The words from a Lufthansa Cargo spokesman to FlyingTypers were terse:
     “During the course of investigations by the prosecutor’s office against, among others, an employee of Lufthansa Cargo, various company offices were searched today at the Frankfurt base.
     “Lufthansa Cargo is cooperating with the authorities and giving them every assistance.
     “In view of the ongoing investigations, no further details can be disclosed at the present time.”
     The story first appeared Tuesday in Der Spiegel and outlined an investigation into bribery and payoffs during the past two years involving Handling Counts, a Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary.
     Der Spiegel’s information is that one of the accused is a Managing Director of Handling Counts, who also holds a top position at Lufthansa Cargo.
     Der Spiegel describes five people accused in a ring that reportedly has led to searches at 17 business and residential premises, in addition to Lufthansa Cargo headquarters in Frankfurt am Main.
     Handling Counts is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo with about 300 employees.

Bill Gottlieb, (left) Honorable Member of the Board of FIATA and Thomas Sim, (right) Chairman of the FIATA Advisory Body Vocational Training, approach 2014 with a full agenda and some exciting news as the ICAO/FIATA Dangerous Goods by Air Training Program has seen tremendous developments since its inception two years ago.
     “It resulted from a dedicated partnership between the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), to fill a need to deliver industry specific training for staff of freight forwarders, shippers and packers, in accordance with ICAO training curricula,” Messers Gottlieb and Sim told FlyingTypers.
     “Incorporating ICAO’s vast technical knowledge and regulatory experience, in conjunction with FIATA’s global reach in vocational training programs, the partnership allows for initial and recurrent courses being offered through a network of accredited ICAO/FIATA Training Centers. Students successfully completing these courses are recognized by the issuance of a universally accepted ICAO/FIATA certificate.
     “As part of the Programs strict quality management criteria, FIATA’s Air Freight Institute and Advisory Body of Vocational Training established a Steering Committee, charged with the responsibilities to approve Training Center applicants once they have been successfully assessed in regards to their readiness to adopt and deliver the program in their local market.
     “The program maintains global standards through its close adherence to the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air.
     “This ensures that those logistics professionals and international traders successfully completing the program have received exceptional training to prepare them to handle and transport dangerous goods in accordance with international safety and security standards.
     “The ICAO/FIATA Dangerous Goods by Air Training Program is globally recognized by regulators, operators, and shippers, and its certificates are accepted as meeting the requirements for dangerous goods training by IATA’s Cargo Agency Program.
     “With the full endorsement and involvement of ICAO, FIATA plans to integrate this program into a wider Vocational Training portfolio to meet the growing educational needs of the logistics sector.
     “Leveraging FIATA’s strong reputation in vocational training, and its ability to deliver courses through a large and geographically diverse network of Association Members and Training Centres, we expect to see higher levels of adoption by industry, which will further drive the acceptance of global training standards.
     “FIATA looks forward to a successful 2014, a year which will bring continued development of the programs’ curricula, delivery methods, and expansion of training centers.”
     FlyingTypers readers wishing to gain more information on the ICAO/FIATA Dangerous Goods by Air Training Program or other FIATA training initiatives may email training@fiata.com.
Geoffrey

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