nce 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.

Chicago Exclusive—Inside United’s massive downtown Chicago headquarters, Jim is speaking about what it has taken to combine two airline cultures. His resolve is refreshing, and reminds us of the lyrics to an old Ringo Starr song:
                    “Got to pay your dues,
                    “If you want to sing the blues,
                    “And you know it don’t come easy.”
     And for United, for all the aforementioned reasons plus soft spots on the world air cargo business landscape, 2012 and 2013 have been about paying some heavy dues while melding two cargo operations into one and getting everything in sync.
     The fact that he is now on the trade show and cargo club circuit can be seen as progress, because who goes out with nothing to talk about?


      “I want to be a different kind of sales leader.
     “We need to take a refreshed look at our customers.
     “What I mean by that is that our approach to our customers from this point forward is different that it was before.
     “United Cargo is more humble and very much more appreciative than before.
     “Our priority from now on is to do what is fair for our customers first, and the company second.
     “If you want to call that a paradigm shift in the way we do business, well, there it is.
     “The shift is on at United Cargo and we believe it will change things for the better.”
     “When we went into this merger together, I was told:
     “‘Jim, sit up straight, poke your chest out, and don’t forget that you now work for the world’s largest airline, so be proud of it.’
     “Now with my new position leading United Cargo’s global sales team I can take an approach with which I am more comfortable.
     “United Cargo will no longer portray altitude as attitude.
     “We want the industry to do business with our great airline and its truly magnificent global system, and thousands of bright dedicated air cargo employees.
     “My top priority is to make our customers and service partners know that they are our number one priority and that we will never forget how important they are.”


     “I joined Continental Airlines Cargo Development Group in 1986 with people like Walt Atkinson.
     “We were still a group of independent third party sales people, real 1099ers, earning straight commission on everything we sold.
     “It was very lucrative back in the day, as CDG was a subsidiary of Continental and we actually utilized what we called ‘monthly gain sharing.’
     “What that meant was that as our operations made money, a percentage was divided up amongst all of us.
     “What an incentive!
     “People would get on each other for wasting anything—a cargo net, even toilet paper, saying things like:
     “‘Hey, save that net—a new one comes out of our profit sharing.’
     “Not everybody was crazy about CDG’s policy; in fact, some ramp folks thought it unfair, but we made money and had a growing product line that continued right into the time Frank Lorenzo came along and integrated CDG into the airline.
     “Later our product continued to grow, develop, and prosper as Jack Boisen and Jim McKeon led the charge at Continental Cargo.


     “The short version of my title is global sales.
     “I moved over to this post from cargo sales director, the Americas, just about 90 days ago.
     “I have been in cargo sales for 27 years and I guess the GSA experience has stayed with me for my entire career, for its entrepreneurial spirit and the feeling that when you put something into your effort, the reward coming back is felt and appreciated.
     “I like to make that experience work today up and down the line, thinking that income should be equal to ability and ambition.
     “It’s a good rule, an outgrowth of my time as a GSA, not always easy to implement with everyone, but basic and fine with me.”


      Jim Bellinder certainly knows that he has a big job ahead of him.
     It is no secret that United Cargo suffered during the integration, as challenges from matching up metal to schedules and people and even market approach have caused slippage in market share for the Chicago-based carrier.
      Delaying the phased introduction of B787, an airplane that the carrier has pretty much pinned its future hopes upon, has not helped much either.
     So ever the sales guy with a story to tell—including the fact that his role in the team that reports to Robbie Anderson finally feels like it has actually turning the corner in addressing major issues—Jim sets out on the rubber chicken circuit as a global effort now begins.
     Jim will tell his audiences that it is a new day and despite whatever went on previously, he will be only as far away from the action as an email or a cell phone, and that the spirit of a new United Cargo will make leveraging a powerful global cargo resource possible.
     “United is eager to make things work from the ground up by putting the customer first.
     “Our Cargo Sales team that goes out on the front line every day all over the world—over 160 people, is focused on going the extra mile to find solutions for our customers .
     “Down deep we know that we can never forget how important our customers are.
     “Now is the time to deliver on that reality,” Jim Bellinder said.
Geoffrey/Flossie

