In The Air Everywhere                                                  


Ram Menen
Senior Vice President
Emirates SkyCargo
Michael Webber
Webber Air Cargo
Airport Consulting

 


 
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Vol. 12 No. 46                                Monday May 20, 2013
NCA Tops ACA & JFK Thursday
    Shawn McWhorter, the Chicago O’Hare-based President of Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) North America has some big responsibilities.
   Shawn addresses The JFK Cargo Association (ACA) Monthly Luncheon on Thursday, May 23, 2013. It begins with cocktails at 11:45 AM and continues with lunch until 2:00 PM at the New York Hilton JFK Airport Hotel (all are welcome: members, $40.00; non members, $50.00).
Hiran And The Language Of Freighters
   Somehow, Hiran Perera has kept his youthful good looks and easygoing manner, even managing to appear amused and not overwhelmed at the increased attention he has received lately as Emirates SkyCargo Vice President Cargo, Freighters.
   Maybe it’s the experience gained after nearly 19 years aboard Emirates SkyCargo.
   Or perhaps it’s something in the water at home in his native Sri Lanka.
   Whatever it is, as a key executive who has been with Emirates SkyCargo since it began its meteoric rise into the top 20 of world air cargo carriers (EK is now ranked in the top three), Hiran combines textbook knowledge and on-the-job experience with an even-handed, soft spoken style—no matter what whirlwind is sweeping through air cargo at the moment.
   Emirates SkyCargo's fleet includes nine freighters, two 747-400ERF, and eight 777Fs that now serve 132 destinations in 77 countries on six continents.
Chuckles For May 20, 2013

Kassel Airport Not Airborne
 Kassel Airport (KSF) is still having some bad luck . . . or so it seems. After the first scheduled flight on April 5th did not take place because of a lack of passengers (the few who showed up got a free taxi ride to Paderborn Lippstadt, and no, you haven’t missed anything if you haven’t been there yet), Croatia Airways cancelled last Friday’s flight as well. Apparently, this time there were a sufficient number of passengers, but no cabin crew. More than forty OU Cabin Crew reported sick, which is almost a third of their entire cabin staff.
Oman Expands Gulf Options
   The pace of interest and investment potential gets yet another player, as one more well-heeled and determined Gulf State has decided to ambitiously drive itself into further development of world trade.
   The Sultinate of Oman is at work creating multi-modal infrastructure whilst seeking investment in building greater inter-connectivity between rail, ship, and air.
   For example, a new Muscat International Airport (under construction for completion in 2014) will add capacity and 21st century technologies to handle 12 million passengers and a cargo terminal throughput of 260,000 tons annually.
Remembering Flavio Renfer
   The air cargo industry is saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Flavio Renfer, Managing Partner/Principal of Covio S.A. Aviation Services, and Zurich-Kloten. He died after a brief illness, tragically and unexpectedly, on May 8th at the age of only 43.

Vol. 12 No. 45                                Thursday May 16, 2013
Air Cargo News For May 16, 2013
air cargo news May 16, 2013
Going Dutch With IAS
   When it comes to being practical while also being Dutch, Jacques H.M. Heeremans has all bases covered. This long time GSA Managing Director (now GSSA) of Schiphol Airport-based Inter Aviation Services B.V. (IAS), a company he started which has remained happily independent and growing for the past 25 years, is one of the few, and perhaps only, big time handlers to employ an all-female sales force.
   “It had to be,” easy-going Jacques admits:
Chuckles For May 16, 2013

Shipper Drives Change

 FlyingTypers sat down with Victor Ofstein, (left) FreightOS COO, during AirCargo 2013 and learned that having to sometimes wait three days for an air freight quote gave FreightOS CEO Zvi Schreiber (right) the impetus to bring his software development and internet experience to bear when founding FreightOS.
   Interviewed via Skype, Zvi, who has a PhD in computer science, declared:

Spargel Zeit (Asparagus Time) Again
   A once-a-year treat comes to New York City this week as air cargo delivers cases of the great German “royal vegetable” spargel (white asparagus), once reserved for only the upper classes. The German American Chamber of Commerce celebrates the season with its 10th Annual White Asparagus Dinner held this year at The Edison Ballroom.

Ain't Over Till It's Over
   Avianca Chairman Bolivian-Brazilian tycoon German Efromovich (L), with Avianca chief executive Fabio Villegas combined forces just three years ago as TACA joined Avianca becoming AviancaTaca Holdings.
   Today the group is a Latin American powerhouse and growing.

  It is not a good idea to ever count anybody out.
  Guess who popped up as one of two big airline consolidations in Latin America?
   Everybody has heard of the combination of LAN and TAM into LATAM, but who would have thunk that in 2013 all eyes would be on Avianca & TACA?
For Love Of The Game 
   He began as part of the Seaboard World Airways “Foreign Legion” in Europe over forty years ago.
   Today with SWA long gone, disappeared into Flying Tigers, which in turn was swallowed by Fed Ex, Vince Chabrol is still on the job humping and shipping air cargo JFK to Casablanca and beyond for Royal Air Maroc or RAM Cargo as the cargo division of the airline was branded in 2011.
   Royal Air Maroc serves New York City with B767-300ERs and beyond CAS with B737F and belly lift.

