Recently at CNS Partnership Conference in Orlando, Florida, we met Dr. Alexis von Hoensbroech, the new board member products & sales of Lufthansa Cargo, and the effervescent cargo professional Achim Martinka, vice president cargo, the Americas (seen here).

     Here are two brief reports: one with the bright and engaging Alexis at Munich Air Cargo Europe, and the other an Americas overview with Achim Martinka in Atlanta.

Dr. Alexis Keynotes Munich Session
     
     On Wednesday an interesting and varied discussion on e-freight featured a keynote address delivered by Dr. Alexis von Hoensbroech.
     But rather than stand behind a podium mouthing canned remarks, Dr. Alexis chose to answer some direct questions posed by moderator of the IT sessions Bernd Maresch at the keynote event in Hall A6.
     The matter-of-fact affect was at once dramatic and believable as Alexis—barely 100 days into his first job in air cargo—exhibited an uncanny knack for not only grasping critical air cargo issues, but also involving the audience to examine matters with him.
     In just a few moments of plain speaking in simple terms, Alexis laid out a scenario that even the folks in the back of the room could hear, follow, and embrace.
     “I came to air cargo from the passenger side of the business that is a highly digitalized business today.
     “Access to the passenger process is vast, from smart phones to computers, and provides real time transparency in a seamless fashion, and in an instant.
     “I recall working on a project 15 years ago that prioritized digitalization for air cargo.
     “It is apparent that today, nearly a decade and a half later, we have not moved far enough with that process.
     “So while there are several initiatives today—including these IT sessions at Air Cargo Europe—my take is that it is really time for air cargo to move on into the new century and embrace a digital solution.
     “Put another way—if we don’t do it then others will do it for us.
     “Today we in the combination air cargo business have plenty of competitors, including the integrators that have developed highly sophisticated information chains.
     “There are also internet companies able to harness these information technologies, who want to move into the logistics business,” Dr. Alexis said.
     “As an industry we are highly vulnerable to these digital attacks if we don’t digitalize ourselves.”
     We kept wondering where this guy was several years ago, when the idea of e-freight came to the fore and was sent out to an industry that has yet to embrace the technology in majority numbers.
     Every good idea needs somebody or an organization to put the program across.
     But maybe that is what finally happened during a few brief minutes in Munich Wednesday morning.
     If not, it will have to do until the real thing comes along.
     There is no doubt that there will be more from Alexis von Hoensbroech after his smashing entrance on the global air cargo scene.

America Progress & Challenges

     Whatever else can be said regarding the state of business for the German national carrier, balance of flows on the North-Atlantic during the first months of 2015 are even stronger than before, with record-numbers delivered on the import-side due to the effects of the now settled West Coast USA Port Strike and lower Euro.

Lufthansa Cargo USA team—pictured (L to R) Gabriella Galantis, Director US Midwest and Canada at Lufthansa Cargo; Uwe Glunz, Regional Director USA West, Mexico & Central America; Alexander Karst, Dorector Sales & Handling USA Northeast and Mid-Atlantic; Karen Earp, Global Account Manager Lufthansa Cargo;Gunnar Loehr, Regional Director South America Caribbean and Florida; Achim Martinka, Vice President The Americas; Carl A. Unger, Director USA South; Alison Ricker, Head of Global Accounts and Ron Sanford, Global Key Account Manager The Americas.