here 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.
     Celebi has had a long link with India. The company was given the ground handling licenses for operations in Mumbai Airport (in July 2009) and in Delhi Airport (in June 2010). In 2009 the Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management was given the concession to develop, modernize, finance, and operate the existing cargo terminal for a period of 25 years.
     Over the last year, the Celebi-operated cargo terminal at Delhi has done creditably. An upbeat Rajesh Goel, CEO, Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India, told ACNFT that Celebi’s performance has been recognized and lauded because it has been able to offer something new in the market.
     “In fiscal year 2011-12, Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal handled approximately 371,000 MT of international cargo. Exports including perishables contributed to approximately 196,300 MT and import contribution was about 174,700 MT,” Mr. Goel said.
     “Considering the fact that FY 2010-11 was an exceptional year in terms of cargo throughput, we cannot compare FY 2011-12 with FY 2010-11 to assess an actual growth rate, but if we consider the volumes of the Brownfield terminal before takeover by Celebi, then we have definitely seen a noticeable increase in volumes.”
     Goel was, however, quick to point out that there was no real increase in 2012, primarily due to the depression in the market.
     “The depression is still continuing; though there are some signs of improvement in the last couple of weeks, it is too premature to predict,” said Mr. Goel. He hopes that the trend of upward swing will continue and markets will recover to some extent.
     One of the major reasons for Celebi’s success—incidentally, there is another cargo terminal in operation at Delhi Airport—was primarily because the Turkish company has come to be known as a “no-problem service provider.” Goel was forthright: “Our cargo facilities in India and globally continue to strive towards excellence. Customer satisfaction has always been the key goal for us. Hence, we ensure that all our endeavors are focused on bringing about developments and improvements in every aspect of our operation that helps us handle all forms of air cargo products more efficiently to increase customer satisfaction.”
     To add to that is the fact that Celebi undertook the renovation of the Brownfield cargo terminal and brought in state-of-the-art equipment. He pointed out that there were a few areas of focus where Celebi continued to improve and these were: process re-engineering (both on city side, warehouse operation as well as apron side), upgrades to the IT system, training of employees, holding workshops for industry leaders (in various product segments to appraise them about Celebi’s plans), etc.
     “These initiatives,” emphasized Mr. Goel, “have helped us not only to retain larger share of market but have helped the trade as a whole. Our investments and process improvements are highly inclined towards achieving seamless cargo operation.”
     To achieve excellence, the company has adopted a two-point strategy: focus on people, continue to help them in upgrading their skills, and equip them in managing fast-changing business environment, and second, concentrate to bring in a differentiator approach.
     “Unless we offer something new in the market, there will not be any difference between us and the competitor,” said Mr. Goel.
     The approach has seen Çelebi undertake the renovation of the cargo complex even as it continued to function normally.
     “The modernization plans have had a very positive impact on the entire chain and this has been appreciated by all the stakeholders in various forums as well as different industry body meetings. The investment in infrastructure has helped us to enhance capacity by almost 100 percent.
     “Our capacity until last year was approximately 350,000 MT of cargo, which has now gone up to 700,000 MT. The excess capacity will now be used for industry-specific zones such as Pharma Zone, Expedited Delivery, Extended Express Terminal, Transhipment Cargo, etc.”
     The Turkish company has taken a step forward to look beyond the traditional revenue streams and work on different strategies to further bolster its revenue by focusing on new areas and products.
Tirthankar Ghosh

