The message for July is that the world is warming up, although in many climes, those words may not be news at all.
     But according to TimeforChange.org, “Global warming is caused by the emission of greenhouse gases,” of which “72 percent of the totally emitted greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2).” With CO2 emissions increasing 3 percent each year, and with emissions having drastically increased in the last 50 years, we have passed the point where we should have taken action, and our excuses are limited—if they can be considered morally acceptable at all.

     Earlier in June, Lufthansa Cargo launched its Fourth Environmental Conference at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, Germany, with 150 logistics experts conferring to strategize how best to move forward with this year’s motto “More Logistics and Less CO2.”
     FlyingTypers sat down with Lufthansa Cargo’s Head of Environmental Management Bettina Jansen, who in 2013 told FlyingTypers, “Air freight is indispensable to the global economy and it is our responsibility to make it as environmentally-friendly as possible.” Three years before that, in 2010, when Head of Security and Environmental Management Harald Zielinski stated Lufthansa’s goal to be “the world’s most environmentally friendly cargo carrier,” Ms. Jansen added a more specific, focused goal: “To reduce the specific carbon dioxide emissions 25 percent by 2020.” We are now five years closer to that due date and wondering how far along Lufthansa Cargo has come.
     “By 2020, we aim to reduce our specific CO2 emissions by 25 percent compared to 2005. Last year we had already reached 15.8 percentage points. It is an achievement that we are proud of and that motivates us to keep making improvements,” said Ms. Jansen.
     “Out of our 50 Fuel-Efficiency measures some are in the implementation phase, which will lead to further reduction of weight (e.g. lightweight pallets) and technical measures (e.g. Fanblade-Recontouring). All aim to fly more efficiently and in accordance to cause less CO2.
     “We promote environmental issues for airfreight and are therefore involved in several green boards, such as the IATA Working Group, Air Carbon Cargo Footprint (ACCF), which has developed a recommended practice to measure CO2 emissions caused by airfreight. At the moment a harmonization is taking place with further methods, hopefully until 2016. We support this process.
     “With the conference we want to provide a platform for our customers as well as politicians and scientists, where we can meet and discuss new developments in the area of airfreight, logistics, and environment. There has been very positive feedback about our extraordinary locations, professional speeches, and pleasing penal discussions, which confirms to us that the interest in this kind of conferences is unabated.
     “With our cargo climate care award, we want to honor special commitment to the environment of our employees and customers, which goes beyond the normal everyday routine. We think that we thus motivate our employees and strengthen cooperation with our customers. The ceremony is always a highlight of our conference,” said Ms. Jansen.
     Lufthansa Cargo has come a long way since it first set out to become more environmentally friendly. According to Ms. Jansen, “in 2008 we successfully implemented an environmental management system according to ISO 14001 in Frankfurt.
     “In 2009 we started a roll-out, beginning in Germany. This year we gained the approval on an external audit in the Americas. By end of 2015 we aim to be certified worldwide. This guarantees a ‘Green Standard’ in each station and process. Subsidiaries will follow—Jettainer is already successfully certified.
     “Committed employees and successful projects (e.g. in the purchasing process) confirm to us the success of the system.”
     Earlier this year in April Lufthansa announced it would be delaying the planned investment by Lufthansa Cargo in their new cargo center, ‘LCCneo,’ by at least two years. LCCneo being a crucial and significant component of the ‘Lufthansa Cargo 2020’ strategy for the future, FlyingTypers wonders how the delay will affect Lufthansa reaching their projected goals.
     “The ‘LCCneo’ remains a key pillar of our ‘Lufthansa Cargo 2020’ strategy, and the program will still be implemented at full steam. We will now evaluate what measures we can take to modernize the LCC on a temporary basis. We have a functioning LCC and an excellent team. We are certain that we will continue to offer our clients top-quality service,” said Ms. Jansen.
     In terms of ongoing projects and using Lufthansa’s established facilities to propel their environmental efforts forward, “the optimization of our processes on the ground is our daily business, also in our currently used facilities. The purchase of new energy-efficient forklifts and the investment in LED lighting on our outer areas are just a few examples.
     “The research project Green Logistics, which we have worked out for five years together with relevant partners in the logistics industry, such as the Fraunhofer Institute, DB Schenker, DHL, Fiege Vanderlande, and UPS, is completed. The project has developed an assessment method for the whole logistics chain—considering transport via different carriers (road, rail air, and sea), transshipment, and warehousing (including logistics real estates and intra-logistics),” said Ms. Jansen.
     With efforts like the Climate Care Conference, Lufthansa Cargo is proudly at the forefront of forwarding environmentalism and awareness within the cargo community, and Bettina believes there are some basic moves everyone in the industry can make to contribute to the cause.
     “The most important thing [for those in the cargo industry] is of course to comply with applicable law. The biggest lever you have to reduce the impact on the environment is to use new technologies. Therefore we invest the B-777F, the freighter with today’s best environmental performance.
     “Moreover it is worth it to check processes for optimization potential on a regular basis and to integrate the topic of environment in the decisionmaking process. At last, it is important to have staff and management who take the issue seriously and communicate honestly on board,” said Ms. Jansen.
     Finally, FlyingTypers was curious as to how Ms. Jansen landed in her particular role within the cargo industry, and specifically in regards to environmentalism.
     “My studies of physics are a good basis for the job as environmental manager here at Lufthansa Cargo. Regular internal meetings with environmental coordinators of LH Cargo and the Group as well as the participation in external working groups with the industry (BDL, IATA . . .) enable me to keep up with current trends and to identify new issues.
     “At the recent G7 summit, targets for CO2 reduction, objectives regarding alternative energy, and the importance of the supply chain were main topics. It was these exact topics that were discussed at our Cargo Climate Care Conference. Therefore, I am convinced that we are on the right track,” said Ms. Jansen.
Flossie Arend

