Amazon & Air Cargo In Focus “The first thing to remember,” writes air cargo great Bill Boesch, “is that Amazon is not an airline but a unique e-commerce platform controlling its door-to-door operations to provide free next-day or 2-day shipping for its products. “As a result, in the U.S., Amazon is not covered by the Railway Labor Act nor is it fully unionized.
“Amazon hubs – unlike FedEx and UPS – are fulfillment centers.”
How Big Is A Really Big Change? “Huge, and we are not underestimating or taking anything for granted,” said Dominic Kennedy, Virgin Atlantic’s Managing Director, Cargo.
“Our entire business model is based on giving customers more choice and flexibility, whether this means more routes and frequencies, new products and services, or the ability to interact with us in the way they want to do business,” he said.
Down In The Depths At 35,000 Feet Air cargo rates continue to see weekly volatility, but with the demand outlook tepidand ample capacity available on most lanes, pricing continues to fluctuate, albeit within boundaries far below those enjoyed in 2018.
Things To Come In 2019 Ram Menen is one of the original founding team of Emirates Airline, that headed SkyCargo from inception in October 1985.
Ram, it can be said, built SkyCargo from the ground up to its place near or at the top of the world, as top executive and guiding spirit for 27 years.
In fact when he retired in 2013, he departed Emirates with SkyCargo as the largest international cargo airline in the world.
Season Of The Witch Nadezhda Popova was born on December 27, 1921, in Ukraine. At the fledgling age of fifteen and unbeknownst to her parents, Nadezhda joined a pilot club in the Soviet Union, where females accounted for only a quarter of the population. The Economist called her “a wild spirit, easily bored; she loved to tango, foxtrot, sing along to jazz. It made her feel free, which was also why at 15 she had joined a flying club without telling her parents.”
Ma, He Is Making Eyes At The World As previously reported in FlyingTypers, Amazon’s emergence as a major player in air cargo and logistics has been meteoric.
But Amazon is not the only ‘e-tailer’ with an ambitious plan to integrate online and offline commerce by building huge logistics networks.
Alibaba is also most definitely causing a stir.
CNS Partnership Best In Class As trade show season ended for the summer we asked Lionel van der Walt newly-named board member of fast rising PayCargo to share some thoughts about the CNS Partnership Conference in his new role after having served as President of CNS.
Here is his reaction.
“I was very glad to see that the Partnership Conference is still the premier U.S. cargo industry event.
“As the conference boasted another record attendance this year, its success in drawing key decision-makers both locally and globally has become more than evident.”
Cabotage So Good It Must Be Illegal Ever since the 16th century when France added the noun “cabotage” to the world trading dictionary, declaring that only French ships could trade in French ports, the rule has spread from ships to airplanes, to rail and road transport all over the world.
Well, move over cabotage, here comes Anchorage, Alaska.
United Cell Bells The Pharma “TempControl’s transport of vaccines and other high-value biopharmaceutical shipments is increasing rapidly,” said Jan Krems, President of United Cargo (pictured here with Team United in Germany at Air Cargo Munich earlier this month), as the carrier became first USA flag to induct SkyCell temperature-controlled containers.
“Extremely precise, long-duration temperature control is required for the safe transport of these highly sensitive shipments,” Jan declared.
MASkargo Gets It On Halal “We are most probably the first Cargo Terminal Operator in the world to be classified as a halal cargo handler from a globally recognized and renowned Islamic Affairs Regulator for halal products,” Ibrahim Mohamed Salleh, MASkargo’s Chief Executive Officer said after receiving certification from the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM), that MASkargo is now part of the halal logistics chain.
If that sounds like MASkargo pulled an inside straight, you’ll get no argument from us.
Issa Is A Man For All Seasons The Baluchi Mosque in Mombasa, Kenya is a rather noticeable building in the otherwise ordinary Baluchi Street, neighboring the Makadara Grounds open space; a small alleyway opens its ingress almost in front of the mosque and hosts, right at the beginning, an impressive array of on-wheels book stands, containing all kind of literature, journals, comics, essays, novels and dissertations, all there on sale with other articles of more prosaic nature.
More Power To SAS & Airbus Airbus & SAS have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for hybrid and electric aircraft eco-system and infrastructure requirements research.
The MoU was signed by Grazia Vittadini, (left) Chief Technology Officer, Airbus and Göran Jansson, (right) Deputy President EVP Strategy & Ventures, Scandinavian Airlines. Collaboration begins this month June 2019 and will continue until the end of 2020.
From Nightwatch To FlowerWatch Everybody knows that a Dutch master created the “Nightwatch.”
Well, move over Rembrandt, as Air France KLM Martinair Cargo’s flower flow from Kenya is accredited FlowerWatch.
FlowerWatch is an organization based in the Netherlands that aims to be the world’s leading authority in bringing flower supply chains all over the planet up to a higher standard, whilst facilitating continuous improvement.
Election Time Is Climate Time On May 26th, Denmark and other EU countries voted on national candidates to represent each country in the EU Parliament. Each elected national candidate in turn affiliate with one of the political groups of the EU Parliament, determined by each national party’s political conviction. Consequently, Denmark shall elect 13 candidates (14 once the UK –finally! - leaves the EU). The EU’s 751 Parliament members handle and vote on highly important EU issues, representing the interest of the EU citizens and as such get involved in the EU budget and many other issues, such the EU Climate Policy.
The
800-lb. Amazon Of Air Cargo Recently Bill Boesch, the distinguished and eloquent former President of American Airlines Cargo, explained in a FlyingTypers column how Amazon has the capability to transform the air cargo landscape.
For example, the e-tailer is already “its own air cargo customer,” thanks to its ACMI contracts with ATSG and Atlas for Boeing aircraft, which will give it a fleet of more than 50 freighters by next year. This leaves integrators such as UPS and FedEx in the position of both providing services to Amazon – one recent report claimed Amazon accounts for 6.5% of total UPS revenue and 4.7% of FedEx revenue - as well as competing with it for customers and their cargoes.
Excitement
Reigns As Ospentos Steps Up The great northern Europe air cargo pioneer Erik Byman informs us that his Tallinn-based handling company Ospentos signed an agreement with Juneyao Air for trucking and handling service in the Baltics, Ukraine & Belarus.
“On June 28, 2019 when Chinese Juneyao Airlines (HO) launches its maiden flight to Europe by opening a direct daily connection from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, we will be ready with top handling and connection services,” Erik Byman said.
The
Great Man In Air Cargo We posed the same questions to a pair of top managers in our business today—an air cargo industry stalwart and an airport visionary.
Team
EMO At Air Cargo Europe Team EMO Trans is pictured at the Transport Logistic Air Cargo Europe exhibition last week in Munich, Germany.
Jo Frigger, Chairman of EMO Trans reports:
“EMO Trans is well prepared to master present and future economic turbulences by maintaining a high degree of service levels for our customers through our dedicated teams supported by technological improvements.
An
Awarding Dinner In Munich Ingo Zimmer, CEO of fast growing ATC, a big winner in the global GSSA game serving 75 airlines, passed up attending the “gala” Air Cargo Europe awards dinner Wednesday March 5 in Munich.
Ingo, as dynamic as he is tall at 6 foot 5, had a better idea, delivering a simple thank you to his customers in an extraordinary once in a lifetime setting.
Guenter
Rohrmann Is 80 Although he was action central in American, German and International air cargo for more than 50 years, and is now retired, a belated special Happy 80th Birthday salute to the great Guenter Rohrmann, who was born on April 15,1939.
The essential thing you need to know about GR is that he was an industry builder.
He put his time and money into creating a better air cargo business.
Awards
Leave Some At A Loss Air Cargo Europe bestowed another blizzard of air cargo awards at its “Gala Dinner in Munich on Wednesday.
Trade shows, industry organizations, and especially publications are handing out awards left and right.
There are awards for everything, from company of the year, to person of the year, to most influential, to lifetime service.
Achim Is Back And good for him and air cargo as well!
Personal fave, and all around good guy Achim Martinka named new Vice President Region Germany for Lufthansa Cargo Friday June 7.
“I am very much looking forward to this great challenge and even more, coming back to the business-environment I love so much,” Achim told FlyingTypers.
Achim Martinka began his career at Lufthansa Cargo in 2000 as Senior Manager Global Accounts.
Virgin Cargo IT Vision Is 2020 We show up in Munich, where everybody all at once is going for the big splash, jumping into the mega cargo event pool.
In the sink or swim sum total game, here comes “heyworld” a ‘new’ product from Lufthansa Cargo.
Hearing the run together words “heyworld” as branding, gets a knee jerk reaction and a smile, as we recall the great Anthony Newley in the play titled “Stop The World I Want To Get Off.”
But on or off, we can say ideas and action are the stuff of trade show excitement.
A League Of Their Own There may be “no crying in baseball” as a movie suggests, but listening to United Cargo President Jan Krems we learn the same rule applies in air cargo.
“Sure business is tough right now,” Jan said, “but as the wise saying from ancient times puts it, ‘You can’t always choose your circumstances, but you can always choose how you respond to them.’”
Is The Sky Falling In On Air Cargo? While the mood in Munich’s maze of exhibition halls was decidedly – perhaps surprisingly – upbeat, a deluge of negative data and forecasts were raining down.
And for what it is worth Chicken Little, Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosie Poosie, Gander Pander, Turkey Lurkey and Foxy Loxy are all on the record here.
Yes, our view may be a children’s fairy tale, but isn’t it so that sometimes the gloom and doom forecast turns out like the unexpected last boom in air cargo that no one, including the crystal gazers at IATA Cargo saw coming?
Qatar Makes Music In Munich The supplest sanctuary at Air Cargo Europe was at Qatar Airways that was designed in muted earth tones offering quiet places and private seating on the ground floor and an imaginative series of comfortable meeting rooms up a short flight of stairs allowing for simultaneous encounters with attendees from every continent in the world.
Appointment books were filled to the brim. At the opening of the exhibition, Guillaume Halleaux, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo greeted the conference, extending the hospitality of Qatar, whilst a lovely foursome of formally dressed musicians set the musical tone of the day. Berlin Airlift In Germany Today
We have known, and very much liked Volker from the days of Lufthansa Charter and the absolutely outstanding people who populated that company like Christian Fink, Heide Enfield, Andrew Morch and some others.
Once above Germany, Volker and I flew in a restored S38 flying boat from the 1930s, the aircraft dressed up in zebra stripes, the way wild life explorer Frank Buck's 'Bring ‘em Back Alive's, S38 flying boat flew the skies.
Atlanta Turns A Paige With Schiphol If Elliott Paige had any better a handle on what it takes, and what Atlanta has to offer, it would be hard to discover.
The Air Services Development Manager at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport is so smart and upfront about HJIA’s cargo program you can go to school on the word picture he paints.
“Air Cargo efficiency improvements,” he smiles and speaks softly, “is the name of the game.”
Shop The World I Want To Get Off We show up in Munich, where everybody all at once is going for the big splash, jumping into the mega cargo event pool.
In the sink or swim sum total game, here comes “heyworld” a ‘new’ product from Lufthansa Cargo.
Hearing the run together words “heyworld” as branding, gets a knee jerk reaction and a smile, as we recall the great Anthony Newley in the play titled “Stop The World I Want To Get Off.”
But on or off, we can say ideas and action are the stuff of trade show excitement.
Why ATC Matters In Air Cargo Europe This Week Right now in Germany, not only the most exciting, but also the best GSSA operation in the world is emerging.
To listen to ATC CEO Ingo Zimmer, ATC has only just begun to continue its unprecedented growth plan that has seen the GSSA move from regional European services to ATC spreading its wings across America, Canada, South America, and now Asia in just the past five years.
A Paris Life United “The reason I love what I do is the people I connect with. Moving from what's familiar to places yet to be discovered—that’s what I appreciate about being in the airline business.
“The unique quality United Cargo brings to this industry is our commitment to making sure everyone does well in their business—our airline and our customers.”
When we met with United Airlines’ France Cargo Sales Manager Laurent Bernet in a small, elegant hotel garden in Place Pigalle Paris recently, we discovered a seasoned veteran of the air cargo business.
Spargel For Dinner At Air Cargo United Whatever you do next week whilst attending Air Cargo Europe in Munich, (June 4-7) do not allow the opportunity to enjoy a proper German white asparagus dinner slip by.
White asparagus or spargel is a very short seasonal offering in Bavaria and it is everywhere this time of year, unique in the world, and so very delicious!
Going To School On Flying Fish “We moved the first fresh catch of Copper River salmon on the largest airborne salmon in the world – the Alaska Airlines B737-dubbed Salmon-Thirty-Salmon,” beamed Jason Berry, managing director at Alaska Air Cargo.
This time of year Alaska Airlines, which wrote the book on seafood shipments almost since the carrier went into business in 1932, once again sees “business as usual, unusual,” as the carrier goes all out with the most imaginative and high-spirited fish story you have ever seen streaming from nose to tail on any airplane.
All Together Now The unique atmosphere one breathes at the FIATA HQ – and even more so at the FIATA Congresses, which have 3 to 4 times more participants – is something you have to try yourself, it is not enough to describe the endless opportunities and the meaningful encounters simply in descriptive words.
Even casual words seem to become meaningful in the end, thanks to FIATA.
As I am proudly the one and only FIATA Fellow in the world having been recognized at one of these sessions in 2016, I am well aware of the efforts that are deployed every year.
Where The Cargo Essential Is American Somebody once asked the great photographer Ansel Adams to identify what makes a picture great. He said: “There are always two people in the picture: the photographer and the viewer.”
We are sitting in the lower lobby of the Trump golf resort, host to a rousing CNS Partnership Conference for 2019. Above our table are some wonderful pictures of Ben Hogan, a top golfer in the 1930s and 40s.
As he closes in on his second year of serving as President of American Airlines Cargo, it is fair to say that Richard (Rick) Elieson guided the freight fortunes of the world’s largest airline with a steady hand.
Tariffs Throw Air Cargo A Curve In 2019 Shippers planning for the summer peak season received a curve ball from American President Donald J. Trump earlier this month.
With only a few Presidential tweets of warning, the U.S.-China trade talks that optimists hoped would bring an end to confrontation and protectionism, yielded an escalation instead as the U.S. raised tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese imports from 10% to 25%.
Dhaka Easy As ABC AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) recently added Dhaka to its international network.
The B747 freighter that will be touching the Bangladesh capital twice a week will not only help relieve the congestion at the airport but also boost exports.
Lightfoot & Airport Rain At Town Hall I saw Gordon Lightfoot at Town Hall in New York yesterday with my son, Geoff, and spent a couple of hours singing along some songs written by this long-time kindred spirit from Canada.
Gordon is on an “80th Anniversary Tour” celebrating achieving both that hallowed age, and still out there, singing his great ballads.
Gord, most recently, ducked the The Watchman (a great ballad Gordon wrote in the 1960s), thumbing his nose at the grim reaper and staying alive after suffering a stroke that left him in a coma for six weeks.
Qatar Has Pole Position In Race To The Top “The market might be less than a year ago—but it’s not bad,” insists Guillaume Halleux, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo
“Don’t let people tell you that we are in a recession again—we are not!”
Guillaume is approaching his third anniversary atop Qatar Airways Cargo this June.
“I have worked internally to make sure that cargo is a strong contributor to the airline’s bottom line by making sure everyone understands our business and its objectives and possibilities. ”
Warren Jones Towering Example Warren Jones does not wear a mask, like the fabled movie & comic book hero, The Lone Ranger. But at CNS Partnership 2019, Jones, who stands at about six foot seven, held sway as a towering example of how cool it is to be a super hero.
Warren Jones delivered to this air cargo conference what everybody in air cargo has always wanted to see:
In 2019 Warren Jones is a shipper.
Chicago Delivered By Irish Ken It’s a long way from Tipperary as the song goes, but when you think about it, that makes Dublin, Ireland a rather far piece from Chicago Rockford International where an Irish native-born son is Cargo Marketing Manager.
Meet Kenneth Ryan, who at CNS this week was talking up the attributes of Chicago Rockford in some rather explicit terms.
Sterling Is Silver At 25 Sterling may be celebrating 25 years of service since Keith Davis dreamed up the great southern route across the USA to move trucking lorries overland between Los Angeles and Miami.
But for Keith, founder and CEO of Sterling Transportation, and his energetic team, CNS Partnership “is where the world should be for industry trade shows.”
Why CNS Partnership We asked Joachim Frigger, Chairman of EMO Trans, which has been a continued advocate of CNS Partnership Conference for the past decades to share his view of the “partnership” today.
“The formation of CNS always was and still is, a great opportunity for meaningful dialogue between the airlines and freight forwarders.
“We have always supported this goal and hope that going forward, a balanced view of all participants and their business interests can be maintained.”
Opening Night At CNS Opening night at CNS Partnership In Miami and “all of my friends are here,” Ian Morgan, Qatar Airways Vice President Cargo, The Americas said, greeting an overflow audience for an evening of music and networking punctuated with a gala fireworks display that played against mother nature, as heavy rain dropped in off and on.
Lionel Gets An Offer He Can't Refuse The announcement that former CNS President Lionel van der Walt will be taking the reins from Eduardo Del Riego as fast-rising PayCargo’s President and Chief Executive Officer The Americas, swept across the opening session at CNS Partnership Conference in Miami.
As it moves forward, with recent advances and mega deals with organizations, including CNS and IATA Cargo, the hyper growth Financial Technology (FinTech) company has air cargo worldwide locked onto its radar.
Carmen Darn Charmin' Carmen Gloria Alvarez, Cargo Network Services (CNS) Head of Operations and Business Development is the steady hand at CNS customer events, cargo transformation meetings, and liaison go to person for all things membership for the past three years.
Carmen Alvarez started at VIASA Airlines in Chile. Later she moved to a freight forwarder.
From her freight forwarder base Carmen became assistant general manager for the Association of Chilean Cargo Agents (ACHIAC) (FIATA members).
In Golfer's Paradise Here at CNS, we are surrounded with memories inside a golfer’s paradise.
Even the hotel buildings called “villas” are named after golfers.
Lobbies in the villas and the walls inside hallways and rooms are lined with pictures of golfers.
So the Jack Nicklaus or Gary Player villa is also a trip through memory lane for any golfer or fan of old pictures.
The Shah Of Flexport U.S.-based Flexport is not lacking ambition. Formed in 2013 and offering a full suite of air and ocean forwarding services, it has been open about its determination to disrupt forwarding and logistic markets by using its powerful technology platform to deliver “deep visibility and control, predictable supply chain costs, and more reliable transit times.”
Turhan Takes On TIACA “Effective leadership is required to handle the customers' constantly diversifying demands accurately across the air cargo industry.
“I truly believe that my new membership duty of the TIACA committee will reinforce this leadership, and provide a positive contribution to development of the international air cargo industry.”
TWA Constellation Is A Piston Pounder A very popular aircraft from the 1950s and early 1960s has ended up as a restaurant, and often as a bar at several locations in USA. Usually perched on a concrete buttress, is all or part of a Lockheed Constellation.
The aircraft was first operated by TWA, when Howard Hughes owned the airline, and later by all the airlines, including Pan Am, Lufthansa, Air France and many others.
Harmonize Your Next Cargo Meeting Upcoming this Sunday May 5, CNS Partnership takes off in Miami at the Doral National.
Here is some music, a double entendre really, suggesting something that airlines and forwarders and conference organizers might consider advancing.
Very rare Bing Crosby with some lovely acapella voices that we share after getting a heads up today that the old groaner was born 116 years ago May 3 in Tacoma.
Wonder if there has ever been an air cargo glee club?
Boeing Pledges MAX Safety Boeing CEO & Chairman Dennis Muilenburg kept his job after the annual shareholders meeting Monday at the Field Museum in Chicago where he spent an additional 16 minutes to meet the press and talk about the B737 MAX.
Boeing is under pressure to deliver a software fix for the B737 MAX anti-stall system - called Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS, and a new pilot training package that will convince global regulators, and the flying public, that the aircraft is safe.
