Vol. 10  No. 21                    WORLD'S MOST LOVED AIR CARGO PUBLICATION SINCE 2001                              Monday March 7, 2011



Jade Colors Hanoi 2011

     Jade Cargo International, the cargo airline founded by Shenzhen Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo in 2004, with its six Boeing 747-400 freighters, is ready for 2011 and with all the challenges that Gabriela Ahrens, Vice President Cargo Sales and Marketing, loves.
     It is this pioneer spirit, this infinite pleasure in organizational development, which drives her on.
Her desire to solve problems and remove hurdles is almost like an addiction, although in China (as well as almost everywhere else in the world) there is little patience for get up and go that got up and went.
     So, with hesitation, this go-getter declares:
     “I love new perspectives, changes, on the job as well as in private.”
     She says this and, at the same time, her whole face lights up.
     With this attitude and as one of just a few women, she has made it to the top floors of management of Lufthansa Cargo and on the way there has never “had the feeling that I wasn’t accepted.”
     When asked last year whether she wanted to switch to Jade Cargo International, she saw this offer as a new opportunity.
     The joint venture between the “most professional cargo airline of the world and its accent-setting Chinese partners” is the perfect combination “to deliver the high quality to our customers, which the Chinese market, with its existing hurdles, will allow.”
     Looking ahead (as usual), Gaby promises business as usual to be unusual:

FT:   What will be new and exciting at Jade Cargo in 2011?
GA:   The most exciting news from our side is that in August 2011 Jade Cargo will celebrate the 5th Anniversary of our flight operations.
     After three-years of dedicated work for Jade Cargo as CEO, Mr. Kratky will leave for the next step in his career. A new CEO will take office in the first half of 2011. Click for related news.
     Of course we also have plans to further extend our network. On February 27th, we commenced operation to Hanoi. There will be two flights per week, from Shanghai to Hanoi on Sundays and Thursdays. The flights ex Hanoi onwards to Amsterdam will include stopovers in Chennai (Madras), India and Dubai.
     During the Summer Season we will start marketing the flights into Southern Europe, including twice-weekly non-stop flights into Brescia (VBS), Italy from Shenzhen to cater to the uplift demand in Pearl River Delta region.
     Those flights will stop in Frankfurt (FRA) and return to Shanghai.
     Also, Barcelona (BCN), Spain will be served twice weekly via Shanghai every Tuesday and Saturday. On Tuesday it will return to Shenzhen via Frankfurt. Saturday it will continue to Frankfurt and return to Shenzhen via Delhi (DEL), India.
     We are also adding Geneva (GVA), Switzerland to the network with the start of the Summer Season and also twice weekly services into Kaunas (KUN), industrial and cultural center of Lithuania.
FT:   Recap 2010. Did the year perform up to expectation? (a) What stood out?
GA:   2010 was a year full of challenges. With the world economy recovering from the recession in the first part of the year, Jade achieved very positive results by optimizing our network and business portfolio.      Meanwhile, Jade was undergoing a major structural staff and management change. New and additional experts have been employed and important functions and positions have been newly assigned. I joined Jade Cargo as Executive Vice President, Product & Sales and Lutz Grabowski as Vice President, Flight Operations.
     In April we successfully managed the volcanic ash period. We were one of the only Cargo Carriers to continue the operations into Europe during this period and provide capacity to our customers.
     In October we successfully extended our fleet with one wet-leased aircraft and launched transpacific flights to U.S. and “round the world” service on the Shanghai-Yantai-Anchorage-Chicago-Amsterdam-Shanghai route.
FT:   Detail key appointments and any other new people you would like to introduce.
GA:   Of course the most important appointment will be announced within the first half of 2011 – the new CEO of Jade Cargo, the successor of Kay Kratky.
FT:   What is the biggest challenge to your business looking ahead?
GA:   In the past year, the post-recession rebound drove a rapid expansion for cargo earlier in the year, but it ran a bit out of steam by the third quarter. Since the demand peak in May, a large amount of additional capacities were (re-)introduced – mostly within Asia. This already caused decreasing load factors and rates in our core markets, for example, Asia.
     With the still uncertain overall economic development of 2011, our biggest challenge for the future will be to react with utmost speed and flexibility to changes in the market environment while sustaining a reliable product. This is the key challenge in our business, as traditional seasonality patterns seem to be invalid by now.
FT:   Name some trade shows that Jade will attend? Why?
GA:   We are going to participate in Transport Logistics 2011 in Munich as part of Lufthansa Cargo Group. We have attended the fair every two years and the experience convinced us it’s a fair we should attend.
     China International Logistics Fair is another trade show we attend annually; the trade show takes place in October in Shenzhen, where our corporate headquarter is located. This is an event where we can meet with our local customers in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
FT:   Which segment of Jade Cargo is performing best (mail?) and which holds the most promise (pharma?)
GA:   Due to the retirement of many B742Fs, the increasing share of B777F and B744BCF capacities and the delivery delay of the B748, nose door capacities will become a little tighter in the short- and mid-term perspective. Hence, we believe that special services for outsized cargo that require aircraft like the B747-400ERF will add value for our customers and Jade Cargo.
Geoffrey/Flossie