Vol. 12 No. 44                                Monday May 13, 2013
Air Cargo News For May 13, 2013
air cargo news May 13, 2013
ULD Care Kicks The Can In YVR
   (Vancouver Exclusive)—The 2013 Annual ULD CARE Conference was last week in beautiful downtown Vancouver, adjacent to the venue hosting the annual IATA Ground Handling Council meeting.
With 74 participants from airlines and other ULD-related organizations, conferees learned that tremendous progress has been made in the 8 months since the September 2012 meeting in Shanghai.
Here today is the launch of the ULD CARE website (www.ULDCARE.com), plus the first edition of the ULD CARE e-newsletter and the launch of various groups tasked with ULD initiatives. South African Airlines, Tampa Cargo, and TAP Portugal joined the group for the first time.
Plating A Paul Bunyan Box
AA Cargo can count many industry firsts: launching the first scheduled air cargo service in the world; the first air cargo tariff to establish service based on density, volume, value, and perishability; and (our favorite) the first Unit Load Device (ULD), known as the Paul Bunyan Box.
In 1958, American Airlines revolutionized the air cargo business by developing a container that could be carried on aircraft, minimizing the loading and unloading, branded “The Paul Bunyan Box.”

Happy At Rest
 On April 29, 2013, in line with the new European Union security regulations, AF-KL-MP Cargo opened a new, innovative security screening method at the Schiphol hub. Dutch authorities approved the so-called Remote Explosive Scent Tracing (REST) method at truck level at the end of last year. It allows for screening an entire truckload of cargo at once by specially trained explosive detection dogs.

Food Truck Cuisine At CNS
You can imagine our surprise when we discovered the big VIP dinner at the CNS Partnership Conference was served up alfresco via a half-dozen food trucks. Perhaps it was perfectly fitting; they were indeed reminiscent of the trucks seen at cargo areas around JFK and MIA.
It was sweet to see the royalty of the global air cargo business queuing up for a cheese sandwich at one truck, a bowl of chili at another, pizza, ribs, what-have-you walking away from that chuckwagon circle of vehicles.

Vol. 12 No. 43                                Wednesday May 8, 2013
CNS Out On A Limb
Air Cargo News For May 8, 2013
air cargo news May 8, 2013
Ice Cream Social At CNS
   It’s always a gathering with some Lindt Chocolate, or at CNS on this fine day in May, an “Ice Cream Social” is reward for the always hungry press.
  There must be some reason that Lufthansa Group serves up its latest news with highly perishable refreshments, although at 90-plus degrees in Phoenix right now, it’s probably hotter than Dubai.
   Maybe the ice cream is a subtle reminder to get the story out before it melts?
Chuckles For May 8, 2013

Cargo Guage At Delta CNS
  “When you consider the weakened state of the global economy, we are pleased with our financial performance in the first quarter.
  “Delta Cargo held its own.
  “We are making good progress against many of our goals for the year, including market penetration for e-air waybill.
RE: Bellies Versus Freighters

Geoffrey,
   As always, interesting debates in FlyingTypers, and I noted the dialogue re: Issa's comments and Bill’s remarks.
   I think the debate is just about over re: freighters; they definitely have a future, as the integrators will always need them in bespoke logistics solutions for the product lines they have and want to develop over the coming years.

Vol. 12 No. 42                                Monday May 6, 2013
Air Cargo News For May 6, 2013air cargo news May 6, 2013

Kenji Era Grooving Cargo
Chuckles For May 6, 2013

Labor Squeezes Chennai Cargo
   Cargo is piling up at Chennai International Airport as a go-slow by staff of the ground handling agency, Bhadra International.
   As May 2013 begins the situation has gone from bad to worse, as ground handlers, demanding a rise in wages and an improvement in working conditions, stopped work altogether at the end of April.
   With cargo piling up at the terminal, airport operator Airports Authority of India was forced to announce a shutdown of cargo operations for three days.

Is There Life After CNS?
    As far as we can tell, yes, life does indeed go on after you serve as CNS President.
   Take the case of Tony Calabrese, who helped start up CNS and for a while looked like the only President the organization would ever have.
   Tony (left) dominated the scene from 1986 until 2006 and today is happily retired.
   Jens Tubbesing (right) served as CNS President after Tony departed and then went on to start up a GSA.
More Chuckles For May 6, 2013

Vol. 12 No. 41                                Sunday May 5, 2013
Air Cargo News For May 5, 2013air cargo news May 5, 2013
Five For Cinco De Mayo
   On the opening day of the IATA CNS Partnership Conference, “Five For Cinco de Mayo Aeromexico" affords us an opportunity to go “up close and personal” with Mauricio Nieto CEO of Aeromexico Cargo.
  “As a Mexican, I think it is important to mention why we celebrate today.
  “The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican armed forces over the French Army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862.
  “This anniversary is mainly a regional celebration of the Mexican state Capital City of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with significant Mexican population.
Chuckles For May 5, 2013
Forwarders Embrace E-AWB Sort Of
   Forwarders are ready to embrace the new Multilateral electronic Air Waybill (e-AWB) standard agreed by the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and IATA earlier this year, although some believe it will favor larger logistics operators.
Air Canada Builds Fleet And New Airline
  Today Air Canada Cargo has the distinction of being led by a woman, Lise-Marie Turpin.
  In fact, as Managing Director of Air Canada Cargo, Lise-Marie is the highest-ranking female air cargo leader in the Americas.
Lise-Marie Turpin was appointed Managing Director of Air Canada Cargo in September 2008.
  She is responsible for all aspects of the cargo business for Air Canada.
       Lise-Marie was previously responsible for the cargo operation system-wide as Senior Director, Cargo Services.
More Chuckles For May 5, 2013
YVR Hosts IATA Ground And ULD Cares
  As an industry first, these two Canadian-based groups, IATA Ground Handling Council and ULD CARE will run side-by-side meetings from May 5-8 in the Pacific Northwest with scheduled crossover participation.
  The two meeting locations are within a few minutes of walking distance from each other, facing the harbor on the beautiful northeastern side of Vancouver.
RE: Bellies Versus Freighters
Dear Geoffrey,

     I have much respect for Professor Issa Baluch, but I believe he is wrong in his statement:
     “Actually, in air cargo the challenge is always belly space versus freighter capacity,” says Harvard Logistics Professor Issa Baluch in FlyingTypers last week.