Reimagine Awards As More Rewarding It seems like a good time to dust off our story decrying the overabundance of awards in the air cargo business at nearly every turn.
Now in Spring 2019, like a rite of event passage in air cargo, as the awards go from selective to an outright bonanza, what is the net positive effect of awards upon the industry?
Creating a blizzard of awards for airlines, forwarders, airports, and people as baseline activity at almost every organized event in air cargo, big and small, we think, has an overall net effect of diminishing the meaning and importance of the honors.
JFK Cargo Gets A Pulse Claiming “to advance JFK International Airport’s place as an international cargo handler,” a “place” that the airport once upon a time dominated from its opening in 1948 until the early 1990s when more than half of all airborne cargo in USA transited the facility, airport operator The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey signed a deal to allow JFK Air Cargo LLC to lease a new 250,000 sq. ft. cargo transfer facility to be built with $70 million in private funds at the airport.
The Port Authority said it is putting up $13 million toward site preparation work and needed roadway improvements. Located on 16.2 acres of property in the North Cargo Area, the JFK Air Cargo LLC facility is projected to be completed anytime between 24 months and two years.
Air Cargo Is About People When Lionel van der Walt departed IATA CNS a couple of years ago, our industry lost a great leader, although we got lucky again right away, when Mike White stepped up to take the presidency. Mike has carried forward admirably, assembling and hosting a huge Annual Partnership Conference about to take off in Miami on May 5.
A very cool way to get it on Latino in Miami and celebrate Cinco de Mayo, while networking with some old friends and making new ones, we say.
AFKLMP Change and Forwarders Cheer “Our latest partnership with WebCargo stipulates time and again that our strategy ‘be there, where the customer is’, is the right one,” said Marcel de Nooijer, Executive Vice President of Air France-KLM Cargo & managing director Martinair Holland NV.
A new deal had just been announced between Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) and Web Cargo by Freightos.
But you hear claims and counterclaims as we all know. so Flying Typers decided to check this deal out.
A300F@25 Twenty five years ago, this week on April 23 1994, Airbus delivered the first of 25 Airbus A300-600F dedicated freighters to FedEx.
Today the Memphis-based integrator lists 142 A300/A310s, with about half of them mothballed.
Good to recall that 50 years ago the innovative Airbus Industrie was formally created, launching the A300 performing its maiden flight in 1972, and entering service with Air France in May 1974.
Supermarket In The Sky With No Breakage In Aisle One When you think about the air cargo landscape today, the Russian phenom air cargo operation, Volga Dnepr Group is the most diversified and easily the most capable air cargo resource in the world.
The Volga Dnepr Group fields an array of services, companies and airplanes heretofore unseen in aviation history.
The variety includes the mammoth Antonov 124 that flies anywhere with enough people onboard (11) to form its own football team, if they were not busy carrying almost anything you can imagine, anywhere on earth.
Celebrating Earth Day 2019 It’s an honour to write a few words on the sustainable aviation industry on the Earth Day celebration. The Earth Day initiative is the biggest environment movement in the world and deserves respect for the effort to gain support and understanding for how important it is for us as human beings to take action to combat man-made climate change, extreme weather patterns, global pollution and the steadily increasing global warming.
Trump Effect Pt. 10: Challenges U.S. Cargo President Trump has been in office for over two years now and – despite major politicalopposition from Congressional Democrats and some Republicans – he’s made good on many of his promises to enact sweeping change in America.
With the confirmation of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as a record number of lower court judges, he has established a conservative majority in the judiciary.
Move To Popularize India Air Cargo The Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) has taken on the task to make air cargo popular – both as a profession and a service.
A tall order, no doubt – especially when passenger growth continues at a scorching pace prompting aviation stakeholders to look forward to the day in 2024 when if predictions hold, India will become the world’s third largest aviation sector.
ACFI could turn out to be the right vehicle for the task since it is the only association nationwide representing the entire air cargo logistic/supply chain in India responsible for the transportation of 30 per cent of the total national trade & commerce.
Atlas Southern DHL Pilots Protest Atlas Air, Southern Air and ABX Air, (ABX pilots fly for DHL) protested Thursday April 11 at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) “to raise alarm about the worsening problems at their carriers and to call for an end to stalled contract negotiations.”
“CVG is the largest hub for each of the airlines,” Airline Professionals Association (APA), Teamsters Local 1224 which represent the pilots said.
Mr. Smith Goes Big Time @ Dubai Air Cargo Integrators (ACI) CEO Lionel Smith is surveying the trade show scene at the TIACA Air Cargo Forum that took place in Toronto, Canada, in mid-October 2018.
As he looks up and down the aisle, Lionel, at six feet, seven inches tall, enjoys a unique vantage point.
Born in Kenya and on the scene in Dubai cargo for the past several decades, Smith is a transportation executive that stands out head and shoulders above the crowd. He joins a cadre of special people we have known during our 44 years on this beat.
Virgin Moves As Nigeria Pharma Builds Tania Boyes, Director – Cargo Operations at Virgin Atlantic was upbeat as Virgin Atlantic Cargo awarded a five-year import /export handling contract to Sifax SAHCOL in Lagos beginning this week on April 10.
“Lagos has been an important cargo market for us for more than 17 years,” Tania said, adding, “we are forecasting further growth in our export and import volumes in 2019.
“By moving to a larger and more modern facility, we can improve our product and service offerings for the growing number of companies moving goods to and from Nigeria,” Tania said.
There Will Always Be One The attack took place less than five months after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
Jimmy Doolittle moved from aviation hero and 1930s stunt pilot to immortality, leading an intrepid band of hero airmen on a daring raid of Tokyo at a time when the morale and spirit of America was badly impacted by Pearl Harbor.
When news broke that a force of B25 light bombers had taken off from the bobbing decks of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers under cover of darkness and flown all the way to Tokyo, dumping bombs on the supposedly invincible Empire of Japan, it lifted the nation and gave the United States a badly needed shot in the arm.
A Brexit Must Read “The United Kingdom Has Gone Mad!”
“The problem with holding out for a perfect Brexit plan,” Tom Friedman writes in The New York Times, “is that you can’t fix stupid.
“If you can’t take a joke you shouldn’t have come to London right now, because there is political farce everywhere.”
Looking For The Upside As Q2 Begins After three consecutive contractionary months of scores below 50, the official Chinese manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which measures sequential growth momentum, climbed to 50.5 in March from 49.2 in February.
Of more interest to the logistics sector, the new export orders sub-index jumped to 47.1 in March, from a slump to 45.2 a month earlier, while the new orders sub-index climbed to 51.6 last month from 50.6 in February.
Hare & Hounds At CNS As the time gets closer to Cargo Network Services (CNS) Annual Partnership Conference to be held this year in Miami May 5-7 at Trump Doral, Mike White, CNS President will once again present ‘Innovation Stage’ as an integral ongoing part of the event.
“The CNS Innovation Stage will be two days of updated products and ideas for the industry,” Mike assures.
Gone is a CNS Partnership Conference that conducts sessions and topics in side halls or meeting rooms that was once the practice here.
Fala At 79 Apropos of “Canines at CNS,” this week we salute U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s dog, Fala, a Scottish Terrier.
Fala was born April 7, 1940.
One of the most famous presidential pets, Fala was taken many places, including aboard the Pan Am B314 Clipper that transported FDR to the famous Casablanca meeting with Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill held at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca, French Morocco from January 14-24, 1943.
Captain of the Clouds In USA The Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC) recognized Lufthansa Group for sustainable corporate actions.
Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, accepted the organization’s award.
We are especially pleased that FMC recognized Cargo Human Care (CHC) activities in Kenya.
Undefeated Babar Badat FIATA Headquarters' Session 2019 took off March 27-30 in Zurich, Switzerland.
“A great opportunity for FIATA Association Members and Individual Members to exchange information and deliberate on important policy issues of our industry,” FIATA President Babar Badat told FlyingTypers.
“I am especially happy to announce that the first digital courses of FIATA 'Introduction to Global Logistics Management, Theory and Practice' & 'Maritime Transport' as well as the digital 'Train-the-Trainer Course for FIATA Foundation Vocational Training' are also due to be launched.”
Auntie Of Cargo Pioneering “Woman In Air Cargo” Mathangi Krishnan could easily pass off as my auntnext door.
She is measured in her conversation, and there is an air of calm around her, which belies the presence of Madam Mathangi in the midst of the cacophony and helter-skelter of air cargo terminals.
But that is where her heart is.
As a partner of S Natesa Iyer & Co, one of the oldest freight forwarders in Chennai, Madam Mathangi has completed over 30 years in the business –
“A journey,” she terms as “exciting and filled with loads of experiences, good and not so good!”
Peg O' My Heart Speaking to Peggy Guse in March 2019 during International Women’s Month we were struck by how closely her discussion of her team’s accomplishments and ambitions dovetailed with the theme of the worldwide celebration of “Women’s Day on March 6: “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change.”
Women in Charge - Keep On Truckin' You may have thought the one place in transportation, where there would be a noticeable drop off in activity by women, would be in the USA over the road trucking industry.
Well, think again.
In 2019, not only are women behind the wheel, but also in many cases top of the heap in the USA trucking business, as you read this.
On April 12, five leading women in the trucking business will gather in Orlando at a conference as part of “Women In Trucking Association” (WIT) where one lady will be feted as winner of the “Distinguished Woman In Logistics Award.”(DWLA).
May Or May... Not: A BREXIT Exclusive The UK’s political contortions continued this week even as it races towards leaving the EU on Friday, March 29. It now seems an extension of some sort will see that deadline pass, but one noted analyst told Flying Typers that whatever happens next, the UK’s economy and standing in the world have already been harmed.
Wolfgang Lehmacher, leading logistics consultant and the former Head of Supply Chain and Transport Industries at the World Economic Forum in Geneva and New York, believes Brexit is already reshaping European supply chains, irrespective of how and when the UK departs the Union.
JFK Air Cargo Expo This Thursday JFK Air Cargo EXPO 2019 takes off this Thursday March 28 from 0800 until 1700. There is still time to attend.
Tariff is $95, which includes the luncheon. Venue is Russo’s on the Bay in nearby Howard Beach, Queens, New York about 10 minutes from JFK International’s main runways.
This is the 20th anniversary of this grand airport event that gets down to cases with display stands, a thoughtful discussion panel at 0900 in the morning plus an engaging luncheon guest speaker who will serve up some forward thinking after a very good meal.
Cathy & The Art of Looking Beyond the Obvious The technological challenges facing the logistics industry and the celebration of International Women’s Day were on the agenda when FlyingTypers had a chat with the always insightful Cathy Morrow Roberson, Founder and Head Analyst of Atlanta-based Logistics Trends & Insights LLC.
For the last two decades, the native of South Carolina has been offering the logistics industry a rare mix of heady insight and down-to-earth common sense.
Her storied career, prior to setting up her own rapidly expanding business, was built on a decade as an analyst at UPS Supply Chain Solutions followed by a consultancy role at a boutique transport analyst company.
São Paulo Gets Virgin Focus 2020 The name São Paulo honors the Apostle, Saint Paul of Tarsus.
The city's metropolitan area, the Greater São Paulo, ranks as the most populous in Brazil and the 12th most populous on Earth.
The municipality is also the Earth's 11th largest city proper by population.
The city is the capital of the surrounding state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest state in Brazil.
FlyingTalkers
Podcast Off the cuff, right to the heart of the air cargo business. It's the past, present, and future in conversations with Geoffrey Arend, award-winning Editor & publisher, Air Cargo News FlyingTypers.
Celebrating
Women In Air Cargo Two
powerful women serving in key posts for international logistics are profiled.
The technological challenges facing the logistics industry and the celebration
of International Women’s Month were on the agenda when FlyingTypers had a chat with the always insightful Cathy Morrow Roberson, (left) Founder
and Head Analyst of Atlanta-based Logistics Trends & Insights LLC.
Celebrating
Berlin Airlift and the Birth of Modern Air Cargo It's happening in Wiesbaden and some other airfields.
Just as the Air Cargo Europe Trade Show ends in Munich June
7, in Berlin and elsewhere in Germany, a nine-day event will begin on June
10, as The Berlin Airlift will be recalled with a giant fly-in by more than
40 vintage aircraft that saved that city during the blockade of 1948-49.
Zeynep A Good Bet For DB Schenker Zeynep Kasikci, Head of Air Freight at DB Schenker Turkey, based at Istanbul has a clear cut philosophy on how things in the logistics business works
“Good logistics are analytic,” she said. “You always have short lead time, so results have to be fast.
“So thinking things through always delivers the best result.
“I have been in this business for 25 years.
“But I take a very clear view of never losing our edge when it comes to shipping solutions.”
A Young Man Called Francesco Recently at a trade show a colleague came by to congratulate us on our having reached our 44th anniversary serving the global air cargo industry with our publications. We appreciate the kind gesture and accept with humility the good wishes of course, but as the first and only FIATA Fellow I have been given access and illumination of the greater world with all the wonderful people of FIATA, the global freight forwarder organization.
Here, our friend Marco Sorgetti profiles a true pioneering family of transportation, Trieste-based Francesco Parisi.
UTIKAD Lifts The Bar For Global Logistics Turkey’s 458 member Association of International Forwarding and Logistics Service Providers (UTIKAD) has assumed global leadership in transportation unmatched by any other organization of freight forwarders.
“UTIKAD has become a signatory of United Nations Global Compact in 2015, said Emre Eldener, president.
The UN Global Compact Communication on Engagement Report for the period 2017- 2019 details in clear and transparent words and pictures both involvement and adoption of The United Nations Global Compact, a principle-based pact that is also the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
Can Brian Do It Again? Most people who pay attention to these things recall that Tony Calabrese headed up Cargo Network Services (CNS) in the U.S. for a quarter century, serving as President for so long that often dear Tony is thought to have been first top officer of that organization.
Well, guess what?
First Board Member of CNS was Brian Barrow.
Pay Puts The Go In Cargo PayCargo inked an agreeement with IATA to jointly offer air cargo the IATA-PayCargo System. The system will serve as an import payment platform for the global air cargo industry
Built on the success of the PayCargo-CNS System that began in 2017, the new deal allows cargo customers the ability to access information to settle up import billings with online payments.
Looking Good In The Neighborhood “Looks like this year will be challenging but we still are going to deliver double digit increase in business,” said Turhan Ozen, Head of Cargo Turkish Airlines pictured (L to R) with Orhan Yilmaz, Regional Cargo Manager-Singapore; Huseyin Ceyhan, Vice President Asia Pacific and Cagn Alpak, Application Programmer.”
Ingo Towers Above Pictured at IATA World Cargo Symposium in Singapore March 13 are (L) Vikram Singh, CEO World Freight Company (parent company of ATC), and Ingo Zimmer CEO ATC.
“I think,” said Ingo Zimmer, “the greatest service we deliver to our customers is ATC’s every day total dedication to our major asset as a company, our people.”
Faces Going Places New Faces . . . Meet Vera Marzoug Bassi, United Cargo eCommerce Technology Manager, fresh on the scene from UA pax marketing, where she was involved in creating the carrier’s Mileage Plus tracker program. Vera came to United from Wunderman, a giant digital ad agency.
Cargo March Hopes For Better Numbers A disappointing Chinese New Year has been followed by weak demand on the major lanes out of Asia, exacerbated by the disruptive currents emanating from the U.S.-China trade war and uncertainty over ongoing negotiations.
Most industry experts now don’t expect a jump in volumes and/or pricing rebound to materialize until the second half of 2019.
Every Day It's A Getting Closer Virgin Atlantic celebrates women in aviation every day; encouraging and helping women to be whatever they want to be.
“We believe in treating all of our people fairly, but like the rest of our industry, our gender pay gap is higher than we’d like it to be,” VS said.
“While that’s heavily influenced by the demographics of specific roles in our business, particularly Pilots, Engineers and Cabin Crew, it’s something we’re committed to improving.”
Love St. Patrick's Day There may be always an Ireland, and beyond that lovely prospect, always 100 parades around the world to celebrate March 17th.
But from 11:00 a.m. until about 3:00 p.m. on an island called Manhattan, where a green stripe runs down the middle of Fifth Avenue from 44th to 86th Street, The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of New York City’s greatest traditions.
United Tops U.S. Belly Cargo The news that 2018 saw United Airlines Cargo not only preserve its number one ranking as top USA belly cargo carrier, but also widen the gap, increasing its lead, is certainly welcome word up and down the halls of the UA Willis Tower headquarters in Chicago.
But at closer look, these days at United, air cargo often referred to as a “night animal” finds itself in a run to daylight with an exciting team effort, and a more than charismatic team leader.
Vive La Différence Normally we prefer to stay out of the picture, but as we were making our way to the opening evening meet and greet at the Mandarin Bay Sands Conference Center, we encountered an enormous horde of young people, 30 somethings that came streaming out of an adjacent hall, laughing and talking and elevating the atmosphere in the hallway. As I entered our hall, I thought wouldn't it be nice if everybody attending WCS 2019 would bring in one person under 30.
Imagine what could happen if the under 30 and the over 30 got together.
Wings Of Layda Layda Garcia started her career in aviation with Eastern Airlines the wings of man.
Today 46 years later, she is still in air cargo. We can only marvel at the wings of this most extraordinary woman and know her work in the airline business has affected people around the world.
Layda Garcia, Director Carrier Network and Sales, Amerijet Cargo is based in Miami.
New Horizons You ask Vladimir Zubkov what he likes about air cargo and this likeable 49-year industry veteran with smiling eyes comes on like a breath of fresh air, and full of engaging ideas.
‘The thing I love about air cargo is the diversity. You meet people from all parts of the world, learn about different cultures and become life-long friends.
Goyal Departs Jet Jet Airways’ Chairman Naresh Goyal stepped down on March 1, ending 25 years with a whimper; aviation pundits in India were not surprised.
Fliers will agree that not too long ago, Jet had set the gold standard for service and excellence.
But over the last few years, its quarterly losses had grown, as had its woes.
In just ten years, the company with close to 50 percent market share went down to less than 15.
Jenni Moves Forward At EMO Trans and AfA As the U.S. celebrates Women’s History Month in March and the world celebrates International Women’s Day March 8, Jennifer Frigger Latham, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at EMO Trans based in Long Island, New York is amongst the outstanding emerging women in global transportation.
Jenni, as she is known to friends & family and just about everyone else, just had returned from the important Airforwarders Association (AfA) AirCargo Conference in Las Vegas where she moved up her workload and duties for that 250-member organization accepting the post as AfA Vice President.
Balance For Better Today March 8, 2019, is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme for Women’s month is
#BalanceForBetter, which is a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world.
It’s ironic, then, that still in 2019 we’ve found so many women in positions of power who wish to recede into the background when it comes to their gender. Acknowledge me for my work, they say, and not for my gender.
Cargo Delivers As Space Goes Private Once again cargo leads the way in aviation pioneering, as humans have entered SpaceX's Crew Dragon in outer space, just hours after the commercial spacecraft docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday morning. This was the first time for Crew Dragon in space.
The new space vehicle, carrying 400 pounds of cargo was launched Saturday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
A Tall Tale The idea for these stories was not planned. They happened in the course of gathering editorial. Recently we had the good fortune to speak to Thomas Uschtrin of United Cargo in Moerfelden, Germany.
Thomas stands at six foot seven. Beyond the obvious, he stands tall in performance and thought as well.
Overnight Sensation Decade In The Making “Continuing a partnership marketing cargo for Edelweiss that began in 2009 offers great opportunities for both us and our customers, as we are able to complement our already strong international network with additional routes in diverse markets,” said Ashwin Bhat, (above) Head of Cargo, Swiss WorldCargo confirming the agreement with Bernd Bauer CEO, Edelweiss.
Karneval In Rhineland They are celebrating Karneval (Carnival) in Cologne, Germany this week, and during the festivities cargo is in the picture.
An indication of the importance of this Rhineland event each year is seen in a classic candid with Cologne native Jo Frigger, Chairman of EMO Trans, toasting the grand event.