     It is challenging for the USA export side; however, the USD remains strong, and an influx of one-way freighters from Asia via the U.S. to Europe is reducing market-demand to Europe.
     “Due to the high demand, we can fly a lot of freighter extra-sections into the U.S., responding to the high demand of our customers in Europe,” Achim Martinka told FlyingTypers.
     Achim noted that down on the ground service enhancements continue according to plan, including some upfront IT services that will drive improved services.
     “We have switched 80 percent of our station to our new IT-system iCAP, which is replacing the old Mosaik-system.
     “Due to intense pre-prep, so far so good, as we are experiencing a reasonably smooth transition whilst addressing the expected minor issues.
     “We can say that our team and customers are very satisfied with the roll-out,” Achim said.
     “The system will allow us to be even more efficient and well equipped for all eCargo initiatives.
     “Looking ahead at the Americas, Lufthansa plans to open further stations on the passenger side in the last quarter of 2015: PTY, CUN, and TPA.
     “We don’t expect huge traffic in CUN and TPA, but Panama is a new country for us and we are looking forward to opening this new destination.
     “Elsewhere in Latin America, since the beginning of the year we have been flying to BOG with our freighters instead of LIM, adding main deck-capacity to a market that we have served with PAX-flights.
     “We are also operating a successful IAH-SVG freighter that continues on to FRA.
     “Lufthansa Cargo is also connecting DFW, ATL, and CHI with main deck all cargo services to MAN every week.
     “In 2015 Lufthansa Cargo continues to build strength and identity in the marketplace as a European carrier flying directly to UK and Norway in addition to Germany and Austria,” Mr. Martinka said.
     We also learned that Gunnar Loehr is new regional manager for South-America, Caribbean, and Florida, succeeding Daniel Bleckmann, who opened his own enterprise in SAO.
     “Gunnar has been with Lufthansa Cargo for twelve years and has done stellar work in a wide range of fields in Madrid, Sharjah, and the headquarters in Frankfurt,” Achim said.
     “We are also very proud to report that Lufthansa Cargo USA are the first stations outside of Germany to gain approval ISO 14001 (verified by KPMG) for our environmental management system (EMS).
     “Stations include IAH, LAX, and JFK.”
     Bravo, we say!
     It’s very cool to work toward and be recognized for operating a clean machine.
Geoffrey

   My friend, the great Maurice Flanagan, Emirates Airline chief executive who built the company into the world’s largest international airline, died on Thursday at his home in London. He was 86.
   We spent some days together in Dubai, but spent countless additional hours just talking. We talked about everything—aviation, old movies, the big band music Maurice loved.
   Maurice was a good guy. He was a role model and a mentor for me throughout the years.
   He read constantly. Maurice could usually be found in a book even on a quick car trip to a meeting in Dubai. He inspired me to start reading more, although I prefer non-fiction.
   Whenever we spoke, we would share our latest read.
   Mr. Flanagan was made a Commander of the British Empire in 2000.
   In 2010 he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
   When I called him Sir. Maurice, he would just laugh softly.
   I knew he loved the honor and I always admired his ability to remain a regular person despite the title.
   Although we had not spoken much since he retired from Emirates, he holds a special place in my heart.
   He always will.
Geoffrey

     Last week we picked up a copy of the “Official Air Cargo Europe” daily publication commissioned by Transport Logistic Air Cargo Europe.
     Printed on extra thick glossy stock, the issue felt and looked wonderful.
     But then we got to thinking: how can the air cargo industry, which is attempting to project an image of sustainability, allow itself to be presented to the great unwashed (at ACE) in a series of printed issues that have the look and feel of having been printed on what remains of the Black Forest?
     Yes, FlyingTypers’ parent company quit print a decade ago, so perhaps we are a bit sensitive on the subject, but we think it is past time that air cargo put its money where its mouth is and insist that wasteful usage of paper to print industry news is not consistent with the message that everyone in this industry—from IATA to the airport sales club—is trying to get across.
     We must accelerate our effort to get as much paper out of the air cargo business as possible, because still today in 2015, despite all our efforts, our industry continues to sink beneath an avalanche of documents every day.
     If the legions of attendees and exhibitors we saw who told us that they check their various mobile devices at least two or three dozen times a day proves anything, it is that the future of media in air cargo is digital, and the wasteful, daily-news-printed-on-slick-paper nonsense at trade shows should be in the rearview mirror.
Geoffrey

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