“Our TempControl Center at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) represents United Cargo’s commitment to providing the best service possible to perishable and cool chain shippers and our commitment to remain a worldwide leader in the transport of pharmaceuticals and other temperature-controlled commodities,” said United Cargo President Jan Krems at a gala ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, January 6.
     “We believe we have the best people in the cargo industry, so we’re proud to provide our team with the tools they need to deliver excellent service to our customers.”

Out Front Leading The Way

     Jose Rosado, United’s Senior Manager of Cargo Operations in Newark echoed those sentiments and was otherwise jubilant while talking to an invited crowd of service partners, shippers, and well-wishers touring the new ultra-modern facility:
     “United Cargo has several advantages in our Newark hub, including our extensive widebody network and our experienced Cargo Sales and Operations teams. But the cool chain business is very competitive in New York, and that’s one of the main reasons we are leading the way with this fully outfitted new TempControl facility at our critical New York/New Jersey hub.”

Customers Talked - We Listened

     “We canvassed our forwarder partners and their customers and listened to their ideas and recommendations while planning this new TempControl facility,” said Mary Tussing, United Cargo’s Manager of Specialty Sales.
     “United Cargo’s Newark TempControl Center includes the features and innovations most requested by United’s TempControl customers, including +15C to +25C controlled room temperature, the capacity to simultaneously house 48 RKN units, and electrical connectivity for all units,” Mary Tussing said.

More To Come

     “We have only just begun rolling out the enhancements we have planned for TempControl,” Jan Krems noted.
     “Our vision is to use this Newark facility as a blueprint for similar TempControl Centers in other United hubs—including Chicago O’Hare and San Francisco, among others,” he said.

Vienna TempControl

     Mr. Krems also revealed that Vienna is the latest city to join the worldwide TempControl network.
     “The addition of VIE brings the total of TempControl-certified cities worldwide to 56,” Jan Krems declared.
Geoffrey/Flossie

     One of the outstanding founding fathers of Emirates SkyCargo, Pradeep Kumar retired from his post as DSVP Revenue Optimization late last year to return to India and the closeness of aging parents and his family.
     He now reappears on the cargo scene in January 2016 as senior vice president cargo at Jet Airways.
     “After spending some months with my family in India, joining Jet, which is based in Mumbai—close to my hometown, where I can also take care of my parents—just makes sense right now. It brings me back full circle to where it all began.”
     “I have only the warmest and fondest memories of my time in Dubai, where I was part of building one of the great air cargo resources in history,” Pradeep said.
     “Now I look forward to catching up with friends and colleagues at Air Cargo India,” ‘Good Guy’ Pradeep Kumar declared.
Geoffrey

Smiling faces going places… Folks likely to be seen at WCS, pictured above at the IATA Los Angeles exhibit in 2014, which was staffed by American Airlines Cargo.

     Let’s face it—there are plenty of places in the world holding cargo events in 2016 where you can take your hard-earned money.
      But keeping it in your own backyard might be a better idea, if showing up at JFK, LHR, DXB, FRA, LAX, MIA, ATL, or any of the dozens of other gateways is local to you. They all feature lively and effective air cargo organizations that meet monthly and have done great things to build our industry for years.
     That said, here is an early look at an event scheduled for March that stands out from the onslaught of trade shows conducted by those looking to fatten their coffers—we are all familiar with the sales pitches driven by endless emails and phone blitz campaigns.
     The IATA 10th World Cargo Symposium kicks off the New Year in Berlin from March 15-17.
     “The World Cargo Symposium (WCS) is the largest and most prestigious annual event of its kind and the only one to bring together key stakeholders from the entire air cargo supply chain,” proclaims IATA on their website.
     Well, actually, WCS is an outgrowth of a mandated annual meeting, headed up by what appears to be a revolving door of top IATA cargo executives that seem to be following rather than leading industry trends.
     But that’s okay, because there are plenty of smart people in air cargo and familiarizing ourselves with each other is the main driver to progress in air cargo, despite what anybody tells us.
     At WCS there are halls filled with top airline cargo executives running to and from meetings or to “members only events.”
     Every WCS is punctuated by dozens of concurrent sessions that we think are better comprehended by reading the meeting transcripts, which will eventually be available on your computer.
     Trying to decide which meeting to attend when several are held concurrently can be maddening, without even factoring in the jet-lag.
     There are a few displays in the exhibit halls that are good gathering points for a coffee or a beer, and one big, all-in general meeting featuring either a mega cargo star like Fred Smith and or a motivational speaker.
     There are also a few social events where you might get lucky and button-hole someone that you need to ask for mercy.
     The Berlin location for this 2016 edition of WCS is interesting.
     Maybe someone can explain why BER is years late, wildly over budget, and still underutilized?
     Also, regretfully, we must—as a defensive measure—consider flying to BER or TXL on any airline except Lufthansa, because for the past few years at least, they seem to always be on strike.