 

Carmen Taylor
AA's Latin Connection

     At a grand luncheon last Friday, March 4th in Miami, Florida, World Trade Center (WTC) awarded Carmen Taylor, the International Women’s Day Award. Carmen is managing director of sales at American Airlines Cargo for its Latin America division.
     It is worth mentioning that Charlotte Gallogly, a woman of some renown, heads up World Trade Center. She will host the biggest air cargo show in the Americas this year – the 11th Air Cargo Americas Conference & Trade Show in Miami from November 2-4, 2011.
     But that’s another story.
     The annual WTC award recognizes women who demonstrate “exceptional leadership in promoting and enhancing free trade and international business in the Americas.”
     “I’m humbled to receive this recognition and to be able to share my passion for international trade,” Carmen said.
     She is a 34-year veteran of American Airlines who has been at the top of AA Cargo’s Latin America Sales Division since 2005.
     “My philosophy is simple:
     “Do everything you can to make the customer successful, and they will also make you successful.
     “This is the principle my colleagues and I live by every day at American Airlines Cargo,” she said.
     “Carmen Taylor is recognized at the World Trade Center Miami’s International Women’s Day luncheon event for excellence—reflecting the influential role she plays in furthering Florida’s strategic position as the “Trade Logistics Capital of the Americas,” Ms. Gallogly (right) said.
     Taylor joined the Cargo Division of American Airlines in 2004, first as a regional sales manager responsible for the Southeast Region and Miami before being promoted to managing director of AA Cargo’s Latin America sales division, which includes South America, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and the southeast region of the United States, covering a total of 54 cities in 33 countries.
     She was born in Lyon, France and began her airline career in Canada straight out of college.
     Carmen, who speaks at least six languages fluently, says she owes much to her parents, who she describes as visionary, for “providing me a beautiful childhood and education.”
     “I called my Mom from Toronto after being hired to work the French reservations desk at AA and said I’d be home in a few months.
     “That was 34 years ago.”
     Carmen says that she balances her tough schedule by being very careful to take time for family—she is considerate of her married life with her husband, John, and being the mother of a 28-year old son, Alexander.
     “Our son Alexander lives in Canada, where he graduated from college and now works in the computer software industry.
     "My husband John and I—we spend quality time enjoying each other and my devotion to him includes preparing all of his meals.
     “You know, I was born in a part of France known for it’s gastronomic excellence, so it comes naturally to me to cook up a storm.
     “Last night we had grilled game hens in wine and mushrooms and garlic.
     “I got home after work and after we ate at the table, John said with a smile:
     “‘It was worth the wait!’
     “‘So are you,’ I told him.”
     “But I also tell you as any woman of courage will, at times it is tough to leave for trips, on Easter Sunday for example.
     “But you balance things out.
     “Most Sundays I am happy because I know I’ll go to work on Monday and make American a better airline and my customers happy.
     “My job means so much to me.
     “American is such a great company to work for.”
     We wonder what it is like to often be the only female in the room and to work all these years in an industry and region of the world dominated by men.
     “Today the world has changed, so I don’t even feel it that often,” Carmen said.
     “Nearly everyone working for me here are men.
     “Sometimes you can see eyes light up when a woman is introduced as ‘the boss,’ but now and for a long time, whether here in Miami or on the road across South America, the recognition from men is congratulations for gaining this position.
     “No matter who you are, the demands are there to deliver all around,” Carmen Taylor said.
Geoffrey/Flossie

