Call For CNS To Internationalize
 Lufthansa
Cargo executive board member, Andreas Otto, makes a case for considering an expansion
of CNS (Cargo Network Services), the North American arm of IATA.
“A joint formulation of the common
concerns our industry is confronted with in political debates is essential,”
the manager pointed out in his keynote remarks, addressing an audience
of 450 delegates gathered at the 2010 CNS Partnership Conference held
in Miami on Monday morning.
“CNS could become a kind of moderator
and driving for solving pressing topics shared by cargo airlines, forwarders
and truckers,” Herr Otto said. He regretted the absence of a common
voice of the industry. This communicative gap could be filled by CNS,
as in instances of impending night flight restrictions at major hubs
like Frankfort, or security regulations that governments and regulators
are currently tightening step by step, without involvement of the industry
in their decision making process.
“Our industry contributes substantially
to the global economy, but we lack political and public awareness,”
Otto said, his words piercing the source of a fundamental wound in the
air cargo business.
Jo Frigger of EMO-Trans America applauded
the manager’s remarks. “Airlines, forwarding agents and
truckers should sit at the same table to join forces and deliver powerful
demonstration of the industry, especially in Europe,” Frigger
commented.
This implies that IATA would have to
redefine the organization’s philosophy by treating forwarders
as cargo airlines are treated. “This hasn’t been the case
so far,” Jo criticized.
Hosting CNS President Michael Vorwerk
assured that he would bring the Otto proposal right onto IATA’s
table for further discussion.
In his remarks to participants, Otto reminded
us all of his first speech at the CNS forum in 2003. Today, cargo is
still seen as a side-product. The airline results remain unsatisfying.
Due to different impacts, “like Sars, swine flu or the global
crisis, the potential growth of the past five years has been lost.”
When you factor in things like the closure
of European airspace due to the volcano and coupled with authorities
that were ill prepared, “this shows how vulnerablethe biz is that
we are in.”
Generally speaking, he sees the consolidation
trend at cargo carriers gaining momentum. But instead of collaborating
loosely like the former WOWM alliance, airlines are now forming legal
entities like Air France-KLM-Martinair and Delta-Northwest. LH Cargo
follows the same pattern by grouping together with Austrian Airlines
Cargo, Swiss World Cargo, Jade Cargo, Brussels Airlines Cargo and BMI
Cargo. These partnerships include integrating processes, however, LH
Cargo and AUA Cargo have opted to follow Swiss WorldCargo and retain
commercial autonomy.
“Ultimately, it is in our group
members’ hands to decide what path to follow – it is not
in the hands of Lufthansa Cargo,” Herr Otto concluded at a press
conference after his CNS remarks.
 Although
everything in Andreas Otto’s life seems quite evenly measured
and put together, like many sports fans he leaves much of his
passion to chance.
Last Saturday, Herr Otto’s
team, Schalke 04, watched their bid to become National German
Soccer champions go to ashes.
The team lost 0-2 to Bremen and
hopelessly trails Munich with only one game left next weekend
in the major German soccer league, the Bundesliga.
After recovering from the unexpected
loss, sportsman Andreas values the entire season as extremely
positive, with his Schalke club ranking second despite the outcome
of the last game.
“We have to be realistic,”
Herr Otto said in an attempt to put his best face forward.
“Nobody expected Schalke to
perform that well,” he said upon arriving at the CNS conference
in Miami.
How sweet it (almost) was.
|
Heiner Siegmund
|
Together
Again, 
You
never forget the sound that the metal gate makes, that clag of
finality when you cross into prison to serve time.
“I
began at Railway Express Agency and eventually moved over to Saudia
Cargo,” says longtime industry stalwart, Barry Lennihan.
On
a day when United and Continental got married and drove off into
the sunset, i.e., “just merged,” DL VP Cargo Neel
Shah (l) and his Delta Cargo team hosted a swell evening affair
in an outside garden at CNS, outfitted with a pool, waterfall,
music, ping pong, lots of great food and networking. 
Conversation was bright under the broad
blue sky, and only momentarily interrupted by the apt flight paths of
low flying planes overhead. The talk surrounded recent and future activities
at Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Charter Swiss World Cargo, Jettainer,
Austrian, and Brussels.
