High, wide, and handsome is one way to describe the arc of the growing enterprise that is American Airlines Cargo—it's also an accurate descriptor of its expansive and interesting president, Jim Butler.
     Jim came into the industry after shouldering major responsibility during the integration process that turned the merger of USAir and American into a textbook success.
     Now with some time and air cargo mileage under his wings, as the season for trade shows and industry events gets underway, Mr. Butler steps out this week for an appearance in New York at the JFK Air Cargo Expo on March 31. We imagine he is one who will be watched closely.
     Last autumn, Jim Butler's thoughtful and forward-looking address at the Air Cargo Americas luncheon ignited and propelled the event.
     We have described Jim Butler as a “new type of cargo boss.”
     He deeply understands this industry and apparently, he likes it.
     “In many respects, the cargo side of the airline is more complex and there was a bit of a steep learning curve,” he said, “but I'm incredibly proud of the team that persevered through the integration and other changes, which allowed me to move quickly up that curve.

     “Given that we operate as a complete business, having all of the individual components in one organization is exciting and will ensure we have our work cut out for us for many years to come.
     “If I had to choose a new job, air cargo would certainly be at the top. With enthusiasm, a renewed strategic focus, new investment, and a strong vision for cargo at American, we are recruiting and developing some of the top talent from other parts of company as well as the outside.”
     President Jim Butler pulls no punches when outlining some thoughts and delivering the goods for AA Cargo in 2016.
     “The year has gotten off to a solid start. Although we're only a couple months into 2016, we are cautiously optimistic about the growth and success of the air freight market this year.
     “There are ample opportunities available to enhance the customer experience through streamlined communication and increased visibility into the shipping process. Already this year, we've introduced our enhanced tracking capabilities on our website, begun the implementation of a new CRM tool, and opened two new temperature-controlled facilities in San Juan and Dallas. In addition to our focus on the enhanced customer experience, for the rest of the year we'll continue to push forward with our e-freight adoption efforts and work to find more innovative ways to best utilize our newest routes, including Sydney (SYD), Haneda (HND), Auckland (AKL) and Hong Kong (HKG).”
     According to Butler, American Airlines Cargo is “not only focusing on the continued development of our domestic network, but in investing in the improvement of our organizational structure and processes to bring more efficiency and transparency to our customers.
     “This involves several major initiatives, including centralization of our customer experience channels. Now we have a dedicated team focused on predicting and reacting to customer needs. Over the past year, we've also been reaching out to customer for direct feedback. “
     “What we received in return was a vast amount of valuable information that has given us a new perspective on want our customers really want from a service and technology perspective. Based on that feedback, we were able to start making positive changes to our products and services, allowing for a more customized and enhanced experience system wide.
     “At a higher level, we're investing in and integrating operations with the rest of the airline, which adds operational accountability at the regional level, outside of cargo. Cargo is an integral part of our airline and we're doing our best to ensure companywide understanding of operational best practices and support for the customers who trust us to ship valuable cargo in our planes.”
     We asked Jim Butler to choose one superpower, and his answer reflected the selflessness with which he approaches his job.
     “If I had to choose one, I might say mind reading! In the business world, that might be the most effective tool—being able to fully hear and understand the needs of our both our customers and employees.
     With the belief that “the air cargo industry is a highly important means of transport for a variety of organizations worldwide,” we wondered what Butler thought air cargo could be doing better.
     “One thing we need to focus on for long-term success is our shift toward a fully digital process. In the last year alone, we've seen a significant shift in the focus of eAWB implementation across the industry. By eliminating paper and manual processes and replacing them with the electronic exchange and verification of information, we can create greater efficiencies. And this ultimately leads to our overall goal of increased visibility into the shipping process and the faster transport of goods for customers. We are a global business and interact with a variety of groups with their own systems that need to be transformed, so the coordination and implementation of the needed changes will take time. We just have to continue transforming at a quicker rate to maintain the effectiveness and efficiency customers value most.”
     With the landscape of air cargo constantly shifting, there isn't much that surprises Jim Butler. However, one pleasant revelation has arisen from American Airlines Cargo's ability to handle pretty much anything that comes its way.
     “Lately, I've been surprised at how much our frontline team has embraced recent regulatory changes and new initiatives, such as e-freight and increased capacity. The enthusiasm and effort hasn't gone unnoticed and I'm more than pleased to see how much our greatly expanded—and still growing—employee base has exceeded company and industrywide expectations, in regard to operational reliability, safety, and customer experience.”
Geoffrey