Birth Of Modern Cargo Now for everybody who loves aviation, and especially folks that today live and work in air cargo, comes a unique opportunity. Right on the heels of a major world gathering—Air Cargo Europe in Munich, Germany at Transport Logistik June 4-7, the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift is being celebrated in grand style from June 10 until June 18. Eight days full of events featuring the people and more than 40 aircraft gathered from all over the world, returning to Germany, where modern air cargo made history saving the city of Berlin in 1948-49.
The "heroes" of this hitherto unique humanitarian aid action and solidarity were the aviation and ground crews of the "Raisin Bombers”.
Spell Diversity And Inclusion - Qatar Airways “Qatar Airways recognizes the need for wider diversity in the workplace, not just in our airline but across the industry as a whole, which is why we are delighted to have this opportunity to reward individuals and teams who are going against the trend and proving that diversification is the way forward for aviation,” declared Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker as Qatar Airways said it is partnering up with IATA for a ten-year program called The Diversity & Inclusion Awards.
Vegas Baby Best Was First All kinds of air cargo trade shows everywhere in the world as the calendar moves along, but for our money, the Air Forwarders Association (AfA) or “The Brandon Fried Event,” that was held February 10-12 in La Vegas delivered just the right blend of people. These people make the going great for our industry by working diligently in advancing all aspects of the form.
Will Bangladesh Go From Rags To Riches? Bangladesh has been facing serious problems in the export of readymade garments (RMG). For the small nation, it is a huge problem simply because it is the second biggest manufacturer of RMG.
The biggest hindrance export cargo from Bangladesh faces is not merely the lack of flights from Dhaka airport, otherwise known as Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), but the fact that the airport has often been scored for its lax security.
To further complicate matters, the airport faces capacity constraints, which lead to higher shipment costs.
Turkish Opticool Moment A landmark agreement between Turkish Airlines Cargo and Opticooler container provider DoKaSch of Germany cools the way for expanding perishable shipments worldwide.
Fatih Cigal, Turkish Cargo's Senior Vice President Marketing said, “As a leading global airline of the world, Turkish Airlines Cargo provides the highest quality services to transport high-value pharma products. We are delighed to confirm agreement with DoKaSch of Frankfurt as we begin to intergrate Opticooler containers for temperature-sensitive products such as vaccines and other pharmaceuticals across our global system effective this month.
Past Numbers & A Look Ahead As predicted last month by FlyingTypers, there was little sign of a pre-Chinese New Year rates or volumes surge, with frontloading on the Transpacific lanes and weak European demand making for a tepid run-in.
The latest numbers from TAC Index reveal that Hong Kong-North America, lanes dipped from a peak of $5.69 per kg on November 19, 2018 to 3.52 per kg on January 21 before picking back up $3.87 per kg on February 4, just as factories in China closed for the holidays. Hong Kong-Europe routes, meanwhile, peaked at $3.77 per kg on December 10 before slumping to $2.74 per kg on February 4.
A380 In A Field Of Flowers Festooned in colors of yellow and orange, Frankfurt is a field of flowers as an Emirates A380 readies departure February 19.
The attractive super jumbo billboards “Expo Dubai 2020”. On November 27, 2013, The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) general assembly in Paris awarded Dubai as the host designation.
A380 Beat B777 On Long Route Cargo Of all the airline air cargo executives that you have ever met or for that matter have ever heard of, no one was closer to A380 and its possible uses for air cargo than Ram Menen who was present at the creation of SkyCargo and top executive of Emirates Cargo until 2013.
We reached out to Ram, who today is retired, and living with his wife Malou in Luxembourg, and this is what he said about A380.
Ode To A380 “Listen kid,” the drill sergeant told me on my first day in basic training after being drafted into the U.S. Army, before being shipped off to Vietnam:
“I have been in this Army, boy to man, for 22 years.
“I was here when you arrived,” he growled, and “I’ll still be here when you are long gone.”
I thought about that admonition this morning, reading about the end of production for the Airbus A380.
Who Has The Next Big Idea IATA said that it is in the final round for a ULD Air Cargo Innovation Award scheme.
“Out of the 56 innovative ideas submitted, an independent jury shortlisted three finalists,” IATA said.
Unilode Aviation Solutions is a finalist for its Digital Transformation Program; Air New Zealand Cargo & Cargo Composites for the aeroTHERM ULD, and SITA, Safran & CHAMP for their Smart ULD.
Cabin In The Sky The best airplane meal I’ve ever had was, conversely, on the ground in a place called Rocky’s, located downstairs in the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia Airport New York, the place Air Cargo News FlyingTypers saved in 1980, and maintained an office for 30 years, turning the historic airline passenger facility into a landmark for all time.
The food that day at Rocky’s was a reproduction of what people were served aboard the 100-ton Boeing B314 flying boats that once operated from the MAT after taking off from the waters behind the building in 1940, when service was opened between New York City and Europe.
Flossie's Moon A United Airlines aircraft heads home from China across the "Supermoon" in the night sky on February19.
The Supermoon is a full moon that nearly coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth in its orbit, resulting in a slightly larger size and a brighter view.
The Tel Aviv Virgin See you in September . . . As Virgin Atlantic welcomes cargo potential for its new start-up daily flights between UK and Tel Aviv September 25, Dominic Kennedy, Managing Director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo declared,
“This is a really exciting new route for us and plays to our strengths in terms of quick connections to and from US and our proven expertise in carrying the major types of products moving in and out of Israel.”
At AA Cargo Andy Is Dandy We caught up recently with Andy Cornwell II, who serves as Regional Sales Manager, Northern Europe for American Airlines Cargo. Andy lives in Teddington, Greater London, United Kingdom.
Teddington is a green upscale part of town with a history going back hundreds of years. That history also includes a time during World War II, when General Dwight D. Eisenhower planned the D-Day landings at his Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) at Camp Griffiss in Teddington’s Bushy Park.
Coo Coo For Keukenhof 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 underway and the desire for fresh-cut flowers only growing.
This is also the time of year when our favorite story is who flew how many flowers for the romance of Valentine’s Day (Thursday, February 14) or upcoming Eastertide on Sunday, April 21, 2019.
Save The Best For First AirCargo 2019 If you count yourself a progressive in this air cargo business, then you will be amongst the registered attendees for the Air Forwarders Association AirCargo 2019 conference that begins on Sunday, February 10. The show launches with its popular Women's Networking event sponsored by Air Canada. “That session will be followed by two spectacular days during which we have air cargo industry experts coming from Washington to discuss the state of industry and security, as well as high-ranking TSA officials, fresh from the recent shutdown who will be there to answer vital questions and provide a glimpse into what new regulations we can expect from the agency this year,” promises AfA Director Brandon Fried.
BREXIT - Soft Or Hard Roll “Both the air cargo sector and its leading lobbyist and networking body, The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) face multiple challenges this year.
While the latter has had well-publicized funding issues, ‘air freight’ is staring at trading headwinds in the shape of Brexit, the damaging Transpacific trade war and economic slowdowns in China and the EU.
Ready For Their Closeup Yes, with Geoffrey Arend II starring in the U.S. television series “Madam Secretary” and son-in-law Anthony starring as Donald Trump in the Comedy Central hit, “The President Show” and daughter-in-law Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), currently starring in the television series “Good Girls”, you can say that we are a show business family.
So often when someone in our clan goes out the door, the words “break a leg” will trail the departure as the day’s adventure unfolds.
Also the question, “ready for your closeup?”
Turkish Cargo March Into SmartIST “Our goal is to be a top-line enabler and to position our offering amongst the top echelon of the world’s cargo carriers by 2023, as the Turkish Republic celebrates its 100th anniversary,” Turkish Airlines Chief Cargo Officer, Mr. Turhan Özen said.
Explaining Blockchain To A 10 Year Old Clearly, not a lot of people without a substantial background in technology can make much sense from the Wikipedia definition of blockchains.
Any technologist who wants to explain the concept to a business leader or an investor who isn't very tech savvy would require a simplified version.
A Tale Of Two Markets At Chinese New Year With Britain a chaotic mess of political indecision ahead of its scheduled ‘Brexit’ from the European Union on March 29, with the potential scenario that a no-deal Brexit will see a divided country sleepwalk off an economic cliff into a recession grows by the day.
Elsewhere in Europe the news is equally bleak. Italy is, well, Italy, France is beset by protests and Germany may have avoided entering a technical recession in the final quarter of last year, only because Q42018 was a day longer than Q4 2017.
Pig Into 2019 Here comes Chinese Lunar New Year for 2019, which arrives on February 5. It’s the Year of the Pig. Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Sure, we love February ‘cause we have two kids born this month. But we also like, that both Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day happen during the second month of the year. And that daylight hours are inching forward to the moment when baseball catchers and pitchers will start reporting to camp.
UK Nightmare On A Merry-Go-Round With Britain scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, a reasonable observer might have expected to find that an orderly withdrawal had been negotiated a long time before now – after all, Britons did vote to leave by 51.9% to 48.1% all the way back in June 2016.
Unfortunately, reason and Brexit have long since decoupled.
We Like CNS And We Like Mike “CNS Partnership 2019, like love, is just around the corner!
“As the President of CNS,” Mike White declares,” it has been great to hear all the supportive comments we got back about the 2018 CNS Partnership Conference. Our guests that attended the first time and those that have attended for multiple years all have come back congratulating our team for last year’s event. ”
Miami Lands Brazil Post Deal “I applaud the efforts of MIA and our trade community, for keeping Miami-Dade County on the forefront of innovation within the global air cargo industry,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez as Miami and the Brazilian Post Office (Correios) announced partnering up in a first-of-its-kind, expedited shipping service that allows e-commerce packages of all sizes from anywhere in the world to be shipped to Miami International Airport (MIA), be pre-cleared by Correios, and arrive in Brazil as domestic cargo within days instead of what used to take weeks or months.
Quote of the Day In Last November’s U.S. elections, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old Latina running her first campaign, ousted 10-term incumbent Representative Joe Crowley in New York's 14th congressional district in the most shocking upset of the political season.
Pictured here on Saturday January 19, in New York City at the Women’s Unity Rally, she has stepped onto the national political stage in the U.S., leaving little doubt that she is a face and force of the future.
Miami Doubles Down As Cargo Event Dynamo “We are honored that TIACA has chosen MIA to host its biennial Air Cargo Forum,” said Lester Sola, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department.
“As the busiest U.S. airport for international freight and the only U.S. airport among the world’s top 10 in that category, we welcome the opportunity to discuss MIA’s new initiatives and best practices with our counterparts from around the world.”
SWISS WorldCargo Extends A Helping Hand For Swiss WorldCargo, Michael Ganz, (right) Head of Cargo Northeast U.S. and Canada and Hendrik Falk, (left) Head of Cargo West Coast USA & South America spoke to the U.S. government shutdown and its impact on air cargo shippers:
“So far,” the duo said, “the effect of the U.S. government shutdown has only indirectly impacted Swiss WorldCargo.
TWA Cargo À un petit marché français In an upscale store that was located in a suburb of Kansas City, called The French Market, the order of the day was produce and vegetables flown in “air speed fresh” from TWA’s USA and international destinations.
“I recognize the store front and of course the TWA flight attendant training center was less than a mile from my house,” Michael Webber, Associate Vice President-Landrum & Brown recalls.
Shutdown Described As Devastating “Devastating,” an industry source who spoke on the condition of anonymity told FlyingTypers.
“Because of reduced staff at FDA as example, Pharma in many cases cannot be cleared in a timely matter.
“Although facilities have to guarantee viability and safety of the pharma shipments, storage costs are sky-rocketing.
“As far as USDA Inspectors also, the same reduced staff situation brings food safety into question.”
One For Boyes At dnata Heathrow Tania Boyes, Director-Cargo Operations at Virgin Atlantic, puts it on the line:
“Moving into dnata City East later this year will be a game changer for us and our joint venture with Delta Cargo.
“It will not only double our capacity at Heathrow and provide space to grow, it reinforces our commitment to be easier to do business with, to use new technologies and automation to simplify and improve our customer experience, and to leverage our partnerships.”
Brave Bessie Blazes A Trail In America, next Monday is Martin Luther King Day, February celebrates Black History Month, and March celebrates Women’s History Month, which beggars the question of where to place someone as historically significant as Bessie Coleman.
One of 13 children, Bessie Coleman was born in 1892 in Atlanta, Texas, to George and Susan Coleman, both African American sharecroppers. The family was poor and could afford very little, and once the children were of age they were expected to contribute to the household income.
Mayhem On The Brexit Menu The Brexit deadline marches ever closer. The UK is scheduled to leave the EU at 11 pm local time on March 29, 2019. As that deadline looms for Brexit, Ram Menen observed:
“We can expect mayhem.
“There is currently a procurement frenzy to stock up with goods because of the uncertainty and to beat the initial confusion and chaos that is likely to unleash post March 29, 2019.
Ram says that in a no-deal scenario, “cross border sales are likely to be in a turmoil, especially where land transportation is concerned as all cargo will have to go through the border control process, which is likely to create major bottlenecks at various customs points.”
Fruit Up For February Get a head start and maybe harvest more lettuce in your revenue garden by thinking Fruit Logistica, which will host more than 3,000 exhibitors and 78,000 visitors, February 6-8 in Berlin, Germany.
Fruit Logistica held at Messe Berlin is now in its 26th year of operation covering every sector of the fresh produce business.
The venue provides a worthwhile picture under one giant roof of the latest innovations, products and services at every link in the international supply chain.
How U.S. Government Closure Impacts Air Cargo FlyingTypers asked Brandon Fried, Executive Director of U.S.- based Airforwarders Association if and how the current U.S. Government shut down is impacting his members and received this replay Monday afternoon.
“The air cargo industry’s successful efforts to work with Congress and the TSA,” Brandon said, “to provide its own security measures, are producing dividends during the current partial government shutdown.
“While these initiatives have enabled the flow of air freight to generally continue unimpeded, we are seeing brewing challenges behind-the-scenes that could have a substantial impact on the industry.”
Focus vs. Confrontation Challenges Trade Air freight markets have rapidly deflated in the early days of January with a hoped-for pre-Chinese New Year bump failing to materialize, at least so far.
According to the TAC Index, average gateway prices on routes from Shanghai to Europe fell from $3.17 per kg on November 5 to $2.98 per kg on January 7. The decline on the Transpacific Hong Kong-North America lane was far more severe, however, slumping from a year-high of $5.69 on November 19 to just $3.79 on January 7.
No Horsing Around Turkish Cargo’s membership in the Animal Transportation Association (ATA) delivers assurances for shippers that a close working relationship with a “great international organization that aims to transport live animals at secure and ideal conditions is in place,” the carrier said.
Who Plays The Fool Post Brexit The aerial highway between the UK & EU could get messy as post-Brexit negotiations take place, said Investopedia, a website based in New York City that focuses on investing, finance education and analysis.
The creation of the EU saw tourism in Europe grow as low-cost airlines flourished. However, following the triggering of Article 50, the European Commission has said U.K. carriers will be forbidden to travel between European cities and will be left to direct flights in and out of the U.K.
Ready Set Go 2019 The festive vox pop by FlyingTypers found air freight stalwarts in good form and, reasonably positive about the industry in 2019. But obstacles to growth are also on the horizon.
Sebastiaan Scholte, CEO of Jan de Rijk Logistic and chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), has been outspoken about the lack of hub capacity for all-cargo operations at European airports during 2018, but he believes the challenges of 2019 will lie elsewhere.
About USMCA President Trump’s efforts on revamping the U.S. trade agreements to make them more fairly balanced came under much criticism but they are starting to bear fruit and trade flows are increasing.
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement was signed with two of the U.S.’s top three trading partners, Mexico and Canada. China, the third partner is still engaged in trade talks that are close to being concluded, although there are other considerations (political) involved.
Celebrating Herb Kelleher “Too bad he is gone.
“We need more like him in both private and public life.
“A man of courage, ambition, ability and integrity who made a real contribution to the industry,” said Robert Crandall, legendary former president and chairman of American Airlines.
Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines, died last Thursday January 3 at the age of 87.
Mr. Kelleher was a "pioneer, a maverick, and an innovator," Southwest Airlines said.
True Confessions - Oliver Evans It was Samuel Johnson who observed that languages are the pedigrees of nations. And it was Oliver Evans, chief cargo officer of Swiss International Airlines and chairman of The International Air Cargo Association, who leaned on those pedigrees to broaden his executive and managerial talents in a global air cargo universe.
True Confessions - Jim Butler At first blush, it appears that Jim W. Butler 42-year-old president of American Airlines Cargo is not much of a desk man. In his first year as the airline’s top cargo officer, he logged close to 200,000 miles touching base throughout its domestic and international systems, which he acknowledged left him somewhat “terrified.”
True Confessions - Dan Muscatello Described in its simplest terms, the design and construction of an airport are for safe aircraft takeoffs and landings; and in between is Dan Muscatello who has spent more than three decades in the public and private sectors wrestling with all manner of cargo problems and strategies. Over the years, like a planter sowing seeds he has applied his expertise and progressive outlook around the world.
A Tree Grows In Hollis Sometime after my grandmother died, my father planted a tree. He chose a blue spruce. A coniferous evergreen known for its steely hue, the blue spruce looks like it’s bathed in moonlight, even in full sun. It radiates a soft, dusky blue aura that sets it apart from your typical evergreen tree.
Kelly's Christmas Playlist Our Christmas playlist for 2018 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.
Someone once asked Duke Ellington when he knew the music he was writing was complete.
Deck Us All With Boston Charlie By now everybody knows that this publication loves cartoons.
Thinking back, that all started for me during the time I worked as a copy boy at The New York Herald Tribune.
That job didn’t pay much. I supplemented my income and ability to eat regularly, by serving as a runner, placing the bets for some of the writers, with the press room guys who ran the sports book.
A Christmas Story Every day that I can do it, the family Volkswagen Bus rolls out of the garage and two of our four kids jump in for a ride from our Queens, New York home to Amsterdam Avenue on the west side of Manhattan where they attend school.
Winter Solstice As the winter solstice is celebrated December 21, in Grainau, Bavaria, ice flowers at a window of the Zugspitze mountain station look like down feathers.
Lake Eibsee and the Ammergebirge mountain can be seen through the glass.
Herd At The Airport Must have been a slow news day as New York Times headlined a story ”Where Reindeer Are a Way of Life” about the Sami people who have fought for generations against Norway’s limits on reindeer herds.
Air Cargo To The Rescue The world looked on in horror in late September when the central region around Palu on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami. And then the world quickly turned away again, exhausted by natural disasters and titillated by reality TV and politics, often at the same time.
First Cargo Flight Was Wright Stuff Today, December 17, 2018, marks 115 years since the Wright brothers flew their epoch first flight.
But does anybody know who piloted the first air cargo shipment?
The idea that an airplane might carry cargo was initially sparked seven years later in 1910, when a Columbus, Ohio merchant by the name of Max Morehouse recognized the public interest in “flying machines.”
What A Year After the super strong peak season of 2017, perhaps 2018 was always going to be a case of “After the Lord Mayor’s show. But it’s not exactly as if the wheels have come off the donkey cart this year.
Late November and early December demand was healthy and most macro-economic indicators are performing strongly given the looming threat of protectionist feeling and the policies such as populism are sprouting. Cross-border global e-commerce also continues to flourish. Things just look a little less shiny than they did a year earlier.
Wright Stuff For Children There are plenty of inexpensive wonderful books and items for children that deal with the Wright Brothers. In time for Christmas are a few suggestions for the wee ones in air cargo.
There is also a great website for all this stuff @www.yellowairplane.com. (also neat aircraft models and other transportation items).
FIATA Focus On Youth Starting from the hard figures, unofficial sources report that around 1,100 participants were in evidence at that big New Delhi FIATA World Congress that closed its doors Sunday September 29.
These numbers speak of success; if we look at the program we see a good mix of old and new and the topics discussed were surely such as to attract the interest of the professionals of the sector.
We have read and heard in these pages that the hitch with the visas had affected even the President of FIATA, but despite the fact that Babar Badat of Pakistan had to direct FIATA from Karachi, all went well under his firm guidance.
