Chris Rocks Cargo Charter

     Sometimes you can look into the face of somebody you meet or interview and see exactly what you want.
     Christian Fink, top executive at Lufthansa Charter, can be a bit tough to read. Lufthansa Charter is the highly successful international company based in Kelsterbach, Germany that operates independent of Lufthansa’s main cargo operation.
     Chris is easy to talk to and completely open and gracious, but there is something else going on here.
     Beneath all the conversation and good feelings there is a steely determination, a cut off that allows very little patience for nonsense.
     Before he landed on the air cargo scene, Christian Fink learned to practice law, receiving his license in Germany. But he wanted to know more.
     He studied and worked in several places, at one point enjoying employment as an assistant to Minnesota Senator David Duerenberger in Washington, D.C. Senator Duerenberger fought for universal health care before getting caught up in an expense account scandal, for which he lost his seat in 1995.
     “I did all types of things, including carrying messages and documents in and out of offices all over the U.S. Capitol.
     “Before that I worked for a law firm in a small town in Minnesota.
     “I knew European law, but wanted to learn the American ways of jurisprudence.
     “At first I would just sit in the court room and listen. After a while the judges got to know me and enlisted my opinion on some cases.
     “Before long, I was writing up cases at the law firm myself.”
     These days, Chris says he is deep-dish into looking for new air charter markets.
     “We don’t want to just be considered as the charter outlet of Lufthansa Cargo. That is an image of the past that lingers.”
     In its original business plan Lufthansa Cargo told its new subsidiary to “be independent,” but to always consider selling available Lufthansa Cargo flights first.
     Another early business edict indicated that 15-20% of total charter revenues should be moved to LH-equipment.
     But reality is hardly ever as good as one’s best fantasy, so when it got down to business, the charter found its own way.
     Christian Fink is definite: “We are not dreamers.
     “But in the very near future, Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency should be the first door knocked on when someone, somewhere in the world needs a non-scheduled cargo flight.
     “We are working toward that goal.
     “Of course, the image of Lufthansa Cargo helps, but we want to be the ‘go-to’ custom provider for an expansive menu of individual spot-solutions that demand high-level reliability and total air cargo expertise.”
      Heide Enfield, LCAC, head of business development and marketing, states, “When we started, our charter clients often inquired to make sure their load was on a Lufthansa airplane.
     “Customer attitudes have changed during the past few years. Shipping today is a matter of hard economics and less a matter of airplane loyalty than in the past.
     “But customers want to know that whatever the price, the consignment is in Lufthansa’s hands. Who is flying which airplane is secondary.”
     FlyingTypers asked Christian Fink: what would he change or what changes would he implement in the air cargo industry?
     “I fully agree that healthy competition has always been the main motor in any business.
     “But I wish that all concerned in this nice, old-fashioned transportation chain would be more flexible in our relations with one another.
     “We must all realize that we do not produce a product.
     “The product is what we carry from point A to point B, including machines, textiles and semi-conductor products. We only provide the service.
     “In the best logistics terms, I would like to embellish a bit, saying we deliver our services at the right time to the right place at the right price.
     “My view is that it is an absolute must for the future of the air cargo industry that agents and carriers should learn to trust each other.
     “Part of that new norm for things includes the exchange of information.
     “I believe that if we just open up a bit with each other, everybody will benefit by saving considerable amounts of money, nerves and time.
     “I cannot repeat it often enough: the only one who buys our combined service package is the shipper or consignee footing the bill.
     “We are a pure service industry, especially in the charter segment.
     “Our job is to listen to the customer.
     “In many ways, the charter business is more emotional than the routine supply chain by air.
     “The customer is paying for ‘his’ airplane
     “When you think about it that way, there is a heightened sense of risk and adventure to the freight movement.
     “But I repeat, this industry can do a better job of pulling together.
     “One action would be to develop a more coordinated message to the general public that reinforces the level of velvet glove treatment that exists today in the air cargo business.
     “The passenger side of the airline business has brought forth that message for years and it’s been quite successful.”
     Back in Minnesota, U.S.A., before he went into the airline business, Chris, the lawyer immersed himself completely, often spending hours on end with inmates locked in jail cells while recording the depositions upon which he crafted his cases.
     Later, the humble actions performed around the powerful and the pro-bono hours spent in a small U.S.A. town would help form a powerful part of his experience while moving up the ladder at Lufthansa as general counsel.
     In that critical position, Chris was involved in almost every adventure, including WOW, to mention an example.
     “The opportunity to form Lufthansa Charter has been a lifetime experience. All of my background and training is invested in making this company the best in the world.”