Vol. 12 No. 40                                Thursday May 2, 2013
Why We Love Carmen
    “We have a lot of asparagus headed from Lima to London; berries and salmon from Chile and Argentina going to many U.S. destinations; flowers going from Columbia to Europe and Japan; and fresh fish from Ecuador destined for mainland Europe.
   “Since the launch of our temperature-controlled product, ExpediteTC, nearly four years ago, we have been building a strong traffic in biologicals and pharmaceuticals across our Latin American network.
Chuckles For May 2, 2013

Bellies Blooming Cargo
Bellies Versus Freighters
   “Actually, in air cargo the challenge is always belly space versus freighter capacity,” says Harvard Logistics Professor Issa Baluch.
   “That is the age-old question.
   “But both seem to work in cycles.

Bellies Baggage Versus Cargo
    “I don't think baggage and air cargo are actually a ‘conflict’ today at most carriers,” says Neel Shah, President, JS Aviation Consulting
   “It is very true that baggage fees bring in billions in very high margin revenue for the airlines (especially the U.S. carriers who have been the most effective at implementing and sticking to these fees).
   “But as these fees have been implemented, the traveling public has also changed their behavior.

RE: Air Cargo Germany Down For The Count  

Dear Geoffrey,

     I just read the second time the German word "kaputt”.
     I don’t know what you are trying to say by using this word but for native German speakers it is a disrespectful way to deal with this.
     At the end Lufthansa has found a way to defend their interest on the North Atlantic routes and to avoid Volga Dnepr and Airbridge as surely strong competitors.

Vol. 12 No. 39                                Tuesday April 30, 2013
Air Cargo News For April 30, 2013air cargo news for April 30, 2013

Drewry's Insight Tracks Rates
    Since its inception in May of last year, Drewry’s Sea & Air Shipping Insight publication has offered the air cargo industry a bird’s eye view into an often obscure market by way of the company’s East-West Airfreight Price Index, which incorporates air freight rates across multiple key east-west trades.

Chuckles For April 30, 2013
Moment Of Truth For Ocean
   In recent months, container shipping lines have tried every play in the book in a bid to boost freight rates, and not without good reason. After many struggled to break even last year, the need could not be more pressing to play a better hand in negotiations during this year’s annual contracting season, which takes place in the coming weeks.
   2013 has already seen a rash of new general rate increases introduced on Asia-Europe trades by lines, most notably in March, but with more scheduled for April.

More Chuckles For April 30, 2013

Pretty Little May
   “And along comes pretty little May,” are lines that Oscar Hammerstein II wrote for the musical play Carousel.
   Those words echo in my mind when this time of year rolls around.

Vol. 12 No. 38                                Friday April 26, 2013
Luncheon Speaker Reviews The Audience
   Often when we attend events, we listen to the speaker and later think about and discuss the content of the presentation.
   But while most of us have an opinion of the speaker, we wondered what the speaker thinks of the audience?
   Yesterday Jim Bellinder, top sales executive at United Airlines Cargo, addressed a packed house at The JFK Air Cargo Association in New York.

Chuckles For April 26, 2013
That Jet Etihad Mega Deal
   The news as sent out from the London-based Naresh Goyal’s Jet Airways and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad this past Wednesday April 24, 2013, was clear.
What was a matter of conjecture is now fact: the two carriers have forged a strategic alliance under India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy.
More Chuckles For April 26, 2013
KLM marked its 80th Anniversary moving 14 tons of tulips (around 48,000 bulbs) from The Netherlands to Singapore to be part of the ‘Tulipmania’ Exhibit at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, from April 29-May 20 . . .

Goodbye ATA Stalwart George Winegar
   Dr. George Winegar (78) died last Saturday, April 20, after a freak accident as he fell off a truck.
   As a past Animal Transport Association (ATA) President, long time member, and regular conference attendee, George lived his life fully, cherished his friends, and had contact lists that are so long he almost had to have his own zip code to keep them all straight.

Vol. 12 No. 37                                Wednesday April 24, 2013
Speaking Plain Pain To Plane
   Once again, the JFK Air Cargo Association delivers a first class program on Thursday, April 25th, as new United Cargo VP-Sales, Jim Bellinder, lays plain the pain (and even the plane—the B787) of taking a huge retooled air cargo resource to the next level. Jim began his air cargo career in 1986 as a GSA for Continental Airlines; today he is responsible for all aspects of United Cargo’s sales activity around the globe. On Thursday he speaks right to the heart of the challenges and difficulties the carrier has encountered during its integration activity during the past couple of years.

Chuckles For April 22, 2013
Upgrading Delhi Handling
   There are no small steps when the movement is toward upgrading cargo ground handling for air cargo India.
   Take the case of Turkish private ground handling services company, Celebi Holding, which has big plans for the subcontinent and is putting its money where its mouth is.
   Celebi invested $35 million on construction and $12 million on the purchase of equipment and security upgrades at Delhi International Airport.
Jones New Boss At CNS
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) named Warren Jones as Head of Cargo Network Service (CNS) in time for the CNS Partnership Conference kicking off in Phoenix on May 5.  
Women Power Middle East
   One thing becomes abundantly clear after reading a recent Forbes Magazine Middle East article titled “Most Influential Women In A Family Business.”
   All of the excellent leaders profiled here are also pioneers, counted among the first woman in history to have moved to positions of power that include sitting on boards and executive committees throughout the region.