ne 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.
     Here are gathered a breakthrough group that are among the very first women to gain admittance to elevated positions in the family business and have brought about what will surely be systemic change.
     These ladies have opened the gates and gained access in what for thousands of years has always been “an old boys club” of power and influence across the region.
     Right now when the words Arab Spring continue to echo around the planet, the emergence of these women into the main stream of power and influence is a bright light to an even more promising and hopeful future.
     For us, there were two standouts in the top 11 of 33 ladies that Forbes recognized. The list included some very accomplished leadership in finance, real estate, manufacturing, and other arenas throughout the region.      One of our standouts was Hind Bahwan (10), Chairperson Bahwan Cybertek Group based in Oman.
A graduate in Computer Science and a Harvard Business School alumnus, Ms. Hind has grown her professional skills within the billion-dollar Suhail Bahwan Group.
     Under her leadership, Bahwan CyberTek has also developed a Joint Venture with the Government of Oman and Omantel to create for Gulf Air at Knowledge Oasis Muscat, the largest IPCC-based call center in the country that now employs more than 300 local citizens.
     She has also been instrumental in creating a Joint Venture between Bahwan CyberTek and DHL, forming a 4th party logistics organization—the first of its kind in Oman.
      The second standout for us was Mona Bawarshi, recognized by Forbes (number 11 on list) for her role at the family-run logistics company Gezairi Transport, based in Beirut, Lebanon.
     Gezairi employs over 500 people and oversees operations in more than six countries.
     Mona began as a trainee in 1968 after earning her masters degree in Business Administration at the American University of Beirut.
     She now oversees the entire company operation.
     Her business prowess and willingness to foster others has also seen her appointed as a member of Beirut’s International College board of trustees and the Lebanese Management Association (LMA).
     For the record, the top female on the Forbes list for 2013 is Raja Al Gurg, Group Managing Director of Essa Saleh Gurg Group, a trade, manufacturing, retail, and real estate giant based in Dubai.
     Raja was dubbed “An Emarati Inspiration” for her leadership and as adviser to several Dubai organizations, including the Dubai Business Women’s Council.


     Added to any list, past or present, must be two up and coming air cargo executives at Emirates SkyCargo.
     First is Moaza Al Falahi, now serving as Vice President Cargo Business and Product Development.
     Ms. Al Falahi has worked herself up through the ranks having been at Emirates since 2003.
     “We are both developing and expanding the SkyCargo product line, building on the current successes of the division,” Moaza Al Falahi said.
     Moaza began at Emirates as part of the graduate training program for UAE Nationals in the Information Technology Department.
     Later she became a flight analyst before her next assignment at SkyCargo as a performance development manger.
      Another Sky Cargo executive worth watching is Budoor Al Mazmi, who has served as Cargo Commercial Manager at SkyCargo for the past several years.
     The first thing one notices about Budoor is her level gaze, bright smile, and traditional Arab Abaya and Hijab. She is dressed all in black, as are many women in this region, whether at business or at home. It is a matter of tradition and pride.
     I have always wondered why anyone should find anyone else’s manner of dress unusual.
     In America, one of our most popular singing icons, the legendary late Johnny Cash, spent the last fifty years of his life dressed head to toe in black and nobody thought very much of it.
     Even at 71 years old, he was still dying his hair jet-black.
     The point, I suppose, is that one should be as comfortable in one’s own clothes as in one’s own skin.
     “I have been in air cargo for twelve of my thirteen years at Emirates,” Budoor says.
     “The opportunity here at SkyCargo is both wonderful and challenging. At one point I was actually moved into the passenger operation for eight months, but when that mobility assignment ended I was very glad to come back to cargo.
     “My job here involves looking after IT service delivery to our outstations, where I am in constant communication with people across our growing world network.
     “I love the ability to communicate with people of different cultures and lifestyles all over the world while we are working together toward a common goal.
     “The thing about the air cargo business is that progress to new ideas and formulas is continual and discovery is simply the way of life.
     “Put another way – there is never a dull moment around here.”
Geoffrey/Sabiha

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