L&B Strengthens Airports Offering Landrum & Brown (L&B), the global aviation planning and development consultancy based in Cincinnati, Ohio USA believes it has found a solid opportunity in airport air cargo development worldwide and has strengthened its air cargo offering with Kevin Hoffmann who joined the company recently as Senior Managing Consultant.
Mr. Hoffmann joins L&B after concluding a stellar 35-year career with UPS, where he most recently served as airport properties manager, and was a vital force that helped the company open many new markets via carefully planned and executed advanced cargo facilities.
UA-LH Cargo JV Looks For The Silver Lining We all know that United and Lufthansa Cargo launched a Joint Venture (JV) earlier in 2018. Here once again is the overture:
"We are excited about the customer benefits that will be generated as our aligned teams and processes deliver superior service quality on our combined capacities,” said Jan Krems, President of United Cargo; and "The Lufthansa-United Cargo joint venture will provide numerous benefits to our customers because our continental and transatlantic networks, our hubs and our fleet complement each other effectively,” declared Peter Gerber, Lufthansa Cargo CEO.
So what else has happened?
While Organ Donors Wait India’s Civil Aviation Ministry has been approached by regulator Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ask domestic carriers to help speed up the process of flying out donated organs.
Moving donated organs in the country has not only been a time-consuming process – often defeating the very purpose of the donation – but also an expensive one.
Logitrans A Wrap Transport Logistic, the folks that brought the industry Air Cargo Europe in Munich, and recently has been acquiring other trade shows, including TIACA 2020 in Miami said that its Logitrans Istanbul 2018 in November hosted 136 exhibitors from 20 countries with more than 14,000 visitors.
The event included a heavy dose of German companies, plus lots of road, rail and ports exhibiting. The show seemed busy November 15, the key day, however it slowed down to a crawl, attendance wise by Friday, November 16.
Ups & Downs of Paracargo Virtually a war-born technique, the art and applicability of parachuting gained as the war progressed in Europe, North Africa and the China-Burma-India theater. Ammunition, food, medical supplies, mail were airdropped to troops in battle and those based in inaccessible areas. Ultimately, the military equipment chuted to earth included such items as Jeeps and howitzers.
Moment of Prayer As we begin our look back at the outstanding events of 2018, a picture from Monday October 29 captured an unforgettable moment as Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, (center), and Turkish officials prayed at the inauguration of the gleaming new aviation hub in Istanbul.
Ethiopian Fitsum & Jet Some Out Of Africa Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services Managing Director Fitsum Abadi was the man with a long queue at TIACA Toronto. The emerging national carrier of Africa continues to add partner airlines in countries far and wide across the dark continent, supported by an ambitious growth program that among other things features a joint venture with DHL, the addition of an expanded service offering, and also new advanced long and medium range aircraft joining the ultra modern Ethiopian fleet.
Lifting Christmas Dees', a plant and flower nursery, is an old time, family business that has been located just off the main runways at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Oceanside, New York since 1958.
Dees' spends most of the year selling plants and trees and lawn care products to people from all over the metropolitan area.
But once a year for the past eight years now, Dees' chops down several hundred Christmas Trees from its big farm in Maine and, in partnership with DHL, sends the trees free of charge to U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Will Pharma.Aero Fulfill Expectations?
In a world where the new grows old rather quickly, the emergence of the Belgium-based Pharma.Aero as an umbrella organization for the hottest sector in the air cargo business has gained a flurry of attention.
CIFFA Pioneer Steps Down Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) Executive Director Ruth Snowden, who stepped up to the challenge a decade ago as a pioneering woman in transportation, revealed at TIACA Toronto that she will step down from full time employment at the association by mid-2019.
“The Executive Committee of the board has already met and succession planning is well underway, a process where I am fully engaged,” Ruth declared.
Christmas Party This Week Here’s some party news as our industry takes a deep breath, with 2018 almost in the rearview mirror. Stay tuned, and send in your event information, and we will do our best to talk about it.
Getting off to a roaring start this past Thursday in Melbourne was the Cargo Club of Australia Christmas Party held at the “Deluxe Rooftop Bar” in Moonee Ponds.
Figures that this group would lead the party parade.
AfA Forward Into The Breach
Let it never be said that Brandon Fried and his intrepid band of freight forwarders in America who are members of AfA –Airforwarders Association had any hesitation about staring into the face of the beast, to bring about change.
And what better place to knock down walls then at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport with its beastly truck queues.
India Ahead Of UK Brexit As the deadline of March 29, 2019 approaches and Britain gets ready to step out of the 28-member European Union, there is pressure on India to strengthen business ties with the EU.
Overtures from France and Germany have been coming regularly. At the beginning of this year, French President Emmanuel Macron was in India. During the visit, a total of €13 billion in investment deals was signed.
Quote At Logitrans
Recently, Turkish Cargo commenced flights to Bangalore, that has a high annual export potential of 170 thousand tons annually.
"With our understanding of world markets and Istanbul's great centralized position as a gateway to both Europe and Asia, we have great hope to connect Bangalore's central position in the production of the aerospace industry, IT industry, computer and hi-tech products to the world," Turhan Ozen, Turkish Chief Cargo Officer told FlyingTypers.
Blue Monday After Black Friday U.S. markets are also caught in a sort of frenzied paralysis due to expected increases of tariffs from 10% to 25% on many imports from China on January 1, and the threat of even more tariffs on Chinese products in the future. This has left shippers balancing the pros and cons of when to ship Chinese goods based on their view of whether the U.S.-China trade war will escalate, remain the same or an agreement might be reached. This is called risk management by some; gambling by most.
Give The Gift Of Laughter Give the gift of laughter this holiday season with American Tantrum, written by my son-in-law Anthony Atamanuik. Anthony has spent the last 3 years channeling The Donald in a worldwide comedy tour, for The President Show on Comedy Central, and now in his first published book. American Tantrum is a hilarious, cutting satire that imagines the contents of the 45th President's Presidential Archives in interviews, classified documents, illustrations and more.
Thanksgiving In America 2018 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.
Nobody gets gifts or is expected to do more than show up, eat, drink and refrain from getting too overserved so that you don’t get into a mix with old Uncle Al, or that other occasional family member that you just can’t stand.
If Peak Is What You Seek
The National Retail Federation, which represents many of the U.S. leading importers, predicted last week that U.S. retail sales for 2018 would be up 4.5% over 2017, with imports set to spike in the coming weeks, ahead of tariff hikes on Chinese imports scheduled for January 1.
By contrast, the picture in Europe looks rather less buoyant, at least from an air freight demand perspective. GDP growth has been sluggish across the EU, with economic expansion hindered by deteriorating consumer and investor sentiment, while the geopolitical and economic headwinds emanating from Turkey and the UK, both key trading partners for the Eurozone area, have added to uncertainty.
Conversation With A Shipper At TIACA ACF The old joke is that at an air cargo trade show usually the only shipper that you see out walking near the display stands is a meeting session guest speaker looking for the bathroom.
We are sitting inside the host hotel at TIACA Toronto taking a quick lunch break in a soaring glass ceiling room with a view of the sky above.
Although it is cloudy, the room is beautiful while a few of us enjoy a break. We note two businessmen from the TIACA event also on a break each seated at a table for one, while talking to each other.
The Right Hotel Chemistry The old part of town in Istanbul is called Sultanahmet.
The area is a trip back from modern to ancient times. Even today old Roman walls and obelisks still partially ring the area.
Other remnants of this city date back ten thousand years from Istanbul to Constantinople.
Landmarks seem to be everywhere—important Christian and Muslim places of worship dot the city, including the world-famous Blue Mosque.
The World @ Logitrans Istanbul
As Logitrans 2018 opens its yearly tradeshow expo in Istanbul, Turkey, November 14-16, we spoke to Turkish Airlines VP Cargo Turhan Özen.
Not only is the news positive right now at Turkish Cargo, the ever-expanding, go-go world of Turkish Airlines is front and center as the opening of the newest and most advanced international airport in the world continues all this month in Istanbul.
“We are very excited to report our all-new, purpose-built, advanced cargo center at New Istanbul International Airport is scheduled to open March 2019.”
UTIKAD Open House At Logitrans Front & center as Logitrans opens in Istanbul this week is Emre Eldener (pictured here with FT Publisher Geoffrey Arend), President of the very important market force known as The Association of International Transport and Logistics Service Producers or UTIKAD.
Nadia & A Big Hunk Of Love The National Association of Freight & Logistics (NAFL) in Dubai is one great organization that is constantly trying to lead by example.
Here we learn what can be done by sponsoring new companies with port visits, familiarization activities, and advancing education and training that brings out the best in the shipping community.
“If someone wants to form a company in UAE we can help them,” President Nadia Abdul Aziz assures.
Remembrance Sunday
There are many cenotaphs around the world, in places like Hong Kong and also Auckland, New Zealand, but perhaps the most famous “empty tomb” memorial is to the dead of World War I at Whitehall in London.
Sir Edwin Lutyens designed the Whitehall cenotaph in 1919. It is the template for many other war memorials in Britain and in the British sectors of the Western Front, as well as those in other current and former Commonwealth nations.
Atlanta Brokers Thanksgiving Friday For the fifteenth year, on Friday, November 16, 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.
This annual party reaches out far and wide to host several hundred people to a homemade turkey dinner with all the trimmings, as the United States looks forward to celebrating the wonderful American holiday Thanksgiving.
Fokko Captain Of The Clouds
Meet the outstandingly special Fokko Doyen, a true “Captain of The Clouds.” He has occupied the left seat on the Bridge of Lufthansa Cargo flights around the world for the past four decades.
But Fokko truly takes off to new heights as a genuine human being who does not live a single day of his life without thinking about and actioning a great charity effort that changes lives.
It’s rare that you get to meet a genuine aviation hero up close and personal who also finds time to serve as President of an exceptional charitable effort.
The Arend Men Generations of Arends are captured here as father Ralph, a proud Gramp, and Uncle Geoffrey gather around young Obhishek, who arrived on October 29th.
Some Win, Some Lose In UPU Blues Pt. 2
As noted in Part 1, the Trump Administration has a number of strategies it can pursue following its decision to pull USPS out of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) treaty. But whichever path negotiations and preparations take, the ensuing disruption will have a strong bearing on air freight volumes and rates in the short-term, and the packages and e-commerce market in the long-term.
They Can Handle It The late Richard (Dick) Judy (pictured in his office) served as top executive at Miami International Airport for many years and is generally credited with putting that gateway on a firm path to greatness.
Once I asked Dick, who was the go-to ground handler in Miami air cargo, and he said without hesitation “Claude Bijaoui.”
Going To Bhat For SWISS WorldCargo “Introduction of new routes in our Winter Schedule and beyond, offers great new opportunities for us,” said Ashwin Bhat, Head of Cargo with Swiss International Air Lines.
“In addition to our increased cargo capacity with the arrival of new Boeing 777-300ERs, new destinations allow us to showcase our best-in-class quality and service on a variety of global routes.”
New flights include destinations in Asia, South America and Africa.
Hurry Up & Wait Exhausts JFK Cargo
“Truck congestion at New York JFK airport cargo facilities has reached unprecedented levels, and as a result wait times for tendering or retrieving freight cargo can be upwards of eight hours,” declares Brandon Fried, Executive Director Airforwarders Association (AfA).
“Many factors are contributing to the overwhelming congestion, but now it's time to find solutions,” Mr. Fried said.
U.S. Puts Stamp On UPU Withdraw The decision of the White House to pull USPS out of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) treaty, which was first drafted in 1874 and sets fees that national postal services charge to deliver mail and small parcels to countries globally was not a huge surprise.
The White House said it had been unable to reform the treaty and would instead seek to “negotiate bilateral and multilateral agreements that resolve the problems.” Some analysts viewed the decision as an extension of the country’s ever-growing front in the trade war with China, but most agreed that reform had been required not least because the USPS loses money on providing the service - posting a loss of more than US$135 million handling foreign mail in 2016.
Mail Delivered The Airlines Throughout the history of the airline business the mails have been a steady force that has driven revenue.
In the beginning as example USA airlines didn’t really carry passengers but relied on the mails for the government subsidies that first established, and then kept them in business.
Europe, British Imperial Airways, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, and in the USA, Pan Am, United, American, and every other legacy carrier you can think of existed in some or major part of their formative years via the air mail subsidy.
UTIKAD On The Move UTIKAD the 450 member non- governmental International Transport and Logistics Service Producers Association, and leading freight forwarding group based in Turkey, joined the FIATA World Congress meetings in New Delhi in September.
The delegation under the chairmanship of UTIKAD Chairman Emre Eldener (2nd from left), pictured with from left, Cavit Ugur, General Manager, UTIKAD; Thomas Sim, Chairman of Advisory Body Vocational Training, FIATA.
“The excellent and very high quality educational program for freight forwarders being implemented in Turkey by UTIKAD via the FIATA Vocational Training Advisory Committee has been approved for the next 4 years.”
ATC Toronto Road Show
“We find something of value in every conference that we attend,” said a tanned and rested Ingo Zimmer speaking from the ATC Group stand at the Toronto ACF.
Ingo, who breathes imagination, vitality, style and life into GSSA revealed that despite a recent bit of time off with his wife and children that he plans to continue the GSSA’s aggressive expansion program.
“Our big news this week in Toronto is another exclusive as ATC commences applying our GSSA expertise for Philippine Airlines Cargo flying from Manila to Hong Kong.
“I believe in partnership and quality.”
A New Paige For Atlanta Elliott Paige is in his office above the atrium welcome area of beautiful Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The ATL Air Services Development Manager is looking at a vertical picture of the airport taken from about 1,000 feet above the field.
Airport people from Atlanta to Timbuktu love those vertical pictures. They help visualize how buildings can be moved around, reshaping the airport as needs and business changes.
“You see our cargo area today,” Elliott says, pointing at the picture.
A Greatest Race At Biggest Airport In Toronto last week, Turkish Cargo delivered its giant “dominator display area, complete with private meeting rooms, delicious Turkish specialty snacks and beverages served by toque blanche-festooned chefs replicating Turkish Airlines’ most excellent on-board service.
Turkish Cargo got down to business, reaching an agreement with CHAMP Cargosystems for Traxon CDMP quality management.
Turhan Ozen, Chief Cargo Officer declared:
“We are glad that Traxon guides us in our experience to utilize Cargo iQ for quality management.”
Last Picture Show At TIACA
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) Air Cargo Forum (ACF) as it once was for 29 years in many locations around the world from New Delhi to New York City, ended last week in Toronto.
Thank you Canada, for a great effort and a grand finale.
TIACA ACF will reappear in 2020 with a permanent home in Miami, Florida. Messe München, the German company that brought the world Air Cargo Europe (ACE) in Munich, and TIACA have partnered up to continue ACF every two years.
Voice For Cargo At Qatar Airways Guillaume Halleux, Chief Cargo Officer at Qatar Airways Cargo has seen plenty during a distinguished career in air cargo at Air France and elsewhere but what he discovered when he joined Qatar Cargo was a surprise.
“Overall this is one airline that is extremely cargo minded, from the Group CEO, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, to the station level.
“Cargo has a voice,” Guillaume told me, “it is respected and listened to at Qatar Airways.
“This is a reflection of the fact that 50% of the airline’s cargo volumes are moved on the bellies of the passenger aircraft. “There are a number of aircraft type decisions for the passenger planes that are being made because of the input from the cargo division.”
Messe München Taking Over TIACA ACF
TIACA has made a deal, to be announced later today, with trade show giant Messe München GmbH to take over TIACA ACF, which will be repositioned so that ACF 30 scheduled for 2020 and every ACF thereafter, will appear biennially in Miami, Florida.
TIACA will stay in business as an organization based in Miami, Florida, but its future industry trade show exposure will be providing the sessions for ACF events, as well as for Messe München’s giant Air Cargo Europe next year and other Messe München shows.
#AttitudeAltitudeHigh @ United October 2018—I am sitting in the United Airlines Corporate Support Center – specifically the headquarters of United Cargo’s worldwide business located on the 17th floor of the Willis Tower in Chicago.
Later, as we travel upstairs to the 103rd floor of this great building, I am thinking that towers like the Willis, the Empire State Building in New York City and the Eiffel Tower in Paris cannot help adding a spirit of triumph to the soul.
When you are 103 floors up in the Willis Tower your vision is in heaven, and at the same time the space offers a calming perspective of the world below.
Team Building With Heart “The 70 members of the United Cargo 2018 Triathlon Team came to the Escape to Miami event on September 30 with various levels of athletic ability, but their exertions were all powered by one big heart.
“We think of this annual gathering as ‘team building with compassion,’” said United Cargo President Jan Krems. “Each year our goal is to raise one more dollar for the kids than we did the year before. This year we raised nearly $100,000 more than we did in 2017! I couldn’t be prouder of the team and all our contributors!”
TIACA Takes Off In Toronto
The clouds hung low over the tall buildings on Monday, but inside the gleaming downtown Toronto Metro Convention Center, Greater Toronto Airport Authority hosted a bright and enthusiastic welcome luncheon for a roomful of executives from the industry. Amongst the attendees were the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA), Air Forwarders Association (AfA) Board of Directors, Miami International Airport officials and other invited guests.
An American Saga Richard Elieson is the President of Cargo at the world’s biggest airline. He came to that top post in March 2017.
Here are some fresh takes on an industry in change, as Rick evaluates everything (including himself) a year and a half after he assumed command.
Why TIACA Shines In 2018
The birth of TIACA took place after the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) decided to withdraw their sponsorship of the International Air Cargo Association’s (IACA) biennial trade show called Air Cargo Forum (ACF).
The last IACA ACF that took place in New York City was in 1982 at the Hilton Hotel.
United Raps Pharma Battery Life
“The CSafe RKN container has been a key component of our TempControl service since 2010,” said Jan Krems, President of United Cargo on Tuesday October 9 as United became first U.S. carrier to approve the CSafe RAP Temperature-Controlled Container. The offering presents exciting options including longer battery life to shippers for pharmaceuticals and other life science products.
“The demand,” Mr. Krems added, “for pharmaceuticals and other health care products grows every year, and customers and patients worldwide are seeking expanded capacity across our TempControl network.”
Octember Moments To Remember Our headline Octember is no typo. My good friend, the late Editor Emeritus of this publication, Richard Malkin would never let October go by without referring to this month as “Octember”
I asked him at breakfast, (his favorite meal) as we sat inside the Omega Diner near his home in Floral Park, New York when he was 104 years old, where did that word blending come from and he replied:
“For air cargo, the peak season of October and November seem to come and go each year in a blur, thus Octember seems to neatly sum this time up.”
Richard Malkin, who made it until July 2017, may have left this dimension but is never out of mind at FlyingTypers.
On Demand Charter From MAB “Our commitment and flexibility is to exceed demand for a special level of service beyond expectation,” said MAB Kargo as drilling shipment on MH6052 from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (BWN) arrived Friday aboard an A330-200F. “In this case, we have re-routed the scheduled flight planned for Kuala Lumpur–Labuan–Hanoi into BWN to meet a special request for immediate delivery,” the carrier said.
A New Paige For Atlanta
In less than ten days the cargo folks at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport—Elliott Paige, Director Air Service Development, and Linda Eshiwani-Nate, Air Service Development Officer—will be at TIACA Air Cargo Forum at the Toronto Convention Center, October 16-19.
Kicking The Cans With ULD Care If you think a 45-minute dissertation on air cargo straps is a bit much, you will get no argument from us.
But for Urs Wiesendanger, (above right) President, ULD CARE, and Bob Rogers, (above left) VP & Treasurer, ULD CARE, kicking the cans has been a joyful lifelong obsession.
To Urs and Bob, the devices are eye candy on the hardstand. It’s always a beautiful thing to see them trail around behind tugs and move up from the ramp into the bellies and main decks of waiting aircraft.
SpiceJet First Freighter At Delhi SpiceJet showcased its first freighter at Delhi airport last month September 10, making it the first domestic carrier to launch freighter services with a converted B737-700BDSF.
