"Curiouser and Curiouser" wrote Lewis Carroll in 1865, as Alice from Alice In Wonderland contemplated the changes occurring.
     The big new airport in Berlin named Willy Brandt, or BER, continues to make headlines in Germany and elsewhere, but change has been slow.
     There have been a few limited flight start-up announcements, but most of the ink garnered by the gateway still focuses on burgeoning costs and delays.
     Former Chairman of the Board, Klaus Wowereit, Mayor of Berlin, had to switch places with Brandenburg MP Matthias Platzeck in January 2013 under allegations that Wowereit knew more about the delays and cost explosion at the troubled Berlin gateway than he had previously admitted.
     This shuffle elicited a comment worth noting from Herbert Frankenhauser, Vice Chaiman of the BER Airport investigation committee:
     “I see no reason in replacing a washout with the vice-washout,” he told the German daily, Die Welt.
     Fast forward to just last month as MP Platzeck, having returned to office after suffering a stroke, announced on July 29th that he would step back from his post as Minister President of the State of Brandenburg and all other offices, including his position as chairman of the board of the Flughafen Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH (FBB).
     Since MP Platzeck held the board position representing the 37 percent share the State of Brandenburg owns in the FBB, his seat in the board would naturally fall to his nominated successor, Dietmar Woidke.
     Mr. Woidke, however, said that he “would not consider taking a seat on the FBB supervisory board” and that he had “so far not been involved in the decision making around the airport project.”
     German Federal Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Peter Ramsauer, also told German tabloid BILD on August 2nd that he would “not be available for service within the FBB,” stressing that the shareholders (the Federal Republic of Germany, the state of Brandenburg, and the city of Berlin) would elect a new chairman of the board in due time and that “a candidate from the outside is not unlikely.”
     Interesting enough, Ramsauer declined to give any indicator for an opening date, stating that he believed the BER Airport would be an eventual success.
     Although Ramsauer had said in April 2013 that an opening in 2015 would be “realistic,” under the latest reports that construction issues may be more serious and time—and cost—consuming than already anticipated, he now seems to exercise the utmost care when commenting on the BER airport project.
     Meanwhile, numerous voices in local and federal German politics and business are calling for “more subject matter expertise for board position candidates.”
     The infrastructure politics expert of the Berlin Free Democrat Party, Oliver Lucsic, summarized that BER would need “an independent full-time expert (as chairman of the board) and not a part-time politician.”
     It may be wise for German politicians to not soon forget this insight.
     Alice might have explained it like this:
     “You are all a pack of cards.”
     Your move.
Jens