Raimonds Gruntins, IATA's Area Manager for Nordic & Baltic Countries, Juha Järvinen, Finnair Chief Commercial Officer, Antti Kuusenmaki, Finnair's VP Head of Cargo, and friends are in the picture celebrating another air cargo first for Finnair . . .

Cool goes everywhere, but if you want to use an airline certified “pharma cool” by IATA there is only one: Finnair Cargo.
     And just to make sure it stays out front, AY began building an advanced cargo transfer facility in Helsinki this week.

In the early afternoon, under some pretty serious strato-nimbus cloud cover, a group of people in Helsinki, Finland, came to dedicate the beginnings of a new, highly specialized handling facility for pharma and other perishable cargo on June 30.

     “We are committed to being at the forefront in the fast growing pharma transport segment and provide excellent service to our customers,” said Juha Järvinen, Finnair chief commercial officer. He joined a gathering of officials and friends of Finnair Cargo earlier this week (June 30) in Helsinki, Finland, to move toward building a brand-new high-tech handling facility at Vantaa International Airport that will be known as COOL Nordic Cargo (CNC).

Too Cool For School

     “We are honored to be the first carrier in the world to complete the IATA pharmaceutical certification process,” declared Mr. Järvinen. Finnair received IATA's Pharma CEIV certificate as the first airline in the world to pass IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma).

“Got to be jelly ‘cause jam don’t shake like that.” One of the high points that really kept the party going and is worth a listen is the unique and great Finnair swing band. Truly right!

     The new, state-of-the-art hub will feature separate temperature-controlled areas for the handling of pharma products as well as other perishables and foodstuffs.

My Blues Heaven . . .       Pilots band together, who doesn’t know that?       But these cats fly for Finnair also cruise the aerial latitudes as The Finnair Pilots Big Band.       So it’s a cargo gig one day, and Helsinki to Chicago blue wings & blues music the next.

Blown away by the Windy City

     The launch of Chicago service in mid June was part of Finnair’s drive to strengthen its presence in North America.
     At the groundbreaking in Helsinki, Pasi Nopanen, VP Global Sales Finnair Cargo enthused:
     "With the good results of our seasonal Miami route last winter, we were confident opening this new destination to round out our daily flights to New York.      "Now after just two weeks in operation I can say with pride that we have been successful in attracting niches in which we can provide special value – quick, reliable connections to and from the Nordics, Baltics and Russia as well as Asian destinations that we can serve with same-day connections. A big thank you to the forwarding industry in Chicago for their support!
    "This seasonal service operates now till 17th of October, thrice weekly (Monday, Thursday and Saturday). 
     "We are working hard with our colleagues from the passenger sales to keep up the good momentum in order to secure a year round service as soon as possible hopefully starting early summer next year.
Geoffrey

RE:  Does IATA Have It In The Bag?

