In case you were wondering, at age 84 Maurice Flanagan can still be found at work in his office, just as he has always been since the airline went into business more than 25 years ago.
     Today we find him atop the Emirates Airline headquarters building at Dubai International Airport.
     Sir Maurice (he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in Abu Dhabi three years ago) was present at the creation of Emirates Airline and is quite responsible for launching the global air giant in 1985—and with just two leased planes.
     In 2012 he remains at the helm as Emirates' executive vice chairman, having recently tackled an old soccer injury that led to the rebuilding of his right knee.
     Flanagan, a native of the U.K. and a graduate of Liverpool University, served in the Royal Air Force in 1951 with some dreams of a career as an international soccer player, until he stepped in a pothole at an air force base on Prince Edward Island and badly damaged his knee.
     Having finally addressed his old sports injury four square, he remains on the mend with his right leg in a brace, moving about via a mobile support device.
     Ever proud, he dismisses his ordeal, simply saying:
     “It’s embarrassing.”
     Maurice Flanagan is remarkable for many reasons, including the fact that age and a knee problem have taken nothing of his determination, drive and quick mind, as he surveys the global airline industry in general and Emirates’ future in particular.
     He has put his stamp on an air carrier that is the match and promise of the dynamic city it serves, moving towards a tomorrow that seems limitless.
     Building an empire of the air whilst flying from an airport in a small country is nothing new.
     From KLM, British Imperial Airways, Pan Am, and others that started right after Lindbergh flew the Atlantic and changed everything in 1927, great airlines have grown from Amsterdam to Singapore.
     But none of them had the daring and the plan of Emirates and the incredible geographic positioning at a true crossroads of the world: the United Arab Emirates.
     Maurice Flanagan does not blink when asked if Emirates is out to become the top airline in the world.
     “Absolutely,” he says with no hesitation.
     “We are already there in many categories.”
     Maybe even more remarkable is that while other airline builders were in decline or had even seen their life’s work diminished as they reached their senior years, here is an airline builder octogenarian realizing his dream of growing a great world airline, which in 2012 continues to sprout routes all over the world, adding more than a dozen new destinations this year alone including three new, daily, nonstop cities in the USA alone.
     “I think every once in a while that maybe I’ll back up a bit,” Maurice says.
     “But the Prince says he needs me,” so the saga continues.
     It is also worth mentioning that the senior management team at EK (many recruited by Mr. Flanagan), including Emirates President Tim Clark, a veteran of British Caledonian, who Maurice regards as "the best planner in the business by miles," remains in place despite the ups and downs of an ever turbulent airline business.
     But Maurice Flanagan admits that so far, 2012 has been a big challenge driven by fuel prices and softness in premium travel.
     “We are suffering because of the cost of fuel and also the state of the world economy.
     “Last year we made quite bit of money and paid our employees a bonus.
     “This year when we report in a few weeks I’m afraid that, while still profitable, there will be no bonus.

     “We will continue to expand our global presence and have ordered 100 A380s to do just that, as well as Boeing B777s and also the yet to come A350s that we chose over the Boeing B787.
     “A very interesting aircraft worth thinking about is the next version B777, which will combine today’s jet with composites and other features of the B787; among other attributes, it will make the B777 lighter and even more fuel efficient.
     “We expect to know more about the next B777 during 2013.
     “So we remain bullish and in a growth mode.
     “We expect things to calm down and the business will come back as it always does.
     “Our view is that forecasts of the airline business doubling during the next 20 years are spot on.
     “To that end, Emirates is perfectly positioned to be a major transportation resource, with Dubai and its new airport capable of moving 170 million passengers annually as our partner.
     “But everyone has to play fair and allow free access to markets.
     “Right now we have a problem with Canada and cannot access their markets properly.
     “So while Dubai is open to anyone to serve, Emirates continues to expand in the USA and also South America but is thwarted by Air Canada, a financial basket case of an airline supported by its partner, Lufthansa.
     “We have flights to Toronto and are siphoning off traffic from Vancouver with our new Seattle flights that all make money, but there is little else in Canada.
     “Everybody in Vancouver wants us there, but Air Canada has us blocked.
     “Interestingly, despite Lufthansa’s actions elsewhere, we can fly anywhere in Germany and expect to add Stuttgart and also Berlin soon.
     “It’s very simple: we provide good service and value for money anywhere we fly.
     “Emirates makes money and city politicians understand that we enhance local economies and build business connections wherever we fly.
     “For example, we now serve Buenos Aires and have traffic rights between BA and Rio, creating new business connections and lifting local economies all around as a result.
     “It simply makes no sense at all that protectionism in international air service continues anywhere in the world in 2012.”
     As we take our leave while walking through the outer office and out into the main hallway, we cannot imagine Emirates without Maurice Flanagan.
     Without a doubt he will be here at this airline as long as he wants to, preferring to conduct his life well lived doing something he truly loves.
     His legacy puts this unique, one-of-a-kind gentleman at the top for anyone who has ever dreamed of building a great, international airline.
     While Maurice is quick to extoll the praises of Emirates Chairman and CEO Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al      Maktoum as a visionary and extremely well qualified airline builder who is without peer in modern aviation today, and lauds the rest of the team at EK “as exceptional,” Mr. Flanagan’s presence at Emirates Airline can no doubt be best exemplified by the airline's success and the adamant feelings HH has regarding Sir Maurice's influence.
     We think the Prince is right.
Geoffrey/Flossie

     Global Logistics Network (GLN) President Roy Stapleton said GLN acquisition of Trans-Directory brings to the worldwide group a quick view online logistics provider web site comprising a database of 40,000 forwarders engaged in all modes of transportation.
     “We wanted to have another string to our bow for GLN exposure as we note our key network competitors seem to be aligning themselves with such portals and promoting themselves for a price.
     “We decided to purchase such a vehicle and shape it to our higher standards and quality”.
     “For GLN itself, the benefits are twofold, specific highlight in the country and city that another agent might be looking for a partner, resulting in the potential for GLN to earn some extra return from other agents signing up”
     “We have selected Trevor Titley, a graduate of Buffalo University with a degree in Business Management, who happens to be the son of Andy Titley, a director at GLN.
      “Trevor is a very bright young man whom we have tasked to regenerate Trans-Directory into a modern social medium in order to become an indispensable ‘go to’ web portal for logistics companies globally.
      “He brings a number of innovative ideas that will be implemented in the near future to make Trans-Directory the leading directory in its sector.”
     “Trans-Directory will be operated as a separate stand-alone entity.
     “We want to offer our members every facility to enhance their business products and the acquisition of Trans-Directory is an ideal vehicle to do so taking advantage of special cargo in niche markets, beyond general freight, be it project, heavy lift, cold chain, perishables or dangerous goods.”
For more information:  RStapleton@Go2GLN.com

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