antas Freight is going from strength to strength as it gains leverage from the successful integration of its domestic business and its newly gained global reach following its standout deal with Emirates.
Emirates SkyCargo and Qantas Freight agreed to start selling capacity on each other's passenger and freight services back in March. Since then the carriers have been fleshing out the details of the joint marketing of freight slots across their substantial combined networks.
     Lisa Brock, Executive Manager Qantas Freight Enterprises, said Emirates and Qantas still operate as separate identities in each market, but work together to offer customers seamless access to each other’s networks.
     "Dubai is now our hub into Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, so a key operational change for us is that Qantas Freight cargo is now landing in Dubai and handled in the state-of-the-art Emirates Cargo Mega Terminal," she said.
     "This delivers reduced transit times and simplified handling."
     Qantas Freight also markets the belly space on all Qantas, Jetstar International, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar New Zealand, and Valuair passenger flights. Together the carriers have a fleet of 13 dedicated freighters to supplement capacity on key domestic and international routes.
     "Most people assume that as Australia’s national carrier, Qantas Freight provides domestic Australian air freight services," said Brock. "We have been part of a domestic-focused joint venture for 20 years, but it was only in November 2012 that we acquired the full shareholding and integrated domestic freight services into our core Qantas Freight offering.
     "This network, combined with the strength of our Emirates partnership and interline agreements, gives us significant global reach. Qantas Freight gives customers access to more than 480 international destinations around the world."
     All of these structural reforms and network expansions have been pulled together, and in part driven, by an international market place that Brock admits "has been softer than previous years" without the usual increase in uplift post-March due to market overcapacity.
     However, she believes Qantas now has a platform in place that will drive future growth. The carrier's new Express Check self-service kiosks are key to this growth. According to Brock, they make the collection process for imports arriving in Australia much faster and easier at Qantas International Freight terminals.
     "We’ve installed iPad kiosks where authorized drivers can log on and notify of their collection list," she said. "This is linked to iPads mounted on forklifts in the warehouse, which help our staff locate and prioritize deliveries. Often the freight is on the dock ready for collection before the driver has even returned to their vehicle. Drivers are giving us great feedback and the time savings are impressive."
     After attending a number of industry trade shows this year, Brock offers some thoughtful insights into current industry trends.
     "I’m always interested to see the industry’s attitudes and response to the IATA eAir waybill initiative," she said. "Qantas Freight has been an avid supporter of eAir waybills and is exceeding the IATA implementation targets. We’ll be rolling this out into and out of the USA in coming months."
     Indeed, North America is gaining in importance for the Australian carrier, which has always seen international air freight as a core business even though it remains a niche player globally, with its main strength residing in its extensive Asia Pacific business and dominant presence in Australia.
     "In Australia we have the leading domestic air freight business as well as the leading cargo terminal operations business, providing ground handling for 24 international carriers," said Brock.
     "We’re also globally significant and not all our routes revolve around Australia. For example, our freighters operate five times per week between China and the USA."
     She pointed out that Qantas also offers several key routes into and out of North America. "This includes passenger services to Dallas, New York, and Los Angeles, as well as five weekly freighter services from China to the USA and then on to Australia," she said.
     "We move the usual mix of perishable, pharmaceutical, retail, and general freight. Qantas Freight is the only independent provider of maindeck capacity from USA to Australia.
     "The market is not too bad, but there is a lot of additional capacity around at the moment.
     "We’re always looking out for new profitable growth opportunities."
After so many profound changes to the Qantas' freight business, Brock is phlegmatic about her achievements.
     "It’s certainly been a productive year for Qantas Freight," she said. "We are close to completing the integration of the domestic business, we’ve moved our European hub to Dubai, and announced the introduction of our first Qantas Freight-operated 747-400 ERF, which is the ideal replacement aircraft for our operations.
     "We’ve also made great progress on service and technology innovations that are driving productivity and customer satisfaction."
SkyKing

     On August 15, United Cargo began accepting the va-Q-tainer for transport on more than 150 widebody aircraft.
     Built in UK, va-Q-tec containers use passive technology (there are no batteries, heating elements or fans) via vacuum insulation panels that protect internal contents from extreme ambient temperatures. The containers are particularly useful in the movement of pharmaceutical and biotechnological material.
     United Cargo customers get three sizes of va-Q-tainers: USx, EU and XL.
     All three sizes may be transported to and from all regions worldwide.
     In terms of transit effectiveness XL and EU containers have been qualified to keep perishables for more than 96 hours of performance; the USx has been qualified to more than 120 hours of performance, even at extreme summer and winter temperatures.
     While va-Q-tec containers are an excellent option for United Cargo’s TempControl 6150/TC1 service, they will also be accepted for transport via the UA EXP product offering “depending on the needs and preferences of our customers,” a United spokesman said.
     Customers who rent or lease va-Q-tainers may globally track their product on unitedcargo.com.
     Additionally, internal/external temperature data and shipment monitoring data may be downloaded after transport from the “data-loggers” installed on each unit.
     For additional information, please visit va-Q-tec Ltd., or UA Cargo.