With the livery of SpiceXpress – a cargo division of SpiceJet – the freighter comes at an opportune moment.
As Ajay Singh, SpiceJet’s Chairman and Managing Director put it:
“With our proven operational capability, this is an extension of our ‘belly cargo’ service to a ‘dedicated freighter’ with Boeing 737 aircraft.”
Lean Into Indonesia Disaster Relief An earthquake victim is bandaged at a makeshift hospital in Palu, Central Sulawesi Indonesia.
Aid was slowly making its way into areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that struck a central Indonesian island. One neighborhood's residents were clapping, cheering and high-fiving in their excitement this past Wednesday at seeing a stopped truck laden with supplies.
Virgin Atlantic Cargo Grows 3
Virgin Atlantic Cargo jumped 3% during the first half of 2018, but Dominic Kennedy, (right) Managing Director is taking nothing for granted.
“We achieved a very positive start to the year with most markets reporting growth,” Mr. Kennedy said.
“Virgin Cargo continues to see benefits from our strategic focus on pharma, as well as other core products and services, including express, high value cargoes and automotive.”
Trade Wars Cast Long Shadow The Sino-U.S. trade war is casting long shadows over the future prosperity of the transpacific trade lane, one of the world’s busiest and most valuable for both air and ocean freight stakeholders.
The earlier tit-for-tat $50bn tariffs imposed by China and the U.S. on each other’s imports largely focused on industrial and agricultural products. Although detrimental to air freight, the damage in terms of retail related products was peripheral. The latest tranche of U.S. tariffs, however, are decidedly not.
Afta NAFTA Rocky Road? That much talked about rework of NAFTA between USA, Mexico and Canada emerged Monday as U.S., Mexico, Canada Agreement or USMCA.
While the new deal is being hailed by all, what emerges at first glance is a reworked NAFTA Agreement, in effect since 1994 that incudes among other things easement of dairy restrictions.
That should make U.S. farmers happy as they gain access to what had been a closed Canadian market for ice cream and milk.
Toward A Perfect Blendship At AACargo
“We officially announced our partnership with IBS in January of this year and have been hard at work completing the first major phase of work, designing our future business processes that are enabled by the iCargo solution.
“We are now working on the detailed plan to support our teams and customers through this transition over time.
“The devil is in the details and let’s just say we’re in the ‘hot’ part of the project.”
At AUS There Are Doctors In The House Andreas Otto is a familiar face in air cargo. For many years, he served as Board Member Product & Sales at Lufthansa Cargo.
Having moved on in 2014, today Dr. Otto serves as Chief Commercial Officer of Austrian Airlines, which markets its cargo offering under the Lufthansa Cargo banner.
Now the Vienna-based carrier says it is stepping up its North American & European route network in the upcoming winter flight schedule 2018/19.
Autumn Prayers I woke up this morning and all of a sudden it was cold in New York City, and the change immediately invoked the appearance of Indian corn, pumpkins, and fresh-pressed apple cider at the corner store.
It is still too early for bittersweet, but our backyard vine should yield a bumper crop after first frost, just in time for Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November.
India Lays An Egg At FIATA 2018
As The FIATA World Congress got underway in New Delhi, India the 1000-odd delegates and special invitees from the government and private organizations settled into their seats as a firestorm erupted from the first speaker’s platform.
Robert Voltmann Steps Up To The Plate Good morning. Unfortunately, I’m here this morning instead of FIATA President Babar Badat. It is unusual for the Secretary General to be part of the opening of a FIATA Congress, but we find ourselves in a very unusual circumstance. In fact, we find ourselves in an unprecedented circumstance.
Youth Gets A Hearing At FIATA If there is one vertical in the logistics and supply chain that FIATA World Congress 2018is focused upon, it is youth in logistics.
Beginning with the Young Logistics Professional Program (YLP), held a day before the FWC opened for business, the veterans of the industry here made it clear that they had laid the foundation and now it was up to the young people to carry the freight forwarding business through the disruptions that were becoming commonplace.
New Look ATC Oktoberfest Kickoff In Mörfelden
Big news this summer included word up that ever-expanding ATC Aviation purchased Pacific Feeder Services (PFS) effectively changing the GSSA landscape in Latin America.
As ATC CEO Ingo Zimmer tells it, ATC and PFS have created “the perfect symbiosis for the South American market.”
Now as summer in Germany continued its last gasp with yet another warm, lazy-hazy day, the story was ATC 2018 with a dramatic new look, branding the rocketing GSSA, whilst celebrating its greening of the transportation universe with an Oktoberfest kickoff party for airlines and forwarders alike.
Amazon & The History Of Air Cargo The transportation business has always been subject to seasonal and yearly cycles and fluctuations. International service has likewise always been tied to currency value, with cargo affected by changing trade patterns, the volume of passenger business and leisure travelers. Dealing with these ebbs and flows in business volume has long been a major challenge for carriers.
Fokko: Captain of the Clouds
Fokko Is A True Captain of The Clouds.
It's rare that you get to meet a genuine aviation hero who also finds time to serve as President of an outstanding charitable effort.
I spent a few hours this week with Captain Fokko Doyen (above), former Chief Pilot for Lufthansa Cargo. He decided to step down from those day-to-day responsibilities at Lufthansa Cargo but stayed on as a line pilot, “to keep my hand in flying the beautiful aircraft and moving about this world of discovery and endless possibilities.”
YIFFA Bird of Youth in Logistics Many of us baby boomers immediately think of the Beatles when we hear the word “Liverpool”, however, if we were a little more thoughtful, we could also rush out to other sweet memories taking us even farther in our past.
Looking at this picture, it is not immediately apparent to place this in the Liverpool skyline, unless you’ve visited recently.
But looking a bit closer you start realizing the connection of this artificial, metal bird with one of our truest dreams as kids: the Meccano, (the original version of what Americans know as an erector set) which the Liverpudlian genius, Frank Hornby, gave to the world in 1898.
Suiting Up United For Triathalon Once more unto the breach . . .
For the third consecutive year, United Cargo employees, colleagues, and sales and service partners will swim, bike and run in September in support of the world’s neediest children. This year’s Triathlon Team will take to MIA’s roads and waters for the Escape to Miami Triathlon September 30.
Gümo: The Man In The Hat
Günter Mosler died in Frankfurt, Germany, on Friday September 13, 2018. He was 84 years old.
Günter once served as our first Chief European Editor.
His articles and involvement as part of ACD–AirCargo Club Germany, an organization he help create, cast light on the activities of German air cargo worldwide. His elucidative coverage appeared in FlyingTypers from 2004 until his retirement in 2010.
Günter was born in Ratibor, Germany (now Poland), in 1934, but moved to Frankfurt, finished school, and apprenticed in international forwarding with Rhenus.
September Numbers In The Wing Air freight rates made some gains in early September and there are now signs of a build-up to peak season, on transpacific lanes at least.
TAC Index recorded a 5.23% week-on-week increase in rates from Hong Kong to the U.S. on 10 September, with demand thought to be buoyed by shippers bringing in cargo ahead of a further of $200billion of tariffs expected to be imposed imminently by the U.S. on Chinese imports.
A Stairway To Paradise In Cologne
It was the moment of truth as EMO Trans Annual Global Meeting opened for business in Cologne, Germany.
Faced with several challenges as outlined by company Chairman Jo Frigger, who reported solid results for his independent company that is growing exponentially worldwide against some uncertainty as global trade restrictions deepen.
From every indication, EMO Trans is a company on the rise as it rapidly expands its offering with new partners coming on board as the constant.
Looking Good In Cologne
“It’s important to strike a balance in life, declares Uwe Kaeding, Vice President EMO Trans U.S. West Coast & Air Freight Procurement, (pictured here with his wife, Janet).
“On one hand, you work to satisfy your customers by never taking their business for granted and always making sure their needs and expectations are surpassed with your care and attention.”
Mark Forth and Strike There are scores of people with highly-developed intelligence, strength, and ability in air cargo, but there is something unique about Mark Albrecht, United’s Director of Cargo International Operations, Logistics, Claims and Cost Oversight. Mark is living proof that some people can juggle several responsibilities and still perform each one at an advanced level.
As his lengthy title at the Chicago-based carrier suggests, Mark’s directs several key functions for United Cargo. After speaking to him for just a few minutes, you realize his success is rooted in the innate ability to listen effectively and size up situations and people.
EMO Trans Aspiring in Cologne
EMO Trans opens its Annual Global Business Meeting in Cologne, Germany today, Sunday September 9 with a broad scheduled menu of reports, panel discussions, and a trade show that continues through Tuesday September 11.
The fast-rising logistics specialist with more than 250 offices in 120 countries has raised local attention here as Cologne, confronted with severe drought this summer, offers fresh greetings to EMO Trans from Mayor Hans Werner Bartsch who is scheduled to appear as the event gets underway.
A Kind Face For Air Cargo Up pops Uli Ogiermann who departed Doha last year after a great run with Qatar Cargo. Although the location has changed for this steadfast, consummate all-pro cargo professional, the weight of responsibility has not.
“Yes, I am now with the VD Group,” said Uli from his offices in London, “in charge of airline results for the Group.
“Nice change to be based in London,” Uli smiled.
Turkish Cargo Lifts The Bar
“We, as the Turkish Cargo family, are maintaining our thriving operations and the upward momentum, exhibiting a growing trend day by day, without gearing down, while feeling excited to move to the Istanbul New Airport,” Turhan Ozen, Chief Cargo Officer for Turkish Airlines Cargo beams as he speaks to FlyingTypers.
Cold Goes Live At TempControl
“The goal of expanding our customers’ options for packaging and transport systems is to ensure our services remain as relevant and valuable as possible,” said Jan Krems, President as United Cargo just added the Savsu Technologies evo Cold Chain 2.0 System to both its TempControl and LifeGuard offering.
Hello FIATA
Nitin Gadkari, Shipping & Road Transport Minister, Government of India greets FIATA delegates and adds some opening remarks at 09:00 September 26, as FIATA World Congress (FWC) in New Delhi kicks off.
The annual FIATA event is being held at Pullman Hotel Aerocity, September 26-29.
Ms. Vandana Aggarwal, Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Civil Aviation, will be featured later during the event.
Capri Sun Goes Global With EMO Trans & Lufthansa In Eppelheim, Germany, near Heidelberg, is the home of Capri Sun.
According to Lufthansa Cargo Planet magazine, every year nearly six billion people across more than 100 countries worldwide quench their thirst with the familiar Capri Sun fruit pouch drinks.
We discovered that the sophisticated logistics involved in delivering the Capri Sun packages to market is the result of a unique three-way partnership between Capri Sun, Emo Trans, and Lufthansa Cargo.
Ralf Is At His Leisure The man who thought up the idea and then guided leisure Cargo, based in Dusseldorf, Germany onto the air cargo map of the world, with a unique “total management system” for 14 tourist-based airlines, has come back from retirement to once again take the reins of the company he invented.
Ralf Rainer Auslaender, looking fit and beaming with confidence, returned in early August as Managing Director of leisure Cargo. He resumed a post he held at the company from start-up in January 2000, until ‘retiring’ in 2015, to live in languid Portugal.
Zhao Is One Smooth Operator
If you look for the definition on the web-based Urban Dictionary of a “smooth operator,” the meaning comes up as “someone who tends to be on top of things, and is usually in control of any given situation.”
That is the essence of what will come to your mind if you have the opportunity to meet with Mr. Huxiang Zhao, who served as FIATA President between 2015 and 2017.
This is indeed a man in control, believe me.
EMO Trans Readies A Global Meeting EMO Trans, which is set for its annual global meeting in Cologne, Germany on September 6 said that it is continuing its expansion program with a new office in Taipei, Taiwan.
In early October the fast-rising logistics specialist is moving to new headquarters offices in Garden City, New York consolidating offices in nearby Freeport and Baldwin under the same roof in an expanded facility.
Girl On A Whirl Of Change
“The introduction of Delta Cargo’s self-service experience contributes to a more environmentally friendly and simple booking process, while also providing expedited service to customers,” said Lindsey Jalil, Managing Director Commercial as Delta Cargo debuted self-service iPad kiosks in Atlanta and Boston.
Stepping Up To The Mike Indonesia, which straddles the highly volatile Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ where many of the world’s volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur, has been rocked by a string of deadly earthquakes.
On August 5th a devastating earthquake registering 6.9 on the Richter scale hit the Gili islands and Lombok, followed by countless aftershocks.
Antony Clubley, who is helping raise funds to help the local people of Manta Dive, said, “Our hearts hurt to share the numerous damages caused by this natural disaster, which left a lot of our Manta Dive families without homes and in need of food and basic supplies.
It Takes A Village To Ship Air Cargo Air cargo across Alaska is an absolute way of life, in a place where flying freight harkens back to the early, high adventure aviation days.
Our contributing writers here and, as it turns out, shippers as well, are Miki and Julie Collins who live in Lake Minchumina, Alaska.
They live a completely remote life without phone or computer.
Letter From A Dutch Master When KLM decided to change the direction of the company at the end of the last century, it became obvious that our cargo ambitions could not be further developed.
Our plan to become a completely separate business could not be implemented.
A reason for me to retire and I did that “cold turkey.” It was not only best for me personally, but also for my successor and the next generation of cargo people.
Turgut Forwarding Turkish Logistics
Our correspondent Marco Sorgetti delivers an exclusive homage here to one of the most important and emerging leaders in transportation today, Turgut Erkeskin.
Very quietly and with great determination, Turgut has emerged from his family business in Turkey as a leading freight forwarder on the international stage.
Having served in top management of UTIKAD, the organization of freight forwarders in Turkey, Turgut has shown outstanding ability in leading the way on many fronts, while organizing and expanding the role and prospects of freight forwarders.
Jet Airways In Tight Squeeze FlyingTypers has learned that something might change at Jet in 2018, its 25th year of existence. According to several media reports the carrier is facing severe headwinds and, according to some reports, could not operate beyond 60 more days.
Belt Road Boogie A ULD of YTO Express is wrapped and ready with 21 tons of electronics as subsidiary YTO Airlines opened a charter route from Tianjin, China, to Astana, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.
YTO said, more cargo routes—including Tianjin to Almaty—are on the horizon.
The new services are the direct result of YTO, a private, China-based courier company expanding into building a logistics and supply chain network for cities along the Belt and Road.
Jacques Ancher: The Thought Leader
“I am still fascinated by this business.
“If you stand back and take the full view of air cargo, what is in clear focus is that this is a multi-billon dollar business driven by a large, dedicated group that includes the best, most prestigious companies in the world.
“Air cargo is really and truly golden.
“Although I have gotten along in years since I retired from KLM, I cannot understand why this beautiful cargo industry is still treated in some cases as a stepchild.
“We must be doing something wrong,” Jacques Ancher who served as Executive Vice President of KLM Cargo (1990-2001) said in 2014.
Talking Pictures
Apropos of the way things are today, I am currently shredding some documents. While the machine rumbles and chews the paper into shreds, I’m afforded a couple of minutes to stare at this picture on the wall.
The artwork depicts an event from a quarter century ago, when we regularly attended airline, airport, and forwarder press conferences: a 1993 conference in Amsterdam hosted by Jacques Ancher for KLM Cargo.
Zhao Fengsheng Plays A Straight Bat China Southern Cargo currently faces challenges on multiple fronts, but most obviously from the escalating Sino-U.S. trade war which threatens its Transpacific business. When FlyingTypers recently caught up with Zhao Fengsheng, Senior Vice President of the carrier’s Cargo Division, he was optimistic about the year ahead although on tariffs, to use an old English cricketing idiom, he played a decidedly straight bat.
ULD CARE Delivers Code Of Conduct
A ULD being loaded onto the main deck or slipped into the belly of a wide body passenger aircraft is the money shot in any air cargo message of late.
But what about the ULDs, aka “silent partners,” of our air cargo enterprise?
Watching the daily ballet of ULDs being loaded and unloaded from aircraft at the airport, it is easy to step back a bit and wonder about the stories they might tell.
Ju-52 Back In The Air A Ju-52 passenger aircraft of the Swiss airline Ju-Air lands last Friday.
It is the airline's first flight after the crash on August 4, 2018 of one of its classic aircraft in the Swiss Alps resulting in 20 fatalities.
“JU-AIR immediately and voluntarily suspended its flight operations as a sign of respect for the dead and their families and friends, and to give the team at JU-AIR time to begin the process of overcoming the accident,” JU-AIR said.
You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello Suggesting that the air freight sector has been slow to embrace new technologies to improve supply chain efficiency and customer experience is unlikely to provoke dissent—although some may counter that describing the industry as ‘slow’ represents an unwarranted degree of flattery.
Take e-AWB, for example. The project has received the full backing of the industry’s leading associations, but damningly only recently passed the 50 percent adoption mark globally, leaving the entire project years behind schedule and close to obsolescence.
Man In A Red Box
This fall Rafael Figueroa will lead a team of over 1,600 employees at Delta Cargo as Managing Director-Cargo Operations and Customer Experience.
With twelve years in the airline industry, Rafael most recently served as Vice President for Aeromexico Cargo, with prior roles as Vice President-Ground Handling for Aeromexico and as Chairman of the Board for SkyTeam Cargo Alliances.
FIATA Delhi Bhat In view of the increasing opportunities and the new challenges before the air cargo industry across the globe, Air Freight Institute (AFI) of FIATA will provide an effective platform at FIATA World Congress (FWC) 2018 to elaborate on the subject during the 99th meeting.
Hosted by FFFAI and scheduled to take place from September 26-29, at Hotel Pullman, Aerocity, New Delhi, with the theme “The Future Starts Here,” FWC-2018 will witness more than 1,200 delegates participating from 150-plus countries.
Once Upon A Time @ The Airport Here is a blast from the past. It originally aired in 1998, but it’s still alive on YouTube, where it has been viewed more than 161,000 times.
International Airports is the title and the program runs about 45 minutes.
In 1989 we created a book for Airport Council International (ACI) titled Great Airports Worldwide, comprising 800 pages of the soup-to-nuts history of 137 of the world’s airports.
The late Josh Hanig, a top notch TV producer, contacted us for a series he was producing for The History Channel called Modern Marvels.
The Natural At United Cargo “The highlight for United Cargo in the first half of 2018 was the continuation of the trendthat began in late 2014, when we emerged as the clear leader among U.S. carriers in tonnage carried and revenue.
“From January through June, our ton miles increased just over 6 percent while our revenues increased nearly 19 percent,” declares United Cargo President Jan Krems.
Super Tanker To The Rescue
It had to happen . . . Having served Japan Airlines for decades, the venerable B747-400 has found another life—not in air cargo, but converted into a tanker that fights fires and saves lives in the western United States.
In 2018 California is experiencing its fiercest forest fires in history.
Historic Atlantic Flight Of Fancy This past Saturday marked the 80th anniversary of the first non-stop transatlantic flight of a land-based passenger aircraft to New York.
Landing at Floyd Bennett Field in New York City on August 11, 1938, just before 16:00 hours local time, a Lufthansa four-engine Focke-Wulf VI 200 “Condor,” registered D-ACON & christened “Brandenburg,” arrived from Berlin having flown 4,100 miles (6,000 kilometers) non-stop across the Atlantic in 24 hours and 57 minutes, at an average speed of 164 MPH (263kmh/h).
ATC Transforms Latin American GSSA Landscape
Big news this summer as ATC Aviation purchases Pacific Feeder Services. Joining forces will create a seismic shift in the GSSA landscape in Latin America.
To hear ATC CEO Ingo Zimmer tell it, the pair has created “the perfect symbiosis for the South American market.”
“Since 1993, GrupoPFS (Pacific Feeder Services) has been a leading GSSA in Latin America with offices in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia.
Busy Summer Keepin' On
According to Freightos, in late July, as container freight rates were starting to surge ahead of the peak ocean shipping season, air freight rates remained, stable for a third straight week although “promotional pricing is finally taking off”.