   Over the years air travel has become more “challenging” for the passengers.
   Much of that experience has been imposed by governments in the form of security with the resultant long lines, being restrictive of what you have packed in your carry on, and among other things the need to arrive at the airport at least two hours or more prior to the flight.
   Now with “Cabin OK” our industry is looking at again changing air travel, and many feel, increasing the challenges to passengers.
   But what is happening in the case of Bag OK appears to be more like an exercise in addressing service from the “inside out” rather than from the perspective of providing convenience and service for the customers.
   As example, business travelers usually pay the highest rates, carry their bags onboard, as their time is money.
   But all of that may change if the proposed “Bag OK” carry on from IATA is enacted.
   Under the proposed carry-on guidelines everybody in every class of travel aloft will spend more valuable time on the ground, both checking in bagage and after arrival waiting for same.
   Further we can only wonder about the cabin baggage of flight crews?
   I would think that cabin crews would, as a group, be concerned. Will they then also follow the same rules? Most likely not, as crews need to catch their next flights etc.,
   But what will passengers think?
   It is not much of a stretch to imagine plenty of fare-paying passengers raising hell when they see what appears to be cabin attendants being given preferential luggage treatment.
   From where I sit, the view gently suggests better benefit all around by working on some sensible thinking here, beginning with customer service.
   The very real carry on bag issue is another example of a challenge that needs to include more emphasis on fixing the drivers of the problem rather than simply a “one-size-fits-all band-aid quick fix that nobody likes.
   How ever the “Bag OK” initiative shakes out, carriers can do themselves a world of good by simply thinking a bit more about the customer, first.
Bill Boesch

Editor's note: Bill Boesch is one of the greatest of all the big-time, global air cargo executives.
  He has done it all, working in various top management positions in the air cargo industry. He began in 1965 at the scheduled all-cargo carrier Seaboard World Airlines, then moved on to Emery Worldwide in 1975 as Senior Vice President and General Manager, and eventually Executive Vice President. After Emery he became Pan American World Airways’ Senior Vice President of Cargo. After Pan Am Bill went to work for Bob Crandall as American Airlines’ Vice-President of Cargo.
  Bill became President and CEO of the Cargo Division in 1991 and Chairman of the Cargo Division in 1996.
  Bill retired from AA in 1996, but was unable to sit still for long, moving back into the fray in 2004 as CEO of DHL/DP Global Mail.
  In 2004 The War in Iraq was on going and the military truck transportation was taking very high hit-rates (as high as 30 percent)
  Realizing that long streams of truck convoys were constantly needed to supply troops, but that the roads traveled were hostile, Bill took thousands of soldiers out of the driver’s seat: without an armed escort at his side, Bill went into the towns and villages and negotiated with local Sheiks and other community leaders to hire local labor to drive the trucks.
  In one fell swoop, Bill took the troops out of harm’s way, provided jobs in areas where local unemployment was running above 80 percent, and delivered the goods on time.
  He is currently at home writing a book about his time in Iraq.

Ban Lifted . . . Cebu Pacific lands in Manila, the Philippines, as The European Union lifted a five-year ban on commercial airlines from the Philippines in late June, allowing the country’s air carriers to fly over European skies.
All air carriers from the Philippines were banned from the EU in March 2010 following poor results from an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit in 2009.

eXtra Wow! The first new A350 XWB aircraft of Vietnam Airlines is pictured upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 2, 2015.

   Good summer reading available on Amazon and wherever fine books are sold.
   “Go Set A Watchman” is 89 year-old Harper Lee’s first novel in 55 years after the landmark “To Kill A Mockingbird” stunned the literary world in 1960 and won a Pulitzer Prize.
   While “the jury” may be out for a while, reviewing “Watchman” this time of year brings back the elegant word picture Lee shared in that never to be forgotten, first-person narrative style of “Mockingbird” about her memories of Macomb County, Alabama during the 1930s.

Geoffrey

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