Vol. 12 No. 36                                Monday April 22, 2013
Air Cargo Germany Down For The Count
   As reported here first, Air Cargo Germany, for all intents and purposes, is kaputt.
   Here is what we know as we go to press Monday, April 22.
   The German Civil Aviation Authority, the LBA, has in the meantime confirmed the revocation of ACG’s operating permit, citing apparent non-compliance of ACG with European Community Directive 1008/2008, applicable to operators licensed within any EC member state:

Air Cargo News For April 22, 2013air cargo news for April 22, 2013

Chuckles For April 22, 2013
Lufthansa Takes The Environment
“You Are There”
The Third Annual Lufthansa Cargo Climate Care Conference is taking place this Wednesday in Frankfurt, and we have decided to approach the subject a bit differently, creating a scenario we call “You Are There.”
  
FlyingTypers Celebrates Earth Day 2013
Dear Geoffrey,

   Congratulations as you celebrate 38 years publishing Air Cargo News, now FlyingTypers.
   A job well done for all these years.

Vol. 12 No. 35                                Friday April 19, 2013
Air Cargo Germany Kaputt
   In an unexpected move, Air Cargo Germany has interrupted operations as of Thursday afternoon.
   Two of their freighters (presumably flights 6U 3141 and 6U 3232 both bound for the U.S.) were offloaded shortly before planned departure at Frankfurt - Rhein Main Airport.
   Sources familiar with the issue have speculated that the German Civil Aviation Authority, the LBA, may have revoked ACG's Operator Certificate.

Vital Document Goes Paperless
   According to IATA, “the Air Waybill (AWB) is the most important transportation document in air cargo.
   “The electronic Air Waybill (e-AWB) is the first step to realize the e-freight vision.
   “The e-AWB project replaces the paper AWB with an electronic contract of carriage between the freight forwarder and the airline.”
   With the multilateral agreement that allows a forwarder to enter into the e-AWB regime, with multiple carriers passed at the recent Cargo Services Conference in Doha, on the face of it, all systems are go.
   The devil, it is said, is in the details; by definition, the electronic equivalent of the air waybill is the FWB message.

Class Of Cargo At DFW
    On Wednesday in Dallas, Texas, Bill Boesch and Philip Wei were inducted into TIACA’s Hall Of Fame.
Here we salute both gentlemen as this special evening unfolded and these two gentlemen were finally recognized for their stellar and inspirational careers serving the air cargo industry.

Boesch Drove Cargo From The Ground Up
At TIACA Hall of Fame Bill shares a moment with daughters Heather and Robin.

   Bill Boesch is one of the greatest of all the big-time global air cargo executives.
   What’s more, he did it all working in various top management positions: at a scheduled all-cargo carrier, a freight forwarder, the largest carrier of cargo and mail in the world, the biggest USA combination carrier, and finally, in retirement, coming back to save thousands of lives by engineering ground support convoys to carry cargo in and out of battlefronts during the terrible Iraq and Afghanistan War.
   Bill Boesch was raised in Queens, New York, near Idlewild Airport (today JFK), and later lived in Long Island, New York.

TIACA Finds A Wei
 Old friends—FlyingTypers Publisher Geoffrey Arend catches up with Philip Wei at TIACA Hall of Fame Dinner.
   Today it has become commonplace in the global air cargo business to recall colleagues who have distinguished themselves in various aspects of service to our industry. So when it comes to the development and implementation of the Asian transportation industry, TIACA has truly found a Wei: Philip Hsing-Hsiung Wei who, as a true pioneer of the form, can be described as:
   “Present at the creation,” “empire builder, “regular good guy and friend.” Phillip is a decent, humble, easily approachable man who has moved beyond air cargo to the absolute pinnacle of China Airlines, serving twice as the CEO.

Cowboys & Indians
   Deep in the heart of Texas you’ll find Oliver Evans, Chief Cargo Officer Swiss WorldCargo (L), and Ram Menen, DSVP Emirates SkyCargo. The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held in Dallas this week, and the organization said goodbye to Ram, who
Chuckles For April 19, 2013
AA Cuts The Mustard
   In Düsseldorf, where an actual mustard factory is located right near the airport (Lion Brand), “it’s about providing a key connection that allows for early AM distribution from Düsseldorf,” said Matt Maynard, new spokesman for American Airlines Cargo, as AA launched daily B767 nonstop service from Chicago.
New Look IATA
   The recent announcement of restructuring at IATA has been positioned as increased focus on regional services, and it seems to be a combination of the old and some new. With the cargo hat on, the biggest change is the establishment of a new division headed by Thomas Windmuller, an old IATA hand, as shown below:
RE: TAP Fluent At Big Show
Dear Geoffrey,

   Many thanks for the exceptional relevance given to TAP presence in Intermodal.
We appreciated it a lot.