For More on Carmen click here

 

Renate From Swingtail To B747-8

     There are not too many ladies who can look back at a 36-year career in the air cargo industry, let alone within the same company. Renate Bechthold of Cargolux can do just that. From the Canadair CL-44 (the famous 'Swingtail' freighter) to the Boeing 747-8F (the most modern cargo jet), for which Cargolux is the launch customer, her name is linked with the company and the company is linked with her.
     Renate was born in Frankfurt. After finishing high school in 1962, she started a commercial business education from 1962-65 while working in the marketing section of a Frankfurt-based company in the machine tool industry. To further develop her skills, she left her hometown to study at Cambridge University (1970-72) and the Sorbonne in Paris (1972-73), both financed from au-pair work and teaching children. This was later followed with additional French commercial and Spanish classes in Luxembourg, where in 1974 she assisted the management of a big, German textile company.
      Her professional career developed further with marketing positions in Frankfurt, London and Luxembourg.
      In March 1975 she joined Cargolux; her first year was spent as a secretary in the company's Sales Department (Asia/Pacific and Africa Sales) and Aircraft Planning. In these days, Cargolux still operated CL-44 's and the first DC8 freighter. Scheduled services between Luxembourg and Hongkong had been offered as well as ad hoc charters with grapes from Cyprus or fish from Iceland to the mid-European markets. Cargolux faded out the CL-44 and the DC-8's and purchased their first Boeing 747 -200 freighter in 1977.
      In the early 80s, the world economy and high jet fuel prices gave the whole industry a hard time.
In her function as Marketing Officer, Renate continued to powerfully present the logo with the cubes to the markets. Following her 8 years in the Marketing Department of Cargolux, in 1986 she took on the position of Public Relations Manager. She headed this department for 12 years, followed by 5 years of activities in Cargolux's Product Promotions Department.
      During the past 10 years, Renate has liaised with the international press and taken care of promotions covering Cargolux's Area 2 - Europe, Africa and the Middle East (now Europe, the Middle East & Central Asia), including the international events of the air cargo industry.
      Whenever Cargolux attends conferences, exhibitions and trade shows, you can rest assured that Renate holds the contacts. She also handles the promotion of Cargolux's commodities, from Live Animals, Temperature Sensitive Goods, Plants and Flowers to the Big and Heavy Oversize pieces moving through the nose- and side-cargo doors of her airplanes.
      If you can believe it, she still has some time left for private activities. For her it is always a matter of the heart – keeping relationships with people, taking care of charity wherever needed (including the care of Cargolux's charity shipments), engaging in active sports (land and water - haven't seen her in the air yet), partaking in dancing (with a first prize just received at Dubai's Cargo Charity Ball), enjoying music and reading, practicing her religion, learning about international cultures, and much, much more—and hopefully bubbling with a good glass of champagne at the end of her busy days.

Editor's Note: Renate Bechthold retired on Friday March 4.

 

A Woman's Journal

Out In Africa Helping Others

     Heide Enfield, Head of Marketing & PR, and the team at Lufthansa Charter were just a few among the several hundred people who journeyed from all over the world to Nairobi, Kenya last month to attend Air Cargo Africa.
     But while in Nairobi, an encounter outside the trade show turned out to be unique and quite wonderful.
     First, a little background.
     How many of us travel to far off places and exotic lands only to see the airport, a limousine and the hotel?
You get a very limited view of the world that way.
     Heide Enfield writes that the Lufthansa Charter team stepped out of the norm to acknowledge their surroundings and venture forth from a protected business enclave to do some good. This, of course, after the business of business was finished.
     Their brief encounter in a charity effort showed extraordinary decency and caring.
     For visitors to an air cargo trade show, it may have been a first.
     Maybe this can be viewed as a very small step, but this is how great works begin and all of air cargo should take a lesson from this example.
     Air cargo lifted itself beyond the norm during Air Cargo Africa.
     And not surprisingly, a woman was leading the way.
     “As an exhibitor at Air Cargo Africa 2011 in Nairobi, we decided to support the charity project ‘Cargo Human Care,’ founded by employees of our parent company, Lufthansa Cargo.
     “We wanted to support Mothers’ Mercy Home, an orphanage in Kianjogu just outside Nairobi, which is part of the Lufthansa Cargo’s ‘Cargo Human Care’ (CHC) project.
     “The Mothers' Mercy Home is a children's home for orphans, many of whom lost their parents to HIV. Since 2005, CHC has supported the children with clothing and medical care.
     “Being guests in Kenya, we thought it a good idea to contribute to the future of Kenya’s children.
     “So under the slogan ‘Make children smile. Donate a future. Win a jumbo jet!’ we had a Lufthansa Cargo Charter Boeing 747-400F 1:100 model on display during the fair and anybody who donated dropped a business card.
     “On the last day of the exhibition, Thursday, February 24, 2011, we raffled the aircraft model amongst all donators.
     “The very happy winner was Martin Hoffmann of Stuttgart Airport.
     “The other happy winners were those of us at Lufthansa Cargo, as in the end we could bring over 500,-€ to Mothers’ Mercy Home that same afternoon and see the children’s smiles.
     “Mothers’ Mercy Home was founded in 2001 by a group of women, Mothers Union, of the Mount Kenya South Anglican Church diocese.
“They started with 36 children between 3 and 5 years old, in extremely basic buildings made of corrugated metal sheets.