“Most years, promotions start in the early summer,” reported the freight digitalization specialist. “That’s because airlines return larger planes to Europe and add more flights catering to the increased passenger demand. That boosts air freight capacity too, but at a time when demand is weak.
CNS A Bold Move By PayCargo
It is no secret in 2018 that the Air Cargo industry is a key enabler of the global economy and has grown to 35% of global trade by value.
PayCargo, a proven successful multimodal technology company, established in 2009 by industry entrepreneurs and funded by key family offices and investors, has been very successful in disrupting the transportation industry by revolutionizing urgent payment processes to facilitate expediting cargo flows.
A Really Big Show
Class Summer Air Show of 2018 as the charm & passion of the British Blue Legend aerobatic team performs at the opening ceremony of the Huangguoshu Flight Conference at Anshun City located in China's Guizhou Province on Friday August 3, 2018.
"Dream the Blue Sky, Bright Future in Anshun" theme also included demonstrations by British Royal Wind Turbine Wings, Italian Trailblazers, European Sky Dance, Turkish God of War, New Zealand Silver and other internationally renowned aerobatic teams.
Where Pharma Keeps Its Cool
Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s commitment to pharma customers seems to be paying off handsomely with the airline reporting bookings and revenues for temperature-controlled healthcare and life science shipments up by more than 50% in the first half of 2018.
JFK Charity Outing
Registration is open for the JFK Air Cargo Association Fifth Annual Charity Golf Outing to be held on September 27, 2018 at Douglaston Manor Golf Club.
The AACA all-day event from shot-gun start registration Brunchfest to an early Club House Dinner, donates all proceeds to First Company Pink for Breast Cancer Research.
Firetrace Launches Dual Action System
Complex micro-environment?
Micro-environments like engine compartments, CNC machines and enclosed server racks packed full of flammable materials and generating a lot of heat, are often subject to multiple, simultaneous fires, or fires that break out in quick succession.
Soft Summer Breeze Out walking the dog recently on an unusually soft New York City summer evening, without an ounce of humidity in the air, a lovely song came to mind. From the 1950s, it actually made the pop music charts here during the era of Elvis.
Eddie Heywood’s “Soft Summer Breeze” captured the season a lifetime or two ago for me, and lo and behold on a perfect night in 2018 is again rattling around inside my head.
Afghan Traders Say Hello Delhi!
The India-Afghanistan air freight corridor, which saw its first flight from Kabul to Delhi in June 2017, has seen the development of a healthy export market for goods from Afghanistan.
Today, more than a year later, the number of freighter flights between the two countries has gone up to 100.
FIATA Gamechanger Delhi September
Even as India’s freight forwarders (under the aegis of the Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India, FFFAI, the apex body of 28 customs clearance and freight forwarders associations from across the country) prepare to host the FIATA World Congress 2018 (FWC-2018) in Delhi this September, the meet is attracting worldwide attention.
A Crying Shame
Sarah Nor, the mother of Norliakmar Hamid, a passenger on missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, cries at the Ministry of Transport headquarters in Putrajaya, Malaysia as the final report into the mystery of MH370’s disappearance was released on July 30, 2018.
Swiss CEIV Everywhere
SWISS WorldCargo received IATA’s Center for Independent Validators (CEIV) Pharma certification encompassing the entire airline and organization.
“I am incredibly proud of our achievement in attaining full CEIV pharma certification,” said Ashwin Bhat, Head of Cargo.”
Jazzbo & Hold My Hand
My dear friend, the late Al “Jazzbo” Collins came to mind this week, as some passengers flying budget carrier Jet2 raised hell over the airline looping a recording by artist Jess Glynne of her hit “Hold My Hand” on flights.
“Hold My Hand” played up to ten times during boarding and post landing, causing one passenger to write that, “next time would prefer to walk to Portugal.”
That comment was one of the milder complaints.
Qatar Not Bearish Under Blockade
A giant honey colored teddy bear welcomes travellers at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. A year into a blockade imposed by four Arab states, Qatar, the small country has weathered the storm by drawing from its substantial financial coffers, using its strategic location in the Persian Gulf as the world’s largest producer of liquefied natural gas and forging tight alliances with countries like Turkey and Iran.
Will Tariffs See You In September?
U.S. protectionist policies have not so far had a major impact on air freight trade flows, but that could change in the near future depending on which additional Chinese products become subject to import tariffs later in the year.
A first raft of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports came into effect on 6 July, but although there was some anecdotal evidence of shippers moving cargo early to avoid the tariffs, an anticipated surge in volumes flown to avoid tariffs on deadline day did not materialize to the extent that some analysts had predicted.
Air India Back To Freighters?
Hot on the heels of news that financially beleaguered Air India has not been able to find a buyer as it tries to sell itself, (see our story) there are reports, that the carrier is mulling starting up all cargo freighter operations.
Where it would get the finances for the induction and operation of freighters is a question that only Air India can answer.
Turkish Chats With A Cheetah
Turkish Cargo said it has taken further steps to defend animal rights as the carrier takes “utmost care for transportation of the animals threatened with extinction.”
I Surrender, Dear
I Surrender . . . A member of the American Airlines ground crew seeks shelter on an empty luggage cart Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.
For the third straight day, Phoenix has hit a record high temperature as Sky Harbor reached 115 degrees Monday and Wednesday afternoon, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.
The July 25 record was set back in 1943. Phoenix reached 116 degrees Tuesday, making it the hottest day of the year so far.
Richard Malkin: In His Own Write
One of the most important pioneering journalists in air cargo history, Richard Malkin is the only air cargo reporter who covered the Berlin Airlift; with that one act, he practically invented air cargo journalism.
Richard died in July 2017 at the age of 104.
Richard Malkin was part of our print publication from 1990 until 1994. He returned to FlyingTypers at age 100 and wrote continuously until mid-2016, supplying a flurry of final of interviews, comments, and feature stories.
Forever Cary
While out walking the dog recently, I looked up and noted white smoke lettering scrawled across the sky, spelling out the word Geico.
I knew right away that Skytypers were hard at work, as they have been for years during summer.
Skytypers owner Morty Arkin was based in the Marine Air Terminal, where Air Cargo News held offices for nearly a quarter of the 20th century.
TempControl Adds PharmaPort 360
Leading The Way . . . “We are proud to be the first North American carrier to sign a direct leasing agreement with Sonoco ThermoSafe for PharmaPort 360 declared United Cargo President Jan Krems.
“Along with our relentless focus on speed, reliability and quality, TempControl customers appreciate our drive to ensure UA Cargo service remains relevant and valuable to the evolving pharmaceutical marketplace.
“We are excited to offer customers the ability to lease the PharmaPort 360, a smart active packaging option, for the safe transport of health care material throughout our TempControl network of 68 certified locations,” Mr. Krems concluded.
Antonella Is The Rainbow
Antonella is a name that reminds Italian native speakers of sweet family memories when they live far from loved ones.
Many mothers, aunts, and sisters are called Antonella in Italy, bringing to mind a tasty plate of pasta or crisp fried fish, as light as the good olive oil it has been fried in.
Nashik Ozar On India Cargo Map
Nashik Airport located at Ozar about 20 kilometers northeast of the city of Nashik,Maharashtra, India is owned by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which had used the airport primarily to develop, test and build aircraft for the Indian Armed Forces.
Now Nashik is seeing a second life for air cargo; in fact the airport will double its annual growth in 2018 exporting goats and sheep to places including the UAE.
Happy Feet At Farnborough Freighter Fervor
“This is a very significant day in our company’s history. With this package of agreements, we will grow our business with the unique and unmatched 747-8 Freighter and open new market opportunities with the 777 Freighter,” said Alexey Isaykin, President of Volga-Dnepr Group and Chairman of CargoLogicHolding.
Alexey delivered the reported blockbuster $12 billion order to Boeing to acquire twenty-nine Boeing 777 freighters, plus five B747-8Fs.
The order notes a shift in aircraft types at Volga that now appears to be building a future around the twin-engine B777 cargo aircraft.
Markets In Quieter Side Of Steady
DHL’s splurge on new aircraft reflected the ongoing assumption of most analysts that investments in freighters will be required in the medium to long-term to prevent a capacity crunch and avoid soaring charter and spot costs. But, short-term, and despite rising volumes, the market remains very much on the quiet side of steady.
Tariff Dustup Could Be Cargo Windfall
Everyone I talk with in air cargo is concerned about the effect of President Trump’s stance on tariffs, and to tell the truth so was I until I remembered one thing:
Donald Trump is a master negotiator rather than a politician.
For the past 60+ years the United States has been giving trade concessions in return for geopolitical concessions like military bases and alliances.
So Trump is right in saying our trade deals are outdated and need to be changed.
LHR Vote Needs Positive Action
The vote in British Parliament favoring London Heathrow Airport expansion late last month drew response from the boots on the ground at LHR.
Robert (Peachy) Keen, Director General of the British International Freight Association (BIFA) and stalwart member of the FIATA Board said:
“Whilst BIFA welcomes the positive news from Parliament, media coverage of the obstacles that the project still faces leave me with a certain sense of foreboding whether the spades will ever hit the ground.”
HAPAG Pays Dividend
Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG said, “Our fast and successful merger with the United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has significantly strengthened our competitive position.
“We achieved good results for the last financial year and have made a solid start to the first quarter of 2018.”
Even More Soccer
Whether you call it soccer or football, after all the global dawn-to-dusk coverage and viewing of the FIFA World Cup, maybe some additional appreciation of the great sport is in order?
Lufthansa On The Spot
Lufthansa Cargo enables forwarders to digital book global air freight capacity via live spot rate partnership with cargo.one,
an independent digital platform.
Dog Travel In The Air & Everywhere
Sleepypod Air In Cabin Dog & Cat Carrier available in bright vivid red is that onboard pet solution that meets all TSA and airline requirements you may have been looking for this summer, while providing your best friend a safe personal space in the office, in the car, in the air, everywhere!
Wing & Wheels & Trump Tariff
“In some respect, United States President Donald Trump has my admiration to pursue a fair tariff deal.
“The implementation, however, is debatable! However, all said and done, I do not see trade coming to a halt.
“I see volumes flowing despite the nuances and exchange of fury over the issues!”
No Takers For Air India
There has been no let-up in the downs for Air India.
Caught in a tight-jacketed financial bind and living from day to day on taxpayers’ money, the Narendra Modi-led government took the move to sell Air India.
Despite the best efforts of the Civil Aviation Ministry, not one bidder showed interest in Air India till May 31, the deadline for the ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI) bids under AI’s divestment process.
Dancing As Fast As I Can
Delta Cargo named Lindsey Jalil Managing Director – Commercial. She will lead Delta Cargo alliances, distribution, marketing and communications, products, technology, reporting, and revenue management.
If that roster of responsibilities seems like a lot, Shawn Cole, Vice President Cargo, is impressed:
“Lindsey’s strong analytical skills will continue the commercial team’s momentum by championing enhanced reporting tools and technology, as well as the introduction of new industry leading products and services.”
KPI Gets It On American
“Multimodal 2018” was a very worthwhile, really big show and conference. Now in its 11th year, this year’s edition was held at the Birmingham NEC, May 1-3, 2018. In the general sweep of the 2017 first half conference slate, you may have missed it.
The effects of disruptive new technologies in logistics and developments arising from modal shift were on the agenda.
The Effervescence of Jean-Claude Delen
Recently a mixed, yet optimistic message came from a white paper entitled “The Evolving Freight Forwarding Market (2018).” The report, published by LTI and based on just 50 responses to their survey, reveals optimism among the forwarding community in spite of technological change, e-commerce challenges, and the new collaborative enterprise pressure toward change.
Dancing As Fast As I Can
Delta Cargo named Lindsey Jalil Managing Director – Commercial. She will lead Delta Cargo alliances, distribution, marketing and communications, products, technology, reporting, and revenue management.
If that roster of responsibilities seems like a lot, Shawn Cole, Vice President Cargo, is impressed:
“Lindsey’s strong analytical skills will continue the commercial team’s momentum by championing enhanced reporting tools and technology, as well as the introduction of new industry leading products and services.”
Unfolding India Cargo Plan
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu recently announced that a blueprintwas under preparation for ways to deal with infrastructure constraints in the aviation sector.
Named the ‘Vision 2035’, the roadmap for growth will not only look at enhancing and improving existing airports and runways but also the development of unserved and underserved airports. This would be especially helpful for the government’s ambitious UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik or "Let the common citizen of the country fly”) initiative that seeks to boost air connectivity to small cities and towns. Incidentally, Vision 2035 will also provide a clear plan on cargo infrastructure development.
Tariff Watch As July Deadline Looms
As deadline day draws near in the on-off trade war dance between the United States and China, forwarders and airlines are now making strategic preparations for potential spikes in demand.
They are also preparing for the possibility that demand could drop off thereafter on the China to U.S. lane, and that Chinese production for the U.S. market could quickly shift to Chinese factories located in neighboring Asian countries to avoid tariffs.
Planning For The U.S. China Dance Uncertainty over the scale and timing of the threatened U.S. and China trade war is making the forward planning of Tranpacific freight operations increasingly complex, according to one leading carrier.
The almost day-to-day changes in policy pronouncements from both camps have caused chaos for those strategizing supply chains. And for airlines it has been little easier than for shippers or 3PLs or caught in the cross-fire.
Toward A Perfect Blendship At AA Cargo School may be out for summer, but for American Airlines Managing Director of Cargo Culture and Transformation Jessica Tyler, change is in the air.
“We officially announced our partnership with IBS in January of this year and have been hard at work completing the first major phase of work, designing our future business processes that are enabled by the iCargo solution.
“We are now working on the detailed plan to support our teams and customers through this transition over time.
“The devil is in the details and let’s just say we’re in the ‘hot’ part of the project.”
Serenade For Jessica Sometimes things that happen in life flash by very quickly. Later, when you think about it, the time stamp has dropped out, the encounter fogs over in memory, and you wonder if it was perhaps just a dream.
I recall in 2003 attending a movie premiere of a film featuring my son Geoffrey II, titled “It Runs In The Family”. Starring Kirk and Michael Douglas, Bernadette Peters, and some others, the film was based on the lives of the famous Douglas Hollywood family.
UTIKAD Forward In Turkish Logistics
Since late last year there has been a new logo and president at The International Association of Transport and Logistic Service Providers (UTIKAD), the largest non-governmental organization in the Turkish transportation and logistics sector.
Second Time The Charm At Lufthansa One of the major pluses of travelling to an event like CNS Partnership is the chance to return to the dear hearts that we have known, and of course to meet some new ones.
We recall a couple of years ago when we met with Lufthansa’s Head of Area Management The Americas Achim Martinka, as he readied for his departure back to Europe after a six-year run.
As we sat and talked and bid each other a fond farewell, he shared something close to his heart.
“Unfortunately,” Achim said, “I will have to leave the Americas with a few great projects underway, but not finished yet.”
Show Us Your Pain, India Tells Air Cargo “We have met the enemy and it is us,” is the air cargo industry response to India government talk, but there is little action!
Sure, on paper and in the media, the Indian government—or rather, the civil aviation ministry—is all for pushing ahead to boost air cargo, but elsewhere powerful pressures, including simple indifference to promises and pledges, are working to put brakes on advancing air cargo in India.
ACAS Secures Take Off
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Air Cargo Advanced Screening (ACAS) program went into effect on Tuesday, June 12.
Basically airlines are ordered to provide longer advance notice about cargo that officials believe may pose a security risk.
Now carriers must send certain information about their cargo consignments to U.S. Customs and Border Protection before loading the plane.
Customs applauded the new rule saying it now will be able to order airline crews not to load suspicious cargo.
June Rates Flat But Steady So far, the much-anticipated surge in rates on healthy global economic growth and tight capacity has not materialized on the major East-West lanes.
Freightos put it mostly bluntly in declaring: “No News Is The News For Air Freight Rates.”
The digital marketplace reported in early June that average air freight rates “haven’t moved since late March,” rating them in the range of $2.90-$5.00 per kg on the China-U.S. lane, $2.80-$4.50 on China-Europe, and $1.80-$2.70 for Europe-U.S.
FIATA Plans A Posh Journey To India In March, FlyingTypers highlighted Babar Badat’s agenda upon taking the helm of FIATA. He said that FIATA “has a growing role to play in the fast changing international transport environment.
“In recent years, FIATA has championed the need for better global connectivity.
“I intend to continue this momentum,” President Babar Badat said in his exclusive interview for FlyingTypers.
CNS Partnership Is Unbeatable Ever since Ed Sullivan, the man who introduced The Beatles to America in 1964, coined “A Really Big Show,” we have thought of that phrase when we anticipate showing up for another air cargo trade event.
The trade event journeys continue: from New York to Palm Springs and Shanghai to United Kingdom, a slightly delirious season of trade events, shows, and gatherings are driven in part by the need to meet and greet and fulfill the never-ending quest of filling up the coffers.
Top Air Cargo Show Session of 2018 At last month’s CNS Partnership Conference, which bannered itself as “Preparing for Tomorrow’s Reality,” the Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) Air Cargo Committee coordinated a panel titled “Airport Partnerships: Driving Solutions.”
Considering that all of us are over, under, around, or through an airport every step of the way in air cargo, maybe what our world could use right now is a great, informative discussion of what is happening in places we all share.
Air Mail At 100 Just 80 years ago last month, in May 1938, four carrier pigeons went up against against an Eastern Airlines mail plane in a race to see which method could cover the 200-mile route from Washington, D.C., to New York faster.
Inside Blockbuster Surge At DHL Forwarding
Tobias Meyer was in expansive and optimistic form, and with good reason. Deutsche Post-DHL Group reported decent returns for the first quarter—year-on-year revenues suffered a slight drop due to the sale of subsidiary Williams Lea Tag, but operating profits rose 2.3 percent to €905m. DGF, the Group’s forwarding arm, saw revenue rise 1.3 percent to EUR 3.6 billion in the period.
However, this did not tell the full story because, once adjusted for negative currency effects, the latest numbers actually represented a 7.2 percent improvement compared to a year earlier.
BTU Cool By Any Measure In most places where it is hot or summer is approaching, comfort is measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs, pumped out faithfully by air conditioners.
But for air cargo, this Super Summer of 2018 began early in Bintulu, Malaysia (BTU), which was on the receiving end of a major charter by MABkargo.
Will India Keep Victoria's Secret? Victoria has a secret and it’s connected to her garments. Not many people know that a wide variety of Victoria’s Secret undergarments are made in the port city of Visakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh in south India.
In addition to VS, there’s Pink, Calvin Klein, and Marks & Spencer.
In fact, one of the units manufacturing ladies’ undergarments produces the largest number of brassieres exported from India to the U.S.
A Look Back & Forward
Once upon a time in 1975, we filled up our 1973 Karmann Ghia with newspapers and drove from a printing plant in Massapequa, Long Island, New York, to the cargo area at JFK International Airport and Air Cargo News (ACN) was born.
Today we are still here as the longest continually published air cargo media in the history of air cargo with the same Editor/Publisher/Owners.
Air Cargo Took Off Above The Himalayas If you want to know exactly when the defining time occurred for air cargo in the 20th century, and what led to its development, just cast a line back seventy six years ago and you will discover that modern air cargo was born in India and China.
Today, as air cargo’s future is increasingly connected to these two ancient countries, it can be said that what is old is new again.
Early in World War II, President Roosevelt asked Army Air Force General Hap Arnold to devise a method for supplying Chinese and American troops and aviators fighting against the Japanese in China.
Memorial Day 2018 Aside from being the Summer ’18 opening day for swimming pools, parks and beaches across America, Memorial Day USA is meant to honor members of the armed forces of today and yesterday.
Business Urge To Surge Faces Challenges
The air freight sector’s remarkable upturn in fortunes could soon be coming to an end, according to one leading market analyst. But while the current supply-demand balance could be threatened by new capacity, digitalization of the sector will create new opportunities.
Patrik Berglund, CEO of Xeneta, a benchmarking and market intelligence platform, believes that although forecasters such as McKinsey have predicted air cargo volumes will rise by 3 percent on average through to 2025, problems are now brewing for air freight stakeholders.