Vol. 12 No. 34                                Tuesday April 16, 2013
Air Cargo News For April 16, 2013air cargo news for April 16, 2013

Action Plan 2013
    Recently there has been much talk about the threat to our industry from integrators and other modes of transport.
   Sorry to say, but the subject is as old as the hills in terms of being an issue confronting air cargo.
   In fact, there most likely is a microfiche file at some local library that contains an issue of our old Air Cargo News from 1978, featuring people like Buz Whalen, the cargo boss at JAL Cargo USA, industry chieftains such as Luis de la Reguera at Iberia, Fernando Tavera at VIASA, Norm Jeppeson at BOAC, and a few others from TWA and Pan Am Clipper Cargo, sitting around a table at the old Wings Club in Manhattan’s Biltmore Hotel, under the watchful eye of Amelia Earhart, talking for hours about just these things.
Plane Talk With Ralf
    Awards? Sure we do! But as the story below underscores, FT spells out the reasons we find excellence all around in air cargo.
   Here Ralf & Geoffrey enjoy a garden party at InterCity Cargo City Süd at Frankfurt in 2006, when Ralf was inducted into our Hall of Fame.
   Old cargo pro Ralf Rainer Auslaender founded leisure cargo with LTU management on January 1, 2000, and he’s still operating pedal to the metal as Managing Director of an enterprise that serves as the arm of a large, impressive group of airlines that might not be in the air cargo business otherwise.
Chuckles For April 16, 2013
RE: Why Brazil Matters Now
    
Dear Geoffrey,
   I find it amazing how much promotion of Brazil is out there.
   None of the detractors are ever mentioned.
   Import duty rate is at least 100% of CIF value.
   Once a product is on the shelf the cost is up to 300% more than any other developed country.

Vol. 12 No. 33                                Friday April 12, 2013
Sunny In São Paulo
   “South America is a very important market with a long tradition with Lufthansa Cargo,” says Achim Martinka, Vice President Cargo, the Americas.
   “Our roots in the region date back to the 1930s and we have been operating scheduled freighter services to/from Brazil for almost 50 years without interruption.
   “Lufthansa Cargo currently operates 15 weekly freighter services and market the capacities on 49 weekly passenger flights.

TAP Fluent At Big Show
   “TAP-Cargo was present for the fifth consecutive year in Intermodal South America (this year the 19th edition) held in São Paulo,” reports José Anjos Cargo Director, TAP Air Portugal.
“The main goal of this Intermodal presence is to develop and improve the relationship with our customers.
“In fact the show is successful in attracting many important players, including importers and exporters from Brazil and European countries in the same place, at the same time, thus allowing exposure and access to many of the operational and commercial operators across the logistics chain.
“For this reason, most of the TAP Cargo sales managers worldwide are invited to this event to facilitate these very important face-to-face meetings with our customers.
“Also new business opportunities are explored, discussed and pursued during the exhibition with follow ups after that.”
Chuckles for April 4, 2013
Cargo Brief
LATAM said system wide passenger traffic increased 7.7% as capacity rose 4.2% for March 2013 as compared to 2012.

Emirates goes daily Dubai to Stockholm, Sweden starting September 4, 2013.
Why Brazil Matters Now
    Last week Brazil was in the transportation spotlight with the big Intermodal South America in Sao Paulo.
   Lots of people are thinking about Brazil in 2013.
   China is still a dicey deal, as imports and exports continue to yo-yo with no clearly discernable resurgence in any direction.
RE: FlyingTypers April 9, 2013 Lightbox

Dear Geoffrey,
As always Flying Typers is a good mix and pleasant to read.
One may want to add in regard to your "Lightbox" note about the opening of Kassel-Calden that the inauguration flight planned for last Friday did not take place because of... guess what, lack of passengers. Instead, for the handful of retirees showing up it was a taxi ride to a competitor airport, Paderborn-Lippstadt.

Vol. 12 No. 32                                 Tuesday April 9, 2013
Air Cargo News For April 9, 2013air cargo news for April 9, 2013

Emirates' Flanagan Launched An Empire Of The Air
   Dubai Exclusive—Ask Sir Maurice Flanagan what he is most proud of in his long and exciting airline career, and his answer is straightforward and remarkably to the point considering his half century of service.
   “Starting Emirates,” he says.
 

Chuckles for April 4, 2013
Picture Of The Year 2012
You know we like pictures.
How could you work in a business with so many beautiful people and not like pictures?

Vol. 12 No. 31                                Friday April 5, 2013

São Paulo Ship Shape
    Brazilian sea cargo and changes brought by Provisional Measure 595, a new regulatory framework for the sector, were talked up big at Intermodal South America 2013 this week at Transamerica Center, in São Paulo, Brazil.
   Many in attendance are hoping that constant changes in rules and regulations will now slow down to allow investment and business to flourish.
   "Brazil needs to provide competitive standards.
 

Pope Of Latin Cargo
  For our money, Claudia Silva emerged as “The Pope” of Latin American air cargo when he put the powerhouse that is the freight part of LAN, now known as LATAM Group, on world maps during the last decade.
Today Claudio is President and CEO at GSA startup Cargo Essence, which was launched in Miami in November 2011.

SkyCargo At Intermodal 2013
   “An excellent worthwhile event,” said Ram Menen, Emirates SkyCargo DSVP, of Intermodal 2013, as it offered more floor space than ever, and participation was excellent as always.
   “For Emirates, Latin America is a very important market as we connect the dots across the world.
   “We have been quite active in the Brazilian and neighboring markets.
Chuckles for April 4, 2013
SkyTeam Rules
  I am very positive concerning Intermodal 2013 this week in São Paulo.
 The event is perfect and well focused for South America, where we were front and center with a big SkyTeam stand
The Phil Bowell Song
I have never told anyone this, but as writing is my job, every story must be told eventually.
The picture (above) that you are looking at, Dear Reader, is my absolute favorite from all our 40-plus years in air cargo, and maybe a million pictures later.

Vol. 12 No. 30                                 Thursday April 4, 2013
Air Cargo News For April 4, 2013air cargo news for April 4, 2013

Sao Paulo Week Takes Off
   Proclaiming itself as the “second largest exhibition in the world for logistics, cargo transport, and international trade, with 65 percent of our 45,000 qualified visitors as cargo shippers in search of new solutions, best practices, and networking for the industry’s key players,” the 19th Annual Intermodal Latin America took off this week in Sao Paulo (April 2-4).
   Booming Brazil once again hosts one of the world’s most important transportation shows that nobody seems to know that much about.
 