     “In 2005, Lufthansa Cargo pilots started the support by bringing children’s clothes and toys, collected from colleagues and friends, to the children. In 2006 the first voluntary doctors were flown in on the freighter flights for a few days and in 2007 Cargo Human Care, a non-profit association, was founded.
     “With many people, companies and media in Germany involved, Cargo Human Care managed to raise enough money so that in April 2008 the foundation stone for a new building was laid.
     “During November 2008, 98 children were moved from their corrugated metal dormitories into the new stone building.
     “In February 2009, the extension of the building was finalized and the Cargo Human Care Medical Centre opened its doors.
     “A good amount of land is around the building, on which vegetables and fruits grow and cows, goats, chickens and rabbits have their stalls.
     “And there is enough space for the children to be outside to play.
     “As we visited Mothers’ Mercy that last day in Kenya, we were extremely impressed by the new facilities and the organization behind it.
     “Being there, you can still see the old buildings and realize that Mothers’ Mercy Home has come a long way.
     “But most of all, we were overwhelmed by the generosity of the people behind Mothers’ Mercy; the staff of the orphanage and the medical center; the doctors flying in for free and offering their expertise and all the others involved.
     “The effort and caring of everybody, not only in donating money but also giving time, heart and soul to this project deserves our admiration for giving these children a future,” Heide Enfield writes.
Geoffrey/Flossie

 

Meagher Departs Saudi Cargo

     According to sources close to the carrier, Saudi Arabian Cargo’s Executive VP Michael Meagher has left Saudi.
     The Ireland-born manager took over responsibility January 1, 2009 when the Riyadh-based carrier decided to outsource its air freight unit forming an independent entity called Saudi Airlines Cargo Company LLC.
     Today parent Saudi holds 70 percent of the cargo carrier’s stakes with the remaining 30 percent having been acquired by Tarabut, a Saudi Arabian group of investors.
     Saudi Cargo has not issued a statement regarding Meagher’s departure.
      Meagher is a true veteran of the industry, holding many positions in his career spanning from Managing Director at Silverjet Cargo to Director Airlines Sales at Sabre to Head of Cargo at Aer Lingus.
     He also held the distinguished position of Chairman of IATA–Cargo Committee, as well as chairman of ICARUS-E Com and EDI Company in Ireland.
     Last November in one of his last public appearances on behalf of his employer he said, “we have ambitious plans for expansion of our cargo operations, not only for next year but also into 2012 and 2013.”
     This expansion however, will now take place without him.
     Currently Saudi Cargo operates four MD-11Fs, two B747-400Fs, and one B747-200F.
     In addition the lower deck capacity of the parent company’s passenger fleet are fully rented by the carrier’s cargo subsidiary.
Heiner Siegmund/Sabiha Arend

 