randhi Mallikarjun Rao (GMR) must be a satisfied man. As promoter of the state-of-the-art Greenfield airport at Hyderabad, his dream of making the airport a hub came closer to fulfillment when the airport recently signed its first client -- Turbo Jet Engines -- for the country’s first airport-based Free Trade Zone (FTZ) at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad. An elated S G K Kishore, CEO, GHIAL said: “The Free Trade Zone at the airport is envisioned to fuel the growth of a strong airport-driven economy. It will provide a compelling value proposition to players across the industry value chain by offering modern and integrated ecosystem that will bring down transportation costs and reduce the turnaround time for movement of goods. The FTZ will also provide facilities for servicing, distribution, trading, warehousing of goods and other value additions.”
     All strong pointers to boosting air cargo growth. Top officials in the cargo division of the airport point out that the operations of Turbo Jet Engines would comprise repair and calibration of aircraft parts with original equipment manufacturers and airlines sending equipment from any part of the world to the facility at the FTZ. The facility will also derive synergies from the aircraft MRO located at the airport, besides supporting air cargo stakeholders such as airlines and logistics players, thus creating a multiplier effect and an integrated ecosystem.
     The development is significant, considering that it will complement air cargo growth and boost product diversification at RGIA and dovetail with the airport’s strategy to establish facilities to provide seamless facilitation of goods and services in line with its vision of making RGIA the ‘Logistics Hub of India’.
     For the son of a farmer from the coastal district of Srikakulam in the state of Andhra Pradesh to move into the big leagues as an infrastructure developer, it was indeed a huge leap. But G M Rao and his team have been hugely successful: not only is there the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at Hyderabad but there is also the classy -- and now well-known – Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and the Sabiha Gokcen Airport at Istanbul. The GMR Group also has 9 highways, 2 Special Investment Regions, 9 Power Plants, 3 coal blocks and 2 power transmission assets spread out across the country. All this in a short span of 20-odd years after entering the infrastructure sector.
     The GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) is a joint venture promoted by GMR Infrastructure (63 per cent), Airports Authority of India (13 per cent), Andhra Pradesh government (13 per cent) and Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad (11 per cent). GHIAL has the mandate to build, own and operate the airport for 60 years. The airport started operations in March 2008 with an initial capacity of 150,000 tons of cargo handling capacity per annum and 12 million passengers per annum (MPPA).
     Pushing the hub concept through, the GHIAL management has taken a leaf out of successful airport stories being played out at Dubai or Memphis, where there was little or no industrial activity. Today, airports at both places are not only thriving but Unlike Memphis International Airport, GHIAL’s vision is to develop an Aerotropolis around the airport; link the airport and area businesses offering quick efficient access to suppliers and customers through the country and the world; attract investments, create jobs, boost economic growth around the airport and, of course, lastly develop the Integrated Logistic Hub.
     To add muscle to the hub concept, GHIAL has done some basic research comparing the UAE with India. While the UAE (Area: 83,600 sq km) with its GDP of $47,729 handled 16,951 MT of air cargo per billion dollars of GDP output, India with its 3,287,263 sq km area and a GDP of $3.694 handled only 516 MT of air cargo per billion dollars of GDP output. In fact, India is also nowhere near Hong Kong (12,883.4 MT/bn $ GDP) or Singapore (6,164.4 MT/bn $ GDP). There is, therefore, potential for India to play a major role in the air cargo market. In addition, the Hyderabad airport satisfied all the conditions required for a hub among which were its strategic location, infrastructure, air and road connectivity, an industrial belt around the airport, multi-modal connectivity and a captive FTZ/SEZ.
     A senior airport official commented that the airport and its infrastructure was the best kept secret in the international air cargo community. Indeed, RGIA has performed beyond expectations even in these hard times with almost 70 per cent of exports coming from pharmaceutical products. What it is looking for is participation from more carriers.
     Even as a dedicated cargo team ventures into the hinterland to source business opportunities, the airport management on its part is in innovation mode at all times. This has seen the commissioning of the second or alternate runway capable of taking Code-E aircraft last year in September.
     Two months later, a dedicated upgraded cargo apron to accommodate Code-F (A380 type) aircraft was commissioned. Pitching itself as the “Pharma Hub” of the country, the dedicated cargo apron was essential to accommodate widebody planes. The move was aimed to boost and sustain the integrity of end-to-end cold chain from shippers’ premises to consignees. It was in the innovative mode that the apron was constructed after consultations with customers. Through its unique “VoC” (Voice of Customer) customer feedback initiative, it was decided to set up Code-F aircraft parking stands in close proximity to the terminal since that would ensure the cold chain integrity. These initiatives have enabled RGIA to provide world-class facilities.
     Said Carsten Hernig, Regional Director, South Asia & Middle East, Lufthansa Cargo, which flies in freighters to transport pharma products, “An excellent infrastructure is essential especially to transport temperature-sensitive goods.” The carrier was delighted with the facilities provided by Hyderabad airport, “which meets precisely all the necessary requirements. This,” said Hernig, “is another important step in the successful Pharma hub cooperation between Hyderabad Airport and Lufthansa Cargo.”
Tirthankar Ghosh