Emo Network Builds Trade
  (Lisbon Exclusive)—We attended the Annual General Meeting of EMO Trans in Lisbon, which occurred hot on the heels of IATA WCS in Doha. IATA WCS was full of big thoughts and sky-high sessions and speeches, but speaking with busy Joachim (Jo) Frigger, CEO, EMO, what is most compelling is the direct hands-on attitude.

Chuckles for April 4, 2013
Delta Fish Biz No Fluke
   Some years back, Delta Air Lines Cargo and the seafood business began a relationship that has been gaining global supply-chain momentum whilst working to build new product markets.
We caught up with “Captain Ray” Curtis Delta’s Vice President Cargo Sales recently and he told us that, dating back to his earliest days in air cargo, he has been hooked on a feeling that the seafood industry would develop into a major business. Of course, that is exactly what has happened.
  It’s funny but when we think of Boston Seafood, we always recall “Captain Ray” was there the first time we visited the event more than 20 years ago.
Cargo Security News
  FreightWatch International’s (FWI) 2012 US Cargo Theft Report said that the U.S. pharmaceutical industry suffered 30 major cargo thefts during the year, with an average loss of $168,219.
     In 2011, the average loss was more than $555,500 and in 2010 losses averaged $3.7 million per incident.
U.S. Pharma has steadily been ramping up security since the 2009 burglary of an Eli Lilly warehouse in Enfield, Mass., resulted in $70 million, or a tractor trailer load of cardiovascular and depression medications, being stolen by two Miami-based brothers (one an alarm installer). They were later nabbed via DNA samples retrieved from a coffee cup left in the Lilly cafeteria where the pair apparently took a break during the heist.
RE: Russians To Unload Moscow Cargo

Geoffrey,

  I guess Sergei Shklanik summed it up best: no one is leaving Moscow for a long time to come. There is ample space in the three existing airports that serve the Moscow region—Domodedovo (DME), Sheremetyevo (SVO), and Vnukovo (VKO), with existing facilities or land to build new ones. The huge capacity available with the lower deck networks of major airlines such as Aeroflot, Transaero, plus the

Vol. 12 No. 29                                 Friday March 29, 2013
Screw The Queue
   Jürgen Weber, Chairman of Lufthansa's supervisory board, got stuck in a TSA queue recently and was none too pleased, saying that the security line for a morning flight to Washington from New York's LaGuardia airport was hundreds of yards long.

United Cargo Like It Never Was
 
 

Bettina Cares
  Bettina Jansen, Head of Environmental Management at Lufthansa Cargo puts the air out there like this:
  Air freight is indispensable to the global economy and it is our responsibility to operate transports as environment-friendly as possible.
  At our third Cargo Climate Care Conference in Frankfurt April 24, leading climate researchers will join with the logistics industry to exchange ideas and experiences.
Dash 8 To SV
 Jeddah – March 26, 2013. Saudi Airlines Cargo Co. has added two 747-8F aircraft to its current fleet, bringing the total number of freighters operated by the company to fifteen.
Chuckles for March 29, 2013
IATA Stuffs Can Fees
   When it comes to air cargo pallets and containers, historically non-airline ULD owners could use IATA two-character designators for their ULDs as long as they were members of the IULDUG.
  But IULDUG separated from IATA in 2011 and now operates as ULD Care, and that has changed everything.
  The cost per code was $500USD annually.
More Chuckles For March 29
Farewell Lufthansa Charter
  It’s approaching the end for Lufthansa Charter Agency as a stand-alone company, as another typically cold and leaden-gray sky day blankets Frankfurt this week.
  As we spoke to MD Reto Hunziker (pictured here with Heide Enfield) just prior to his departure for a ski trip to Switzerland, his voice, usually confident in tone, somehow seemed a bit hollow.
  Or maybe the Skype just gave off the impression of empty rooms somewhere deep inside the mammoth Lufthansa Cargo Complex at FRA.
  But it is just about done now.
Flowering The WorldFlowering The World

Vol. 12 No. 28                                 Monday March 25, 2013
Air Cargo News For March 25, 2013air cargo news for March 25, 2013

ATC Moves Byond Platinum
 

Etihad High Wide & Handsome
  “We are excited about opening a new set of books for the year,” David Kerr, VP Cargo Etihad, tells FlyingTypers.
  “Etihad has investments coming on-stream and a great team re-energized for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Chuckles for March 25, 2013
John Flying High To Paradise
    Recapping The International Boston Seafood Show (IBSS) 2013 held recently in Boston, Massachusetts, the old cargo pro John Ryan (R) now at Hawaiian Cargo, is pictured with (L) Austin Parker (Hawaiian HON).
   Hawaiian Airlines Cargo launched services to New York from HON last June.
Russians To Unload Moscow Cargo
  The Russian government, together with the country’s leading air freight companies, is considering unloading the Moscow hub, Russia’s largest air cargo hub (which is formed by Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo airports and accounts for up to 83 percent of air cargo traffic to Russia), because of its inability to deal with the ever growing cargo traffic.
   A significant increase in air cargo traffic in Russia in recent years has led to serious problems for the Moscow airports due to the limited resource of runways, as well as insufficient cargo capacity.