Women Fly 99 At Air India

     We love happy coincidences.
     A press release from Air India says the carrier is celebrating International Women's Day and the 100th year of Civil Aviation in India on March 8 by offering women a domestic ticket in economy class at Rs 99.
     Although the presser didn’t make any mention of “The Ninety-Nines,” our first thought was about that first female group in aviation, which was established in 1929 and was comprised of 99 women pilots.
     Today, members of The Ninety-Nines, Inc., International Organization of Women Pilots, are represented in all areas of aviation.
     For the record, women constitute nearly 19 percent of Air India’s total work force in key areas of its activity, including specialized technical areas and senior management.
     Women pilots, flight dispatchers, aircraft maintenance engineers, safety and quality auditors, cabin crew, doctors, technical officers, ground instructors and simulator maintenance engineers are also part of the team.
     So on March 8th, as a new group of 99s go sky high all over India for a day, we are reminded of what the Ninety-Nines Women Pilots’ first President, Amelia Earhart, said:
     “Fly for the fun of it!”
Geoffrey

 

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RE: Air Cargo San Diego Meet

Geoffrey

     Thank you very much for the Friday, March 4th article about Air Forwarders Association.
     Very well done!
     Great pictures!
     There is only one area I wanted to bring to your attention.
     Your comment about no women achieving the executive level at AfA is not correct.
     I personally was on the Excom for 2 years as treasurer and then served another 2 years as Chairman.
     Cathy Langham of Langham Logistics served 4 years as Chairperson prior to that.
     Our board is made up of strong, talented leaders that work very hard to support the industry no matter what the gender.
     Great article again!
     Thank you for doing this for our industry and association.

Laura Sanders
VP Operations
Lynden International

Dear Laura,

     Thanks for writing.
     You are absolutely correct.
     We should have made that point clear and regret any misunderstanding.
     Our website www.aircargonews.com now includes this new information.
     Congratulations to you and Cathy Langham for leading the way for Women In Air Cargo.
     We think AfA is a great organization that deserves wider attention and want to help in any way possible.

Best greetings,
Geoffrey


Hi Geoffrey,

     Hope you are well and just wanted to thank you for your ongoing support of women in the industry.
     I hope you have another trip planned to the UAE one of these days - I miss catching up with everyone at the big events, like the one recently held in Nairobi.
     I'm well and enjoying my role with the GCAA.
     Not as exciting (as being the first female airport manager in history in the Middle East [RAK]), but much better for family life.
     Hope you and your family are well and all the very best.

Kind regards,
Michelle Soliman

RE: Remembering Jos

Geoffrey,

     Thank you so much for the touching obituary on Jos. Although I only knew him from the LOT GSA fam trips, he was a most warm and interesting gentlemen.
     I will watch his “Polska 1963” DVD, that he sent me after our last meeting, and again enjoy his wonderful pictures.

With warm regards,
Kevin Madden
Atlanta Air Cargo Assn.
Global Airlift Services

 

IATA An Open & Closed Event

     The stage is set for IATA’s World Cargo Symposium taking place all this week in Istanbul Turkey.
     Air cargo week is actually built around the mandated once-yearly meetings of all the air cargo chieftains and the Cargo Services and Cargo Agency Conferences, with IATA as part of their basic set-up as members of that organization.
     Those meetings conducted almost since IATA went into business have gained some attention as a wider industry event with all stakeholders in air cargo invited to attend and even put up booths and present their company story in a commercial setting.
     But for the most part IATA World Cargo Symposium has remained an open and closed event.
     Open at certain times to everyone and closed at other times to only the highest executives of IATA and the airline bosses with little to no reporting of their closed sessions.
     There are signs under new IATA global head of cargo Des Vertannes that greater transparency and involvement of the top executives with the rest of the regular folk who flock to this event in even bigger numbers may actually take place.
     Surely WCS hosts, the people of Turkey have gone out of their way to make everyone feel welcome at this momentous event that gets underway on March 8 after several of the aforementioned closed meetings take place on Monday March 7 today.
     To celebrate opening of WCS we present a video here featuring The Four Lads recorded during the 1950s with pictures of beautiful Istanbul and a caution:
     This song has both an infectious beat and lyric that almost as fast you hear it will lodge itself inside your head.
     A good thing to think about for a change.
Geoffrey Arend

 

An Air Cargo News/FlyingTypers Original

   Our exclusive series “Women In Air Cargo” asks our readers to send some words and a picture about somebody that you know who is female and has made a difference in air cargo.
  This effort is not limited to just success or failure, it is meant to raise awareness about the legions of unique women who in most cases are unsung heroines in the air cargo industry.
  So write and we will share your story with our readers around the world.

 

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