Building Mongolian Connections An air corridor between India and Mongolia could start soon.
Coming as it does on the heels of the success of the India-Afghanistan air corridor overflying Pakistan, the decision to explore the possibility of starting direct air services to land-locked Mongolia was taken during the recent visit by India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Mongolia.
Mongolia considers India a “third neighbor” as well as a “spiritual neighbor” (the late venerable Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, a Buddhist monk who is revered in Mongolia, was the Indian ambassador to Ulaanbaatar for 10 years). With China on three sides and Russia on the other, Mongolia has close relations with India, which is referred to as the third neighbor.
March Happened But Not A Trend Air cargo markets seem certain to continue expanding this year despite the relative slowdown suffered in March. And while rates in ‘greenback’ terms have remained firm on buoyant demand, one analyst notes that pricing can only be viewed in the context of currency fluctuations.
Freightos, a digital marketplace, reported last week that air freight rates were currently “very stable”, adding that the first week of May was the “sixth straight week with the same average air freight rates,” which on the China-U.S. lane, it recorded in the $2.90-$5.00 per kg range; China-Europe hovered at $2.80-$4.50 per kg and Europe-U.S. was steady at $1.80-$2.70 per kg.
The Doppelganger Gambit easyJet held a royal wedding competition. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lookalikes Rhys Whittock and Inmaculada Santisteban Serrano won as best Royal couple doppelgangers.
The judges measured on looks, the regal wave, the romantic wedding proposal and best bridal bouquet throw.
Ready For FIATA World Congress India Representatives of the Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) are out on the road promoting the FIATA World Congress 2018 scheduled to take place at Aerocity in New Delhi, September 26-30, 2018.
Pictured at the Dubai World Trade Club, the National Association of Freight & Logistics (NAFL-UAE) welcomed the Indian delegation, pledging support for the event taking place on the subcontinent for the first time.
Tom Wolfe - The Right Stuff Tom Wolfe, one of the truly great writers of the 20th Century wrote these words about a first U.S. Astronaut Gordon Cooper in his landmark book The Right Stuff, published in 1979.
The NASA Space Shuttle Program, a series of air cargo flights that began with Columbia in 1981,was given a huge boost in lore and legend as a result of that book.
Tom Wolfe died Tuesday May 16 in Manhattan at 88 years of age.
Mike's On CNS Partnership
As the 28th CNS Partnership Conference concluded this past Wednesday in Palm Beach, California, it is a good time to reflect upon this year’s event.
“There was a record crowd of over 600 people and we received a lot of good comments from the attendees,” said Mike White CNS President.
Algorithm Pumps Up The Volume “Basically there are three challenges to building a company.”
The speaker is Nathanaël de Tarade Chief Commercial Officer of Wiremind.
“Firstly, you have to convince people that buying your product will make their lives or job better.
“Secondly, as a small company, the challenge to reach a global audience means that you have to work all the time and figure out how to remain a small company for a decent amount of time so that you can control things.”
Adam Walks On Air At CNS While others may have a “Top 10 List,” Adam Rod (A-Rod), Chicago Department of Aviation Assistant Commissioner of Planning, settles for three. Whilst inhaling the landscape in La Quinta, California, he lines up his case for the aerial gateway serving the city of the broad shoulders, Chicago, Illinois.
Adam is a one-man powerhouse who may be grounded but seems to walk on air as he describes the future of cargo at O’Hare International.
No Trouble Hitting The Curve IATA was handing out baseballs at CNS Partnership last week with William (Will) Jimenez (right) and Philippe Siponen (left) on the mound pitching for better understanding of the agency’s aggressive program to build world trade.
ATC On The Road To Tomorrow
“I believe in partnership and quality,” says Ingo Zimmer, CEO of fast-rising GSSA ATC Aviation as the 28th CNS Partnership gets underway in Palm Springs, California, this week.
“Airlines are comfortable with our hands-on personal style of service as we grow our offering everywhere in the world including Europe, Africa, Asia, India, and the Americas.”
Dynamic Duo Fast Track CNS “Digitalization is coming whether you like it or not,” declared new CNS President Mike White, as CNS Partnership opened for business on Monday, May 7.
“However, change will need complete, clear two-way understanding between all parties involved in the process of moving air cargo.
“Help us by sharing information on the things that are important to you in your daily business.
“Together we will make this business and our industry great.”
Marek More Than A LOT “We are very excited about the start up of a second direct destination to Europe from North America.
“LOT Polish adds Budapest from New York and Chicago in addition to our regular offering from the U.S. (JFK & ORD) and Toronto, Canada, to Warsaw,” said Marek Kasiak, LOT Polish Cargo Manager North America.
Why Is This Man Smiling? Just look at Jens, the beautiful women, and the mountains in Paradise (PSP), California, and the answer is apparent.
“I was thinking about it,” said Jens Tubbesing, Chief Executive Officer of Airline Network Services (ANS), pictured here with Marie Epstein, Vice President Sales and Ana Gerber, Chief Operating Officer in Palm Springs with the beautiful Santa Rosa mountains as backdrop, “my tenure as President of CNS (2002-2004) was the third longest on record after Tony Calabrese, who was the founding President of CNS, and Michael Vorwerk, who was in place slightly longer than me.”
Ready Set Grow Alliances & Women
CNS Partnership was off to the races in Palm Springs this week, with a warm reception for partners and friends, as United & Lufthansa celebrated their just announced air cargo alliance partnership in style.
“We are not an overnight sensation but have worked on developing our partnership during the past five years,” said Jim Bellinder, Vice President, United Cargo Sales-Americas.
“We have just completed moving our first couple of dozen shipments and cannot wait for tomorrow, because we look better everyday.”
PayCargo On Stage At CNS As Cargo Network Services Corp. (CNS) meets this week in Palm Springs, California, it is significant to remember the exciting new agreement between PayCargo and CNS reached in fall 2017, which will be featured in great detail as part of “Innovation Stage” during the CNS event.
Barry Lien Barry Good FlyingTypers spoke to the old cargo pro Barry Lien who said, “work today at Worldwide Flight Services brings me in close proximity to some great people in air cargo, and attending CNS partnership deepens the ties that bind.
“Air cargo is a people business, unique and grand, and still today nothing beats the face to face contact that CNS provides, delivering great neutral ground for us to meet all our customers in one place during this annual event.”
Hello And Goodbye Hello & Goodbye . . . Opening evening at CNS Partnership was a lawn party in a Spanish Garden as the sun set behind the breathtakingly beautiful Santa Rosa Mountains.
Qatar Cargo hosted the event with Ian Morgan, VP Cargo the Americas welcoming and thanking customers and partners.
Ian also delivered a touching goodbye and farewell to Kuehne & Nagel’s Michael Tomasulo, (right) a much beloved, long-time cargo stalwart who is retiring.
Innovation Stage New At CNS Partnership
CNS 2018 Partnership Conference is changing the way it delivers information next week in Palm Springs at its 28th annual gathering, this year at La Quinta Resort from May 6-9.
This time look for less plenary sessions but more access to useful information via a smaller venue in the exhibition area called the CNS Innovation Stage.
The idea is to change the dynamic so that conferees can meet with customers and also find easy access to informative presentations from across the air cargo supply chain.
India & The Brexiteers India is looking forward to promoting trade with Britain and the Commonwealth after Brexit kicks in.
The recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet (CHOGM) in London that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—who apparently was wooed to attend the meet by none other than Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall in November last year—was an opportunity for Britain to push bilateral trade, which in 2015-16 was $14.02 billion.
ULD CARE Teams Up With Airport College Our friend Pertti Mero, who moved from the airline cargo business into fostering much needed training for airline employees worldwide when he founded Airport College in Helsinki, Finland, has now moved into a cooperation with Canadian-based ULD CARE to develop online training courses.
“We believe that this new cooperation provides us a unique possibility to work closely with ULD CARE to further develop our online Unit Load Device (ULD) Handling training courses,” Pertti said.
CNS Cinco De Mayo Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday in 2018, affording readers a nice chance to spend the weekend with margaritas, chavelas, or just go all in with shots of Patrón.
For people that want to get a head start on Cargo Network Services (CNS) Annual Partnership Conference (beginning Sunday, May 6 with a golf tournament), here is what’s happening in the always very hip Coachella Valley for Cinco de Mayo.
LATAM Cargo Growing Empire
LATAM Cargo Vice President Sales East Coast Andres Varela doesn’t claim to know it all.
But there is something this youthful, energetic 19-year veteran does know. As vice president for Miami-based LATAM Cargo, he understands he has a tiger by the tail. LATAM is growing its cargo business all over the world.
Trump Effect On Trade - Pt. 9 President Donald Trump has been in office for a little over a year and in that time he has reversed many Obama-era Executive Orders affecting business.
He has been aggressive in stemming terrorism, secured a budget with massive military spending increases to modernize and resupply the U.S. military, focused on deporting criminal illegal aliens, proposed extensive U.S. immigration policy reforms, and passed both individual and corporate tax relief to increase consumer spending and improve the U.S. investment environment.
Smiling Faces - Going Places Smiling faces going places is the takeaway in this series of endearing pictures as EMO Trans recognized outstanding effort amongst its team members.
EMO Trans has been implementing customized global logistics solutions for over 50 years and today that offering includes more than 250 offices in 120 countries.
But EMO Trans is much more than that.
Getting Frisky In Crimea A step into the future may also mean a pat down frisk from these guys?
The new terminal called “Crimean Wave” at Simferopol International Airport opened for business in Crimea, Russia with a “Step Into the Future” entertainment program as the resort destination gets a big subsidy program for flights from the Russian government.
Lionel Tracks Back To Cargo
Here is Lionel van der Walt, recently departed President of IATA CNS, sporting a slightly different look as CEO of RCI, Inc.
RCI, Inc., is an international association of building envelope consultants.
Members specialize in design, investigation, repair, and management of roofing, exterior wall, and waterproofing systems.
The Environment & The Aviation Industry - Pt. 4 It’s an honour to be invited by Geoffrey Arend to write a few words on the sustainable aviation industry on the Earth Day 2018 celebration. The Earth Day initiative is the biggest environment movement in the world and deserves respect for the effort to gain support and understanding for how important it is for us as human beings to take action to combat man-made climate change, extreme weather patterns, global pollution and the steadily increasing global warming.
CNS Springs Irresistible
It seems that spring has not sprung quite yet for many across the U.S.
But the weather cannot slow down newly named Cargo Network Services (CNS) President Mike White.
But there’s no denying many of us are anxious for the 2018 CNS Partnership Conference to happen and for some hot weather in the sunny California oasis of Palm Springs.
Express India Report Says Unlock Cargo The Express Industry Council of India (EICI) recently released the Indian Express Industry-2018 report which presents an optimistic scenario for the domestic express industry.
With an annual growth rate of 15 per cent, the express industry in India has rocketed upward.
However, the report stated, though it has enormous potential, obstacles have stymied its growth.
Air Cargo Day LA “Our annual Air Cargo Day mini-trade show showcases many of our members’ services and saw record attendance in 2017,” said Sherri Dunlop (above) LAACA Membership Committee.
“This year promises to be even better.”
Atlanta Air Cargo Association Springs Golf Atlanta Air Cargo Association (AACA) 2018 Spring Golf Classic takes place on May 15 from 08:00-20:00 at Crystal Lake Golf & Country Club.
Entire package cost “Golf to Dinner” for members $110, Non members $165. Dinner only $40.
Passengers In The Cargo Hold
Airbus thinks it has a better idea for air cargo holds on combination cargo passenger flights, with the help of a vendor in France that also builds lavs for aircraft.
In the future we may see coach passengers below decks alongside the suitcases and cargo.
Boffo Cargo 2017 Lites Up 2018 Presently, the outlook for global air cargo markets is decidedly mixed after a fantastic 2017. The latest figures from Airports Council International revealed that total cargo including mail handled at all airports worldwide expanded by 7.9 percent last year, and international freight grew by 9.9 percent over the same period.
But although volume growth has continued at healthy levels in the early months of 2018, reports from forwarders suggest that while the market has hardly turned bearish, neither is it firing on all cylinders.
A Ribbon Of A New Way Better late than never . . . In what can best be described as a move that should have come a few years ago, India has reached out to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
(Political commentators, however, point out that India’s overtures to the ASEAN was more due to the Chinese presence in the region or, as one commentator mentioned, “An anesthetic solution to China’s growing assertiveness in the region.”)
Alibaba & The 1,000 Tons
Alibaba has now opened air routes to move cargo from China to Russia.
Here, first shipment readies March 30 as Cainiao, the logistics affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding loads cargo at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou City headed for Moscow.
The move aims to shorten transit time between China and Russia to as little as five days.
ULD CARE Delivers Code of Conduct A ULD being loaded onto the main deck or slipped into the belly of a wide body passenger aircraft is the money shot in any air cargo message of late.
But what about the ULDs, aka “silent partners,” of our air cargo enterprise?
Watching the daily ballet of ULDs being loaded and unloaded from aircraft at the airport, it is easy to step back a bit and wonder about the stories they might tell.
Two-Day Event In Stockholm Go deep dish into air cargo with a heavy contact, two-day Northern Europe event in Stockholm, Sweden, April 16-17.
The 11th Nordic Air Cargo Symposium meets at Clarion Hotel, has a speakers agenda, table displays, and plenty of networking lubricated with great Swedish hospitality, including food and drink and a lively bunch of people.
Formation Fliers Get A Jump On Summer If you like air shows, undoubtedly the best part of any event, from Le Bourget, France, to Swayne Field in Toledo, Ohio, is formation flying.
Most of the time formation flying is left to military jets at the bigger events during the summer.
Building A Global AirBridge
AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) opens service at Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) in Columbus, Ohio, today Thursday, April 5.
ABC employs a fleet of Boeing 747 freighters that provide up to 139 tons of capacity for all types of imports and exports.
ABC said that weekly scheduled flights will continue on Thursdays, carrying freight inbound from the airline’s global hub in Moscow and returning to Moscow through Liege, Belgium.
India Pharma Rules Simplified India’s pharma exporters received a bonus recently when the government-controlled Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO is the national regulatory body for Indian pharmaceuticals and medical devices and is similar to the Food and Drug Administration of the United States) ordered that pharma exports did not need any clearance from drug regulatory authority.
Tower Aboves All The lights are on at Runway Number One. Underneath its dramatic and distinctive Pina Farina-designed control tower, Istanbul New Airport (INA) is now ready for takeoff and landing.
Sea Bream Fly Turkish Turkish Cargo carried 1.5 million live gilt-head breams (sea breams) to Oman from Izmir last month and all 100 tons of the live consignment moved swimmingly and without a hitch according to reports.
King 50 Years Later Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thursday as April 4 marked the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
The event featured performances by M.D. Roberts Middle School Fine Arts Magnet students; the Alpha Rho chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. from Morehouse College, King’s alma mater; and a special performance of King’s famous “I've Been to the Mountaintop” speech delivered in Memphis just twenty four hours before Rev. King was murdered by James Earl Ray.
Tracking The Big Bounce Back
The requirement for faster, lighter shipments as global e-commerce booms is the leading structural trend now benefiting air cargo growth, according to a leading analyst.
In an insightful webinar organized by Stifel in March, Brian Clancy, the cofounder and managing director of specialist advisory Logistics Capital & Strategy (LogCapStrat) also deciphered exactly how and why the air freight sector has bounced-back across trade lanes, a trend he admitted had caught analysts by surprise.
JFK Air Cargo May 17 The never-ending winter of 2018 cancelled the March JFK Air Cargo Expo and also cancelled opening day at Yankees Stadium earlier this week.
The Expo is rescheduled for Thursday May 17, 2018. Organized by the JFK Air Cargo Association, the Expo is a great one day event with plenty of individual booths, lots of great networking and a fine lunch to boot.
FIATA Reports IATA Dallas “The meeting in Dallas last week between IATA and FIATA was definitely a positive in terms of making progress toward our much publicized IATA/FIATA Air Cargo Partnership (IFACP),” beamed Keshav Tanna, Chairperson of FIATA Air Freight Institute.
“The meetings continued on the path to change the forwarder agreement in order to reflect current practices of the air cargo industry.”
Single Africa Transport Market “This year will be spectacular as Rwandan President Paul Kagame has taken over as Chairman of Africa Union,” said Issa Baluch.
“Mr. Kagame has made it clear what his plans for 2018 will be:
“We will launch the Single African Air Transport Market.
“This is a major step forward for transportation.
“We are nearly ready to adopt the Continental Free Trade Area.”
March Toward Oneness Peter Gerber described Lufthansa Cargo Group as “number one cargo carrier in the world by yield in 2017.” Now, Lufthansa Cargo will take over global integration of the cargo capacities of Brussels Airlines starting September 1.
Christina Foerster, who occupies the top spot as CEO of Brussels Airlines on April 1, moving over from Lufthansa, has some immediate thoughts to share.
Easter 2018 As Holy Week 2018 continued with Good Friday, Passover and Eastertide this past weekend, Air Cargo News FlyingTypers observed, joining visitors (in spirit at least) next to a tree decorated with 10,000 Easter eggs in the garden of Christa and Volker Kraft in Saalfeld, Germany.
Lufthansa On Top - Hot Numbers, Cool Plan
Cold has become decidedly cooler at Frankfurt cargo. Europe’s largest airline hub for temperature-sensitive shipping has grown even more high, wide, and handsome, after a significant expansion and upgrade at The Lufthansa Cargo Cool Center (LCCC).
Good Night And Good Luck DVZ’s “Luftfrachttredakteur” Erwin Maruhn, who announced his retirement (pictured here with Geoffrey), saying goodbye to friends and colleagues at his last Lufthansa Cargo Press Conference Thursday, March 23 in Frankfurt.
History Alive At Lucerne Museum One of the great aviation museums in the world (if you can get to it) is Verkehrshaus, a truly wonderful experience for the whole family located in Lucerne, Switzerland.
There are all kinds of thoughtful and well-executed exhibits in all modes of transportation, including a very rare Convair CV-990A Coronado, full-sized Swissair transport aircraft that you can board and look around.
India Gets New Aviation Chief The recently named Minister for Civil Aviation of India Suresh Prabhu takes charge of the subcontinent’s aviation portfolio as an add-on to his regular duties as Minister of Commerce and Industry. Prabhu, considered by many, the ultimate government professional assumed command of C&I after former chief Ashok Gajapathi Raju resigned for political reasons.
EMO Trans Rallies The Troops In Dallas EMO Trans, with 250 offices worldwide, launched operations in China in 2015.
Today EMO China operates staffed offices at a growing list of locations including Beijing, Chengdu, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Xiamen.
On January 26, EMO Trans China held its Annual Dinner in Tong li, a beautiful 1,000 year old village located on the eastern shore of Taihu Lake, about 90 minutes from Shanghai.
Delta Cargo In From The Cole “In a market that is oversaturated with capacity, if we get this right, we have a better chance that customers will bring their business to us through value creation and not just price.
“Our goal is to be the Number 1 in on-time delivery of air freight.”
“As an industry, air cargo can work to better meet the needs of our customers. Electronic airway bills, simplification and automation are key themes.
“We should continue discussing policies that impact the air cargo space to improve upon our ability to be easier to do business with.”
Pioneer Badat Leads FIATA As The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) begins its crucial headquarters session in Zurich, Switzerland, March 14-16, we spoke to Babar Badat who was recently named President of the 91-year-old organization.
After talking for a few minutes with Babar, who also serves as Managing Director of Transfreight Corporation (Pvt) Ltd. of Karachi, Pakistan, it’s easy to understand why this effusive and approachable executive was elevated to the post of President of FIATA for the next two years.
At CNS Eight Is Enough While IATA World Cargo Symposium continues in high gear in Dallas this week, many “Eyes of Texas” are already turning to the next big cargo event in the Americas. The CNS Partnership Conference is set for Palm Springs, California, at La Quinta Resort & Club, May 6-8.
Newly named CNS President Mike White sees opportunity and challenges ahead as he continues to direct his first big industry gathering into motion.