Vol. 12 No. 27                                   Wednesday March 20, 2013

Air Cargo News For March 20, 2013air cargo news March 20, 2013

If You Knew Peggy Guse
    Ask Peggy Guse, Director of United Cargo Sales Strategy, Marketing and Customer Service, what is new and deserves to be shared with the global air cargo business and her answer is immediate:
   “Our cargo sales strategy is always pointed toward delivering world-class sales account management by cultivating mutually beneficial relationships with our customers.
   “The key to achieving this in 2013 is to recognize, promote, and utilize the many benefits of our integrated cargo organization and unparalleled network.”

Chuckles For March 20, 2013

Talk Soup Sessions In Doha
  Looking around the small group of display stands last week at WCS 2013 in Doha, Qatar, we noted that the Dnata IT resource CALOGI continued its unprecedented launch into the international community.
  One reason CALOGI is getting so much attention and bears watching (in addition to its brilliant and ground-breaking menu of solutions for transportation) are Patrick Murray, Head of CALOGI Worldwide Cargo Distribution.
We hear Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency made money in 2012, but is being shut down anyway. It is better than even money that MD Reto Hunziker makes a soft landing at Chapman Freeborn. As expected and reported here exclusively last December, Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency disappears April 1 when Lufthansa signs a contract on cooperation with Chapman Freeborn later this week . . .
Cargo Week 2013 . . . The best part of Cargo Week in Doha, spending a couple of days in Dubai, and then going to Lisbon is being among all the wonderful people that make up the air cargo business, past and present.
Make no mistake: this business is all about people, and witness to that are all the industry colleagues that become our closest friends.

Vol. 12 No. 26                                      Monday March 18, 2013

Air Cargo News For March 18, 2013air cargo news March 18, 2013

Qatar Cargo Blockbuster
 (Dateline Doha)—The IATA WCS 2013 show is in town. Inside the big hotel with the sloping sides and midway down a long, thin, window-walled hallway, Uli Ogiermann sits in a comfortable room set up for interviews.

EMO Trans Portugese Interlude
  The inevitable show season that began last month in Johannesburg with Air Cargo Africa and continued with IATA World Cargo Symposium in Doha last week will move forward with Intermodal South America, the big South American opus in Sao Paulo, from April 2-4. It will be followed by the 23rd Cargo Network Services (CNS) Partnership Conference May 5-7 in Phoenix, Arizona, and the biggest show of the year (or any year) follows closely on the heels of that gathering: Transport Logistik & Air Cargo Europe June 4-7 in Munich. The year closes with Air Cargo Americas in Miami November 6-8. At the rate these shows are going, one could spend all of one’s time on airplanes for at least half a year.
Chuckles For March 18, 2013
Turkish Cargo All Over Africa
   Much admired today as a Middle East powerhouse air carrier to the world, Turkish Airlines Cargo dates back 77 years, when the Istanbul-based airline carried its first international cargo in 1936.
   As the legendary carrier approaches the ripe young age of 80 years in 2016, we spoke to Halit Anlatan, Turkish Cargo VP of Sales & Marketing, who leaves no doubt that not only is Africa on his screen, but also that the continent is viewed in crystal-clear high definition.
Upping The Irish In LIS
   Sitting in Lisbon this Sunday, March 17, we’re thinking about St. Patrick’s Day in New York.
   My home of New York City makes more of March 17 than any place else on earth, including Ireland.
   So while the corned beef and cabbage is nowhere on the LIS menu, kale soup with linguisa and cornbread are quick to make you forget your missed Irish meal.

Vol. 12 No. 25                                      Thursday March 14, 2013

Air Cargo News For March 14, 2013air cargo news March 14, 2013

Gentleman Pradeep Optimizes
 Dateline Doha—It’s good, when trying to get a sense of Emirates SkyCargo in 2013, to have a conversation with “Gentleman” Pradeep Kumar, Emirates SkyCargo Senior Vice President, Cargo Revenue Optimization & Systems.
When you catch up with Pradeep (who is usually out of the spotlight and is among the kindest, gentlest people we have met on this beat), you find yourself front row and center with a founding member of the cargo division of Emirates Airline when it was formed in 1985.

Neel At WCS & Beyond
  Among the heavy traffic of top global air cargo executives at IATA WCS this week in Doha, Qatar, Neel Jones Shah has marked a long and distinguished career at United Cargo and as the top executive at Delta Cargo before moving into his own business at JS Aviation Consulting.
Tony Tyler's BOMFOG
   “Brotherhood of Man, Fatherhood of God” or BOMFOG is an old newspaper expression that describes a politician’s stump speech; a mostly non-news talk that appears as news, but says very little, couched in words that offend no one.
   Delivering his second annual blessing at IATA WCS in Doha this week, IATA Secretary General Tony Tyler was specific on many subjects, including heaping praise on some stakeholders in air cargo, but in fact there was little to nothing in his speech that was news.
Saudia Adds Africa
  Saudi Airlines Cargo Co. renewed a pact with Fast Forward Cargo in the UAE for frequencies to West Africa from Dubai World Central.
   Described as a “new partnership,” the duo will operate what is equivalent to 175 combined B747 flights between the UAE and West Africa, connecting mainly to Lagos in
And Then There Were Two
Dateline Doha—The “old boys club” of airline top air cargo management gets a distinctive female voice and a different point of view this week in Doha as (L) Lise-Marie Turpin, Vice President, Air Canada Cargo and Lisa Brock, Executive Manager Qantas Freight are on equal footing with the men as part of the Cargo Week top management meetings and deliberations.
Jack Was A Stand Up Guy
    Longtime airline stalwart and all around good guy Jack "John" Michalek died on March 7, 2013.
   He was 72 years old.
   Jack is survived by his wife Diane, daughter Karen, son Joe, grandsons Evan and David, brother Michael and mother-in-law Esther.
   Jack was born in Camden, New Jersey, on August 7, 1940, to Loretta and Walter Michalek. He was the first of four boys.