When:         March 15-17, 2016
Where:        Berlin, Germany
Venue:         Intercontinental Hotel
Contact:      IATA World Cargo Symposium
Geoffrey

     This is one lady who had the courage and determination to move to air cargo, and she has not regretted it.
     Meet Abhilasha Koul.
     As part of Cathay Pacific Cargo based in New Delhi, she slipped into the cargo domain more than a dozen years ago.
     That was the beginning of her ‘love affair.’
     “I started my career on the passenger side in the aviation business,” she remembered. When she was offered the opportunity to shift to cargo, “I happily accepted.” She knew she was treading into an alien territory.
     “Despite the fact that the cargo sector is a fast growing one and has immense opportunities for growth, there were not many women in this industry," she said.
     Ms. Koul confirmed that the demand for skilled professionals exceeds the supply in the cargo sector; hence “it is important we attract and include women.”
     She was quick to point out “women ace at multitasking and I am thrilled to be part of this industry.
     “I believe it is not hard to grow and place yourself comfortably if you work towards your goal,” Abhilasha said.
     Associated with the cargo sector for 13 years, the work Ms. Koul does in marketing has been “a fulfilling one for me as not only have I grown professionally but intellectually as well.”
     As for her male colleagues, she has a lot of kind words.
     “The mentoring by my seniors and support from my colleagues has helped me sustain for such a long time.
     “The overall atmosphere is one of encouragement and learning and that’s the key to surviving in these challenging times,” she said.
      What excites her most are freighters.
      “I like handling freighters as it is dynamic in nature.
      “The most exciting part is to fill the allotted capacity and ensure the cost is optimized as well.
      “It also allows me to interact with many industry players in the market and that helps to understand and design future strategies,” she said.
      Abhilasha Kaul is a great optimist.
      She is certain other women will join her in her field of work.
      “With women empowerment being the focus of this government, I guess there are equal opportunities for all qualified/skilled people. The fact that today’s industry is now accepting women in cargo operations, customer service, and sales,” she said with certainty, “it is just a matter of time that the percentage of women in the cargo industry will increase.”
Tirthankar Ghosh

   Before we can all say hello to the new hotel at JFK, we must say goodbye to the terminal that was. Thousands gathered at JFK International in New York late last year for an “Open House” to say goodbye to the iconic TWA Flight Center.
   The “living sculpture,” designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen in 1962, has remained vacant since TWA went out of business in 2001.

   So many fearing for the building’s future can now relax a bit, as money to renovate the building has arrived.
   

   The great architectural photographer Ezra Stoller (1915-2004) took these pictures when the place opened in 1962.
   Today everybody has a digital camera and/or a cellphone that can shoot amazing pictures in high definition. These truly remarkable pictures were shot in black and white and presented to the world as gelatin silver prints mounted on grey boards. They illustrate a focused artistry unmatched in the quick-fix digital age we now live in.
   I remember working with some of these photos from the TWA file 35 years ago, when the airline was based in New York City and headquartered at 633 Third Avenue.
   Today, these pictures are as dramatic, striking, and beautiful as ever, maybe even more so when we consider the time and attention required to produce them.
   So as the “butterfly” takes off for a new destination, those of us who love the place wish the TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport a great new journey in the years ahead.
Geoffrey