Everything Flies Easy As ABC “AirBridgeCargo Airlines’ (ABC) focus,” said Vince Ryan, ABC Vice President North & South America, “is staying close to our customer group whilst developing our offering that incudes the ability to carry anything anywhere, anytime, via our B747 freighters and other aircraft, plus access to the Volga Dnepr and CLA fleets.
“Business last year was very positive and continues as 2018 moves ahead.”
Turkish Texas Roundup If Mehmet Gürkan, VP Cargo Sales of the Americas for Turkish Cargo, has his way, the rest of 2018 will continue accelerating a new plan of action initiated by the innovative and dynamic Turhan Özen, top executive of Istanbul-based Turkish Cargo.
“We want to let our customers and service partners know that Turkish Cargo is not in the capacity game.”
United Cargo Seizes The Day in Dallas “I’m very pleased and proud to be a part of the large United Cargo contingent in Dallas for the World Cargo Symposium this week.
“Of course, we’re always eager for any opportunity to meet with our customers face-to-face to learn how we can better support their current business and what kind of creative strategies we need to develop for the new business they’re anticipating.”
In A Cool Spot With Ali If you are looking for the action at Frankfurt Airport Cargo, a good place to start is the big Cool Center at Lufthansa Cargo. It has almost doubled in size during the last year, growing from 4,500 sq. m. to a mighty 8,000 sq. m.
In fact, Cool Center is Europe’s largest fridge, claiming a capacity that is equal to the cooling space in more than 277,000 kitchen fridges. Coupled with the constant monitoring, that means no spoilage allowed!
Lufthansa has also added state-of-the-art, exclusive capabilities to the process of monitoring and tracking perishables and other temperature sensitive shipments that are expanding to its stations worldwide.
Market Reports Gain In Post CNY The TAC Index covering average prices per kilo from Shanghai PVG to Europe fell 9 percent to CNY 17.40 (USD 2.76) on February 5, but by March 5, and even after falling 12.2 percent week-on-week, the average gateway price was CNY 15.91 per kg—not as low as some had feared.
A similar trend was apparent on the Hong Kong-North America lane where the average price on March 5 was $3.63 per kg, down only marginally compared to the USD $3.68 per kg recorded by TAC Index on February 5.
Hangar Hopping We always liked Air Berlin, especially when our friend Ralf Auslaender operated a company called leisure Cargo that he founded whilst working at LTU.
Jet, IndiGo & SpiceJet The Watchdog group, Competition Commission of India (CCI) has fined Jet Airways (India) Ltd., InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) and SpiceJet Limited “for concerted action in fixing and revising Fuel Surcharge (FSC) as a component of freight charges.”
CCI passed the final order on March 7, 2018.
The CCI noted that the three carriers “acted in a concerted manner in fixing and revising the FSC rates and thereby contravened the provisions of Section 3 of the Act which prohibits anti- competitive agreements including cartels.”
Why Qatar Cargo Accents Higher Priorities If the easy spoken, relaxed, Guillaume Halleux now serving as Acting Chief Officer Cargo for Qatar Airways is concerned that maybe following in the footsteps of his predecessor is a big ask of anybody, he sure doesn’t show it.
Guillaume who is front and center in Dallas this week has deftly and definitely moved with grace and ease onto the world stage with top responsibility for a great international airline’s cargo fortunes.
JFK Tops March Agenda “It’s a great event and just the ticket for networking and getting the word out,” said Joe Badamo, President of Air Cargo Association (ACA) at JFK International Airport in New York City.
“We are open for registration to attend our big annual March 22 Air Cargo Expo held at Russo’s in Howard Beach from 0800 until 1700.
“Here is an opportunity to network.”
IATA FIATA Flies Into Turbulence The anticipated cooperative IATA/FIATA Air Cargo Program (IFACP) announced amidst hope and glamour at FIATA’s World Congress in Dublin 2016 has apparently hit some turbulence in its takeoff pilot program in Canada.
IATA CASS Associate Forwarders Watch One thing to look for in Dallas this week is consideration by the Cargo Agency Conference (CAC) of Policy Item P-2 & Voting Item V-2, which is a new Global Model for the CASS Associate Program that could have a monumental impact on thousands of forwarders worldwide.
Making Forwarder Apprenticeships Work Pictured is the beautiful National Exhibition Center (NEC) at Marston Green in Birmingham, England, where the 11th National Apprenticeship Week (NAW 2018) takes place from March 5-9, 2018.
The theme for NAW 2018 is ‘Apprenticeships Work.’
National Apprenticeship Week is met with enthusiastic support and involvement from BIFA, the British International Forwarders Association.
Respect Framework For Future FIATA and IATA are here—together again, but for the first time, and all of us saw that.
What do you think?
I want to share a thought from the writings of Kurt Vonnegut:
“Please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.’”
Fed Up With Guns Here in the U.S., FedEx is defending its business relationship with National Rifle Association (NRA) telling media that NRA is just another business partner whose politics they ignore.
Big Purple offers deep discounts to NRA members, although they did have some words about assault rifles, like the one used to kill 17 students and teachers this month in a Florida high school.
Orange The New Black In India Nagpur, also known as “Orange City,” is located in the center of India and among other things supplies more than 70 percent of all the fresh oranges (orange barfi counts in that number) in the country.
But in 2018, the city is also making major aviation headlines. The home to Boeing’s only MRO facility other than Shanghai, and also the place where the Tata Group launched the Central India Spinning and Weaving Company Ltd. popularly called "Empress Mill" on January 1, 1877, the day Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India, is now building an international multi-modal cargo hub and airport at Nagpur to rival Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Taxing India Drives Cargo The big story right now out of India cargo is implementation of the government mandated Goods and Services Tax (GST) that among other things has created an environment that is helping air cargo.
Airports, particularly the major international gateways like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, are innovating to boost cargo volumes.
Seeing Red Aeroflot flight attendants at The Russian Investment Forum (RIF) Annual two-day trade show event in Sochi, February 15-17, which featured 55 events and more than 500 speakers.
At the opening of the Forum, more than 400 conferees took part in a charity run along the Sochi Formula One circuit to commemorate the Winter Olympics that took place here four years ago.
The Sky's No Limit For United Cargo “The theme of last year’s team meeting was ‘Unstoppable,’ and you really did prove to be unstoppable in 2017,” said Jan Krems, President of United Cargo, kick-starting the team’s recent Annual Worldwide Meeting.
More than 300 attendees traveled from all across the globe to The Woodlands near Houston and listened intently as Jan put 2017’s achievements and 2018’s plans into perspective. “For this year’s theme, we wanted something to inspire us to take the next step beyond ‘Unstoppable.’ That’s why we chose ‘United Cargo: No Limits!’”
Wish We Had Said That “When you look at existing trans-Atlantic routes, there is an absolute void in the middle of the United States,” said Justin Meyer, Deputy Director of Aviation - Marketing and Air Service Development Kansas City Aviation Department.
Cargo India Optimistic 2018 The year 2018 has started on an optimistic note for India’s air cargo stakeholders.
The person holding out the lolly of hope is none other than Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
In an interview at the beginning of this year, Raju pointed out that though the potential for air cargo—especially domestic—was high, cargo unfortunately was only a very small part of Indian aviation.
Scholte Action As TIACA Gains Momentum Sebastian Scholte, CEO of Jan de Rijk Logistics, moves onward into his two year tenure as TIACA chairman.
He replaced Sanjiv Edward, Head of Cargo Business at Delhi International Airport. Speaking exclusively to Flying Typers, Scholte said that under his leadership TIACA will take a multi-pronged approached to growing the Association’s brand and building its role as a facilitator of improved air freight supply chain efficiency and resilience.
Container Ships Last Call With a fleet of 215 modern container ships, Hapag-Lloyd is recycling its older, retired fleet, including this veteran of the seas, the “Heidelberg Express,” which was handled in an eco-friendly manner at a specialized shipyard in Alia?a, a town on the Aegean Coast of Turkey.
Vessels that are moved from front line service at Hapag are carefully dismantled in line with environmental regulations in certified shipyards in Turkey and China.
Kung Hei Fat Choy It is apparent to almost anyone traveling on business that there isn’t enough time to enjoy authentic local scenery.
Dinner that hasn’t been worked into the business schedule becomes an after-thought, a quick twelve-dollar burger served on a tray with a moist towelette in some forgotten hotel room.
We are so quick to let business travel spoil the excitement that comes with going to a new place. The town you’ve been zipping through for the past couple of days could be the grist for your memory’s mill, and sometimes culture shock can be cathartic.
Trump Effect One Year Later As President Trump enters his second year, it’s time to reflect on the impact of his policies on the air cargo industry.
No one can disagree that it has been a good year for all segments of the air cargo industry despite the typical Washington gridlock and opposition obstructionism.
The U.S. economy is strong—U.S. GDP may increase by as much as 4 percent in 2018, fueled by high job growth, low unemployment, and raising salaries, allowing consumers to increase their spending.
Disruptors & The New Paradigm It is interesting to see the reaction from various parts of the industry as disrupters come and present new concepts in improving the market place.
There is a fear of the unknown that takes over and everybody huddles down to resist the changes taking place rather than adapting to the new environment and looking for opportunities. The airfreight industry has traditionally been lagging behind.
Valentine's Greetings What would February14th be without at least one flower shipment story . . . So here goes.
Tiptoeing through the tulips, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP)broke with tradition and featured roses in a presser for February 14.
According to the Euro air cargo combine, more than 3,000 tons of flowers moved via the carriers’ freighters and other main-deck lift aircraft during January and February 2018.
Westward Ho! UA ANA Joint Is Jumping “The U.S.-to-Asia market is highly competitive, so we are excited to offer convenient access to expanded metal-neutral capacity to customers shipping westbound across the Pacific,” declared United Airlines Cargo President Jan Krems. On February 6 United Airlines and All Nippon Airways expanded the carriers’ cargo joint venture, adding westbound transpacific routes to the successful eastbound transpacific phase launched last summer in July 2016.
Factory Signals Mixed Ahead Of Chinese New Year Ahead of the Chinese New Year (CNY) factory shutdowns, market signals are rather mixed—and not just for air cargo.
Container shipping demand, for example, has remained firm, and space is tight on the key trades from China into Europe and the U.S. But the expected surge in spot freight rates ahead of the official start to the holidays on February 16 has not materialized and lines have struggled to make General Rate Increases (GRI) stick.
Towers Above All Airports Council International delivered numbers through November 2017 reporting an increase in global cargo of 8.2% for the first eleven months of last year—near record levels.
Gains in export orders, saw global figures reaching +7.8%.
ACI reports Africa, North America and Europe once again topped growth figures for total freight, reaching +14.7%, +8.9% and +8.7% respectively. Asia-Pacific (+7.2%), Latin America-Caribbean (+6.9%) and the Middle East (+2.9%) followed, the latter starting to regain speed after slowing down to +1.3% in October.
You Gotta Have Heart Everybody knows, in February Valentine's Day and affairs of the heart take center stage.
In addition to shipments of flowers, jewelry, and candy, the Air Cargo Association of Atlanta (AACA) sends the message of love and concern for others with their Annual Blood Drive.
“The AACA Blood drive is being held during the ‘month of love’,” reports Elliott Paige, the Airport Manager for Air Service Development Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport who also serves on the AACA Board.
Cargo Tesla Into Space PayPal founder and master of making science sexy, Elon Musk shipped a Tesla out into space Tuesday atop a Falcon Heavy Rocket from the legendary Pad 39 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
What was essentially a cargo shipment took center stage as the payload launched from the same location that birthed the first Moon missions and Space Shuttle flights.
Women In Charge Powering AA Cargo Today at American Airlines Cargo, women as leaders have the opportunity to influence the future of the cargo industry, taking this business up a new road and into the wild blue yonder.
Recently we spoke to some women who are forging a new path and loving every minute of it. They are fascinating for their brilliance and their new take on air cargo.
The work these forward-thinking leaders do for American is closely tied to relationships with cargo service providers across the globe.
Washing My Baby Home It’s February, come to think about it.
Travel, at a minimum, has been relegated to walking the dog a couple of times a day during the early “mud season.”
January was a month of temperature extremes, but right now the mercury is 30s. Three weeks earlier New York City was at its coldest, with temps at or below zero.
So after each walk in the mud pie park near our home, Little Lulu gets her feet washed.
We Like Mike CNS President To quote the great Mel Brooks in the movie History of the World Part One:
“It’s good to be King.”
For air cargo, the good just got better as IATA named Mike White as Cargo Network Services President.
As we wrote on November 27: “We Like Mike.”
2025 On Fruit Logistica Berlin Next month Fruit Logistica, the gigantic fresh produce event, meets February 7-9 at Berlin ExpoCenter City and CityCube Berlin for the 26th time. For all the glitz and glamour and displays and technologies it brings to the world, the expo might also be branded Fruchtsalat.
Move over “Chiquita Banana,” this expo has cumquats doing the Lambada in the aisles.
And looking at the growing numbers at this show, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
Screen Tightens The Screws Under the new TSA rules announced January 22, all cargo flights originating from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt are to undergo extra screening when flying to the United States.
According to the TSA, screening focus is “on last points of departure locations, where the threat is greatest.”
Blue Moon Over Darmstadt Pictured in this lovely time exposure under the “Super Blue Blood Moon,” a thin veil of clouds covered the exquisite Russian Chapel, the Mathildenhoehe in Darmstadt, Germany.
Climate Is Front Page News Global warming was a big topic at last week’s World Economic Forum in Davos with everybody from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to India Prime Minister Modi addressing the subject.
Assembled in Switzerland, the world’s leaders recognized the great challenge to the climate, as glaciers are fast disappearing in nearby Norway.
Nordic Countries Go Greener Step by step, the Nordic countries are becoming renewable and sustainable energy societies and the landscape is changing. Windmills account for 57% of Denmark’s electricity, out the country’s total 66% energy realized from renewables.
Norway gets 98% from hydro electric power plants and a few power percentages from windmills.
Sweden and Finland each realize between 50% respectively 16% of their electricity from hydro-electric power plants.
Qatar Cargo QEP Cool Qatar Airways Cargo announced Qualified Envirotainer Provider Training and Quality Programme (QEP) accreditation at five of its destinations: Amsterdam, Basel, Paris, Chicago, and its hub, Doha, Qatar.
MAB Kargo Flies Into Profit At FIATA’s 56th World Congress held in Kuala Lumpur last October, we asked MAB Kargo Sdn Bhd CEO Ahmad Luqman:
“How did you cope with the snow whist attending University in Syracuse, New York?”
The question didn’t stop the energetic executive. Instead he reflected the look of an “Orangeman” (the school colors) who has shouldered the snowstorms that blow in off of Lake Erie and bury upstate New York in a manner unknown to Southeast Asia.
Mission For The Rohingyas A major initiative for good in Malaysia is “1Malaysia for Youth,” often referred to as 1M4U or iM4U.
The outreach organization is an initiative of the Malaysian government and was founded by Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2012.
Put simply, iM4U encourages volunteerism amongst Malaysian youth.
EMO Trans Off To A Flying Start “It's incredible,” declares EMO Trans Chairman Jo Frigger, “how our Asia offices have soared with extraordinary results during 2017, and the beat goes on as 2018 begins.
“EMO China, with 10 offices now, and EMO Hong Kong have led the charge, followed by our offices in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and our newest operation in Vietnam,” Mr. Frigger said.
LAACA Mixer Los Angeles Air Cargo Club (LAACA) Great tradition and everlasting fellowship are hallmarks of this great industry group that meets monthly.
On February 8, LAACA gets a head start on Chinese New Year with a “cocktails until” 5 to 8 PM air cargo gathering just off the main runways of LAX.
Fashionista Runway Walk Most of us have seen pilots inspecting their aircraft prior to flight. Occasionally, flight-deck personnel have even been viewed walking the runway.
All Of Our Friends Were There Nothing like a big party and some awards to get the New Year started off right!
That is exactly what happened on Thursday, January 18, as freight forwarders honored their own at The British International Freight Association’s (BIFA) Annual Freight Service Awards Competition Party at The Brewery in London.
BIFA President Sir Peter Bottomley MP welcomed guests to the 29th BIFA Freight Service Awards luncheon ceremony and, along with entertainer & restauranteur Levi Roots, who also “serenaded the lads” at the event, presented all the finalists with their certificates.
Exciting 2018 Busting Out All Over Air cargo rates have dropped dramatically in recent weeks, but capacity remains scarce and prices are expected to gain ground again ahead of factory shutdowns for the Chinese New Year holiday (Year Of The Dog), which begins February 16.
Qatar Cargo Cherries Jubilee “Qatar Cargo is now the third largest cargo operator in the world after Cathay Pacific,” declared Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, as QR added a second B747-8F last month.
“We hope that this year our ranking will become number two.
“Qatar Airways flies to over 150 passenger destinations and when we add our freighter destinations we fly to more than 196 destinations worldwide,” Akbar Al Baker said.
No More Waiting To Exhale If you happened to be above France last week and noticed a slight bump in the air, no doubt it was a collective sigh of relief from Toulouse as an order for 36 A380s arrived from Emirates Airline. That order has saved the Airbus flagship plane from the scrapheap.
Stormy Weather European transport business as usual was unusual last week, as powerful windswept storms battered Germany and Netherlands Belgium, Romania and parts of UK cancelling flights and rail service. Here some trucks took the worst of it on the motorway A 71 near Erfurt.
Take A Tip From The Tulips If you’re rolling around hardstands these days looking at airplanes, you may notice the distinctive shadow relief of an elegant tulip connected to a long, thin stem emblazoned on every Turkish Airlines airplane.
Then you meet Turhan Ozen, Head of Cargo for the Istanbul-based carrier.
While the aircraft-laden skies above Istanbul are increasing connectivity via a growing global network, the debut of the biggest airport in the world, Istanbul International, waits in the wings for late 2018. Soon the most dramatic air traffic control tower on the planet (designed by Pinna Farina) will go into action.
Dhaka Cargo From The Heart Greetings from Dhaka, where loose cargo
rides in a styale that harkens back to a free-form era in our industry.
I spent some time looking at the cargo area
and consignments on the hardstand at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
DAC Cargo today is action central, with consignments piled
high and strewn out all over the place, spilling out of the sheds, and awaiting
transport.
Punch Up Chicago Cargo Get Hot Chicago . . . Join International
Air Cargo Association of Chicago (IACAC) for the austere group’s first
networking event of the year dubbed “The Punch Bowl Social.”
The function takes place just off O’Hare International Airport’s
main runways in Schaumburg, Illinois, January 17th, 6 to 10 PM.
Kudos to BCS Placement, Edward J. Zarach &
Associates, and Roanoke Trade who are sponsoring, having decided to blow
back against the January chill off of nearby Lake Michigan.
The Billion Dollar Baby “There is a movement or perhaps a rush that could also be described as a trend in air cargo today – to go out and charge a rate and promise service that is not sustainable.
“I have always believed that delivering value for money is the true path to building a world-class, reliable and respected air cargo service,” Jan Krems, President United Cargo declares.
2018 Early Rising Marks There was good news at the top with the late 2017 turnaround in the transportation sector. Trains, planes and trucks that had remained flat for most of last year ended the fourth quarter outperforming the S&P 500 Index ratings, moving up 6.8 percent in December while everything else was advancing at a 3.85 percent clip.
SLOTS Are Some Are Set Maughan The lack of winter season slots at AMS forced many cargo airlines to find alternative airports and highlighted the glaring lack of global airport capacity. In the first part of this special FlyingTypersseries, the European Shippers’ Council called for reform of IATA’s 80:20 slot guidelines. In part two, FlyingTypers speaks to Lara Maughan, Head of Worldwide Airport Slots.
Butter Cake For Christmas When I was a little boy, my Mom said I had to go church to realize that something bigger than ordinary human beings made this earth.
She left the choice of religion up to me, saying:
“Just get into a congregation and see if you like the fellowship, and from there you can choose whether or not you want to practice ‘Sunday go to meetings’ for the rest of your life.”
So I started to study the catechi