Vol. 12 No. 24                                      Tuesday March 12, 2013

WCS Daze In Doha
  What is sure to be the benchmark air cargo event of the year, IATA’s World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Doha this week looks to be a formative and progressive meeting amongst a group working to shape the future standards of the industry.
  Whether you believe in it or not, based on its scheduling, WCS now gets a lot of attention as the second or third big air cargo event of the year, and also because at this gathering, every top air cargo executive (with few exceptions) from every IATA member airline is here.

Paradigm Shift For Air Cargo
 "We are really going through some very interesting times… very unlike what we have seen before.
On one hand, we have the market acting very erratic; oil prices are extremely high whilst the market/demand is down, and yet the stock market is running at all-time record levels.
The largest consumer market, the USA, is in a state of confusion because of the current politically driven fiscal divide.

Face To Face
  Something different at WCS: at the opening event Monday, a new feature called FACES (“Future Air Cargo Executive Summit”) was “especially designed to attract, motivate, and retain the new talents in our industry,” according to IATA Head of Cargo Des Vertannes, and meant “to facilitate interaction among current and future air cargo ambassadors,” according to IATA Secretary General Tony Tyler.
Action Plan For WCS
 The hallways were long, dark, slanted. When you ran it echoed loudly and your body felt askew. It was a donut, impossible to get lost in. Impossible to go anywhere new.
Express Motor Forward At LAS
    Just as the IATA World Cargo Symposium started up this week in Doha, Qatar, on the other side of the world in sin-city Las Vegas, the annual U.S. air cargo transportation and delivery industry’s “premier conference and exhibition event” kicked off—as if we needed more proof that air cargo is a global, 365/24/7 business This is a combination of meetings of the Airforwarders Association, the Air & Expedited Motor Carriers Association, the Express Delivery & Logistics Association, and, for the first time, the ACI-NA (Airports Council International—North America), all taking place under one roof at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa.
Remaining Flexible
Dateline Doha—Sometimes waiting can be the great equalizer.
   We arrive at the seriously overbooked Sheraton Doha and discover we are in a queue of about two dozen or more seriously jet-lagged travelers that having arrived at this desert oasis, must endure a three-hour wait for shelter.
More From The Boston Seafood Show

Vol. 12 No. 23                                   Monday March 11, 2013

Boston Markets Seafood Week
  They Got The Seafood Mama—International Boston Seafood Show (IBSS) launches its annual show at Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts, from March 10-12. It’s considered one of the best annual shows for business leads, business decisions, and just plain fun, and this year it will host more than 19,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibits.

No Half Shell Effort
  "Seafood is a substantial part of our global fresh business, so KLM Air France and Martinair recognize the importance and participate yearly at The International Boston Seafood Show,” said Jan Krems, Vice President The Americas for KLM, Air France, Martinair Cargo (AF/KL/MP).
“We have been regular attendees for years, and for the third year in a row, we will be exhibitors.
“The International Boston Seafood Show is very valuable to us, as it represents a large group of shippers, distributors, and freight forwarders that are specialized in the seafood business and that have representation in the U.S. Northeast and Northwest, Canada, Europe, and Latin America.”

KLM Frying High
 Not only does KLM have the touch when it comes to moving fresh seafood, they have also figured out how to take the oil from the fish & chips fry to power their airplanes.

Chuckles For March 11, 2013
Trucker's Ocean Dream
  Kyle Gray is Manager of Go Logistics based in Jacksonville, Florida, which brands itself as a trucking resource for the seafood business.
A quick glance at the outfit’s distinctively designed big-rigs fishtailing down the highway says that Go Logistics is fishing for bigger consignments by leveraging what Manager Kyle points out as a “core four” set of value-added services.
Robbie Beyond The Sea
Robbie Anderson, President-United Cargo casts his net.
“United Cargo’s message to the seafood community gathered in Boston is: we want your business, and we have everything it takes to provide the specialized service you need.
“United completed over two million flights last year to 381 airports on six continents, so we have the planes, the network, and the schedule to get your fresh seafood to its destination quickly without changing carriers.

Vol. 12 No. 22                                   Friday March 8, 2013

Lufthansa andreas ottoLufthansa's Otto Drive
   If Lufthansa Cargo has a five-year plan, part of it includes Dr. Andreas Otto continuing in his current capacity as Board Member, Product and Sales, until June 2018—the Supervisory Board of Lufthansa Cargo AG extended his contact last year.
   Andreas joined the Lufthansa Cargo Executive Board in April 2000 and is now its longest serving member.
   Through good times and other more challenging passages, he has been a high profile executive who makes it look easy.

DIAL Ltd. Delhi Premier India Cargo Gateway Terminal 3Delhi Takes A Village
  The operator of India’s busiest airport, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has issued a public notice inviting Expression of Interest (EoI) from interested parties for the development of a Cargo Village.

Chuckles For March 8, 2013
Agility Forwards Big Footprint
   Recent expansion will see Agility Logistics consolidate its air cargo forwarding business during 2013 to maximize latent potential.
   Acquisitions by Agility in Latin America have seen the company’s air cargo segment grow to over 500 locations in more than 100 countries.
Cathay Pacific Airways cancels an order for eight Boeing 777-200F freighters due to slowing demand but has signed an agreement to buy three Boeing 747-8 freighter aircraft . . .
Lufthansa Cargo added Wed/Sat freighter services to Guadalajara via Chicago from Frankfurt March 2, to return

Vol. 12 No. 21                                   Monday March 4, 2013