Issa Baluch serves on the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), where he was President from 2003 to 2005.
     Issa has remained active in that organization’s educational outreach as well.
     “Air cargo,” Issa declares, “is the savior of aviation now and in my view this big lift will continue post pandemic. We will not see passenger volumes the way we did in the past for a long while. But we will see volumes and volumes of air cargo taking center stage here-on-wards.
     “From PPE, to cure and to vaccines – all requiring global reach with speed, efficiency and timeliness, everything moves by air cargo now.
     “Air cargo is playing a very crucial role to save lives now and in the near future.
     “So, air cargo – be prepared and take those extra vitamins, do not forget Vitamin D!!”

Cargo In Cabin (CIC)

     “CIC is the start.
     “Few ever imagined that air cargo in 2020 would be bumped up to sit in coach, business and first-class cabins.
     “The lesson here is to keep thinking out of the box or maybe even more significantly in the cargo transportation business, think with no box at all!
     “Remember the days when we operated passenger planes in the day, and at night they became “night owls” fully converted to freighters.
     “They used to be called 'Quick Fix (QF) or Quick Change (QC)'.
     “Might be time to rethink that era and refresh it for today’s consumption.
     “And what about Combis? CIC is Combi! So past remedies are still valid today!
     “Good thing because we all need a lift right now.”

Looking For A Hero

     We wonder if Issa who is a hero to many people around the world, from Africa to Boston, has a hero?
     “Life’s journey is mighty interesting,” says Issa pictured here with his wife and family, “so forgive me for not having one hero, but two.
     “As we age, we cross mountains, oceans, jungles, deserts – all different hurdles in life, often coming with their own heroes.
     “Here are two heroes that fascinate me all the time.”

A Tale of Joseph

     “The story of Joseph in the Bible, or Yusuf in the Holy Quran demonstrates just how far back we can find transport logistics management in action and practice and the challenges he endured in Egypt to store (possibly keep fresh and disinfect with that time’s methodology) and distribute food to the starving world.
     “This would be remarkable today. I can only wonder of how it may relate to this difficult time of the pandemic that so many are going through?”

Who Else But Nelse

     “Nelson Mandela, who for 27 years was locked down, incarcerated, suffered family setbacks, was mistreated most of the time and yet came out (almost cool) with a forgiving heart and with assertiveness that all are equal regardless of color, religion or race.
     “Just finished reading Nelson Mandela’s book for the second time “Long Walk To Freedom”.
     “The amount of effort Nelson Mandela made to lead freedom that extra mile is itself a wonder, leading to these questions:
     “Why didn’t all those years of detention not affect the mental thinking of the man?
     “How did he lighten up his anger towards his enemies?”
     “I met Nelson Mandela in Dubai for three minutes in 1999 and will never forget that encounter.
     “The pandemic is a good time to read a book.
     “When it comes to rereading as I just have done, cannot help but feel in some way the story of Nelson Mandela was reading me.”
Geoffrey