In The Picture . . . By now most of our readers are aware that we have been reporting on air cargo for 40 years. What you may not know is that we are a generational business, with our family and a shared determination backing up everything we do.
We were thinking about generations when we came across this picture of Ingo and his team at Air Cargo Europe in 2014.
The funny thing about pictures is some travel right from the camera to the heart.
The more we look at this lovely photo the more it energizes us to continue and build our family company to serve the industry and people we love.
Thanks, Ingo.
From left to right: Paul Breburda – Group Commercial Manager; Gabrijela Ujevic – Trainee; Ingo Zimmer – CEO; Azhar Katbach – Trainee; Dagmar Hanau – Group Marketing Manager; Andreas Möbius – Country Manager Germany; Roma Teweldemedhin- Head of Product Africa.

     ATC Aviation Services is GOL Linhas Aéreas’ new General Sales Agent for Brazil. One of the largest airlines in Brazil, GOL currently operates into 54 airports in the country and 13 international airports, with a total of 850 daily flights (domestic and international) and a fleet of 137 aircraft.
     “The carrier already has a very successful partnership with ATC in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay,” said Rene Weinberg, regional director Central and South America for ATC.
     “We are a well experienced and enthusiastic team and we are looking forward to developing GOL international markets and cooperating with GOL on further markets.
“ATC will provide the whole enchilada, including a dedicated sales and customer service team to support sales throughout Brazil,” Rene declared.

More up Than Down In 2015

     Ingo Zimmer is enthusiastic. The CEO of fast-growing ATC is stacking success upon success, with GOL Brazil a major piece in the global puzzle as ATC builds its client roster.
     “So far 2015 has been a year of mixed results depending which part of the world you are sizing up.
     “As we approach our 27th year in Germany in January 2016, our business there is up by over 30 percent.
     “We are also doing well in Holland, where we represent CAL (we also partner up with CAL in Austria) and Spain, where we represent Qatar Airways, which is adding capacity in the market.
     “A problematic but readily relieved situation is our Switzerland business, where we represent Qatar, United, and Turkish. It is also where a core of our business is being affected by the currency exchange, driving up our costs and thinning the margins.
     “But as said, those things happen and eventually get sorted.”

USA DHL Aviation

     “We have a new arrangement with DHL Aviation in the United States that has dramatically increased our business.
     “But overall, our team (also representing those new CAL all-cargo flights into Atlanta) is emerging as the strongest GSSA in the country.
     “[We] absolutely love Air and SeaCargo Americas 2015—especially its vibrancy and action.
     “[We] expect to return in two years.
     “I’m very excited at the possibilities as Cuba opens up, and on many levels—my dear wife is from Havana,” Ingo Zimmer said.

Best Job In The World

     And as for air cargo, as usual Ingo Zimmer was not at a loss for words.
     “This is the most exciting job you can have.
     “You are in aviation; the cargo people are straightforward; your playground is the world; you have business friends all over the world; and you can see the results of your work.
     “When I started my career I was selling, I was booking, I was doing the load plan.
     “Often when the cargo manifests were handed in and the cargo holds were closed, I would linger a few moments on the ramp, watching as the aircraft was pushing back and taking great pride in knowing that I did my job.
     “Now my job description might be different but my romance with air cargo continues.
     “I can endorse cargo as a career and a way of life.
     “And yes, I would love to one day see any one or all three of my children as part of this industry.
     “Air cargo is a great way of life,” Ingo Zimmer declared.
Geoffrey

      Drones under the tree have suddenly gone airborne in America, creating a blizzard of robots, although the maximum height and distance allowed is 400 feet and five miles from home.
      The U.S. FAA also insists each drone must be registered before flight here.
      But all we can think about are the possibilities.
      Who can fathom the impact these drones will have upon the tens of thousands of young minds suddenly looking skyward?
      At the same time, the new Star Wars movie is taking the box office to new altitudes.
      Talk about high times!
      Welcome to 2016.
Geoffrey

     “I warmly welcome Fredrik to Finnair Cargo; he’s the right person to lead our global cargo sales team supporting Finnair Cargo’s growth,” said Janne Tarvainen, Finnair VP Head of Cargo since November 1, as Fredrik Wildtgrube takes over as Finnair Cargo’s Head of Global Sales, effective January 11, 2016.
     Most recently at Nokia and Microsoft Mobile, Fredrik holds a Master’s degree (M.Sc.Econ) from Hanken School of Economics.
Geoffrey

Big finish to 2015 for airplane stories—Boeing stock took a hit after reports that Delta picked up a used B777-200 for a mere $7 million USD, amidst a glut of used aircraft of that type parked out in the desert. At the same time, China Southern Airlines Co. signed a deal with Boeing worth over $10 billion for 110 planes on Thursday. Boeing, you might recall, recently hooked up with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. to build an aircraft completion center in China for Boeing 737s . . .

Meanwhile, the Amazon story about a possible lease of 20 Boeing 767 jets for its own air delivery service may only be the tip of the iceberg. Amazon logistics may be a future force to be reckoned with in air cargo. Amazon already has thousands of over the road trailers moving about its 50 distribution centers in the U.S., although the trucks are operated by a third party company. It’s possible to imagine that Amazon might do the same thing with air. Eventually that could include some direct head-to-head competition between Amazon, FedEx, and UPS. Amazon utilizing its warehouse and distribution infrastructure along with trucks and planes could follow the development pattern of Amazon Web Services, wherein the company created a resource for itself and then offered it for sale to others . . .

One of the greatest is leaving as Ed Chism retires as Emirates USA Cargo Manager on December 31. Ed, who served as Emirates GSA before joining the carrier and building its USA cargo program, caps 48 years in air cargo. Duncan Watson - VP Cargo Commercial (EK) - Americas, Central, and Southern Africa, said: “With a heavy heart I must announce the retirement of Edward Chism. “In recent weeks, I have spoken to many colleagues and customers both in the USA and beyond about Ed’s departure; the word commonly used was ‘legend.’ “He is a truly respected, well liked, and professional person who delivers with a unique style and character of his own.” For his part Ed said simply: “It’s been fun.” We have known Ed for many of his 48 years, first at Pan Am, later at EC Air, his GSA outfit located off the main runways at JFK International in Springfield Gardens, and then at SkyCargo. Although he is well ensconced in Florida these days, don’t count this guy all the way out of air cargo just yet . . .