     For any one in air cargo in and around New York City, next week on Thursday August 22, comes a feel good charity event with some fun, food, sport and friends in Smithtown, Long Island, as once again what is now the Ninth Dan Ferrante Annual Golf Classic tees off at beautiful Stonebridge Golf Links & Country Club.
     Since its inception, after Danny, a much beloved figure of the JFK and New York air cargo community who worked for BAX Global died tragically and suddenly after his brave fight to beat down cancer Thursday February 3, 2005, a growing group of Danny’s many friends decided to gather each year and raise money to help carry on the fight to find a cure.
     “This year,” reports Macit Reggie Bal, Regional Operations Manage of Platinum Air Cargo (GSA for Etihad Cargo),”we will once again be also remembering our friend, Ron LaBac of FedEx.
     “A memorial part of the event will be on the agenda with all proceeds to go to Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital from that special hole on the links at Smithtown.
     “All other net proceeds from this event go to Cancer Care,” Reggie said.
     “Our Annual Danny Ferrante Golf Event is a day for air cargo to celebrate friendship, with deep gratitude for the generosity of our sponsors in supporting our fund-raising efforts.
     “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, players can enjoy a variety of refreshments at tees along the course.
     “Trophies donated by Amerijet will be awarded in various categories.
     “After the game we will all relax with cocktails prior to enjoying the fabulous Gala Awards Dinner with raffle, including prizes of airline tickets, and more.
     “Our event is open to all,” Reggie said.
     “Danny was all about people,” recalled his friend Joe Cippola.
     “He was my mentor.
     “Danny brought me into the freight forwarding business.
     “I had worked for many years at Alitalia Cargo, but Danny saw me as a better fit in the forwarding end of the business.
     “He encouraged me to change , held my hand as much as needed, and in the end, gave me a better life.
     “Danny was like that for everybody.”

Registration: 7.00 - 09.00 am. Breakfast: 7.30 - 09.00 am
Meet outside 09.15 am, Club House: Shotgun Start: 09.30 am.
Cocktails: 5.00 pm. Gala Dinner: 6.00 pm
More Info: www.cancercare.org/danferrante or Reggie Bal: Reggie@platinumaircargo.net. Tel:718-917-8827 Mobile: 917-940-6972.
Not to be missed.
Geoffrey

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RE:  Tell Them Willy Brandt Is Here

Geoff,

     Your article re the continuing woes of BER was a terrific piece of aviation journalism.
     Keep them coming.

David Plavin

Thanks David,
We are dancing as fast as we can.

Geoffrey
(High praise from former Aviation Director of Port Authority of New York & New Jersey)

Dear Geoffrey, dear Issa,

     After 30 years in journalism I have come to the conclusion that the airline industry is full of talk but very slow in delivering. Look at Cargo 2000 and eCargo.
     Forwarders are just as slow when it comes to process automation and quality management in airfreight.
     It is a sorry state of affairs.
     Planes are associated with speed; the airline industry moves at a snail's pace.

Ursula Schmeling

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