called in the U.S.), regardless of transport mode, are not easy to understand, and there is quite some background knowledge one must possess in order to correctly apply the regulations.

Vol. 14 No. 80 THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2015

Miami Cargo Warms Up The World
The biennial Air & Sea Cargo Americas (ACA) is just around the corner, launching in just three weeks (November 4-6) in beautiful Miami, Florida.
Originally set as an alternative to the TIACA ACF, the two-day gathering provides a predictable amount of excitement by keeping close to its roots and aiming for achievable results.

High, Wide & Pinksome/Belle of Azerbaijan
Delta recently repainted its iconic “Pink Plane,” a B767-400, in advance of the airline's 11th Annual “Breast Cancer One” survivor flight.
The flight carried more than 140 employee breast cancer survivors aboard Delta’s first international route from New York City to Mexico City on Oct. 1.

Chuckles for October 8, 2015

FIATA Pushes WTO TFA
    The World Trade Organization currently has 161 members, but only 19 have ratified the 2013 “Bali Package” Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
   The TFA will enter into force once two-thirds of members have completed their domestic ratification process.
   Despite a rather steep hill to climb, FIATA hosted a debate at World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva aimed at getting to the heart of implementation, combining a panel of representatives from ICC, ITC, UNCTAD, WCO, and WTO.

Top 10 Quotes from American Manufacturers
In their September “Report on Business,” The Institute For Supply Management (ISM) in Arizona noted:
“New orders, production, and employment [are] growing whilst supplier deliveries slowed as inventories were contracting.”

Vol. 14 No. 79 MONDAY OCTOBER 5, 2015

The China World's Factory Slows
The contraction of China’s imports and exports this past summer has some industry observers wondering if it could be a sign of things to come for the air freight community.
Although exports to the U.S. were steady over the two-month period compared to 2014, there were alarming declines of goods moving out of the ‘world’s factory’ both to developed and emerging markets. .

Too Cool For School
It may not be the biggest conference on the global agenda, but last week in Basel the “Pharmaceuticals in the Cool Chain” Conference from the Cool Chain Association included some thoughtful discussion.
The two-day event ran October 1 and 2 and featured an on-site visit to the Swissport pharma operation at Basel as well as an exhibition area in which participants could browse and network.

Chuckles for October 5, 2015

Brussels Sprouts at DLH JV Takes Off
On October 25 the Lufthansa Cargo and ANA Cargo joint venture starts with daily direct flights from BRU to TYO, beginning with an All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
“An 8:50 pm takeoff from BUR arrives at Narita at 4:10 pm the following day,” Lufthansa said.

Punjabi Demands Amritsar
The Punjabi diaspora numbering around 10 million—with the highest numbers in Britain, North America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East—have been demanding direct air links with Amritsar, the only city with an international airport in the state of Punjab.
Amritsar is not only the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion, it is also the main gateway for the state.

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    In-depth and knowledgeable coverage of the air cargo market.    No advertorials, no press releases, no dubious awards. Just market savvy.
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