Trading Places At Lufthansa

     It was the rarest of occasions—an opportunity to speak to a couple of air cargo originals up close and personal as they moved to new assignments as part of the same air cargo group.
     This is a story about strong-willed and determined inventive executives, both of whom have been at work prior to 2009, building success upon success when all of a sudden the music stopped and both are informed that from now on they will be doing completely different jobs.
     No, Reto Hunziker who has made his wider reputation as marketing team leader at the Sino-German, all-cargo JV Jade Cargo based in Shenzhen, and Christian Fink who created and has delivered profits for eight straight months in 2009 during the worst financial depression since the 1930’s at Lufthansa Charter Agency, are not best friends or for that matter even before these days even knew that much of each other than maybe an occasional brief encounter to book a deal.
     In truth both have not been more than passing acquaintances.
     But as Reto who now becomes MD at Lufthansa Charter, and Christian who moves out of day-to-day air cargo to an entirely new job at Lufthansa show, as this interview progresses, many more similarities than differences.
     Reto and Christian by circumstance are 21st Century executives in real time who lead compact personally motivated teams of go-getter air cargo people that perform beyond expectations of size and ability.
     Part of that experience is the unmistakeable feeling that both express of closeness to their people that is part of the human condition of laboring together in the trenches whilst accepting victories and setbacks.
     The feeling of closeness to former team and task is palpable as occasionaly the sense of elation and anticipation is punctuated with some vague melancholy as both speak.
     You sense that Reto will be measured by Christian and must be up to the challenge and the former MD at Charter while releasing his grip on “his baby” does so with unexpected emotion.
     Aside from anything else, these are air cargo executives who have brought their brains and heart and soul to the task and now must look ahead to making the same effort in an entirely different situation, each with a new set of characters.
     Sure there will be other mountains to climb and victories to be won.
     But this day is not without some sentimental moments, as both pause and reflect the feeling that breaking up with their past, no matter how much change is rationalized, is hard to do.
     “From my impressions and working as a colleague and partner with Lufthansa Charter, what I can see is a first-rate team that is both close knit and effective.
     “Christian has done an admirable job here and the people are really wonderful.
     “Sure there will be changes, but I am a European and an air cargo professional who has benefited from past years at Swiss World Cargo and also building my team, my family really, at Jade Cargo in Shenzhen.
     “Our future based on a global vision with a local hands on, touching both inwardly and out to the customer base will be to build strength upon strength.
     “In terms of future business right now we brace ourselves to the task at hand and that is moving cargo and taking advantage of every opportunity as the annual Christmas rush continues.
     “If there is a concern right now it is what will happen during the first quarter of 2010.
     “We are bracing ourselves while hopeful that business will continue in its revival mode.
     “But there is no doubt that we are into a new reality and air cargo will need to be even more flexible and inventive than ever before.”
     For his part Christian Fink says that the product he leaves at Lufthansa Charter has earned its way to position as a market leader with “plenty of hard work” from “a dedicated team of special people.”
     “No one can operate in a vacuum. The people of Lufthansa Charter can be put up against any other organization.
     “They are professional and caring for each other and always looking out for the customer.
     “This year has been especially tough. We have managed to remain profitable despite seeing maybe 25% of our business evaporate.
     “But everyone here, while tightening their belts, have also rededicated themselves to working even harder.
     “While I’ll certainly miss the familiarity of being here I am energized by a great new assignment at Lufthansa and I will make myself available to everyone.
     “You don’t ever turn off your family at the airline and the customer base like a light switch.
     “Reto will be great here, is my expectation.
     “Lufthansa Charter is a great transportation resource that can only get greater is my stand.
     “It will be a pleasure to watch it continue to develop new friends worldwide,” Christian Fink said.
Geoffrey

Good Guy On Top

     Christian Fink can look back on 2009 as a year of change.
     First he married Petra Grimm in September and then he finalized his term as MD at Lufthansa Charter by immediately morphing into a new role at Lufthansa Group that is leveraging his airline and legal training as well.
     Christian Fink is a terrific transportation executive.
     He is smart and a razor sharp manager.
     He is also tough and does not suffer fools.
     But he is also decent and kind and perhaps best of all beyond everything else—Christian is a great human being.
     So in a year when the news is of dubious distinction anywhere you turn—here is a salute to love and marriage and the continuation of a good guy in the airline business.
Geoffrey

     It was a pioneer airline and the only great world air cargo resource to make its home with corporate headquarters on a New York City Airport.
     Today what was the beautiful HQ of Seaboard World Airways located at Federal Circle on JFK International Airport is now a staging area and a train station with no mention of the great airline that once lived here.
     But once upon a time SWA was a world leader and the first airline anywhere to operate a pure B747 freighter across the pond to Paris—The Seaboard World Containership.
     Seaboard lived from 1946 until 1980 when it was delivered lock, stock and barrel to Flying Tigers after which FT was taken over by FedEx.
     But while it flew, SWA was the leader in every way including innovation and social responsibility and the first black man in history to command a USA commercial flag airplane—Captain August Martin.
     SWA was the first airline to fly an all-cargo flight across the Atlantic and it was the first to land and takeoff at Idlewild (now JFK) Airport in 1948.
     SWA was first to fly support for the Berlin Airlift and first to order and operate the Lockheed 1049D Super Constellation; the Douglas DC-8-55; the DC-8-63CF & as mentioned Boeing 747F (first 747 built as a freighter from the beginning of its production).
     SWA was also the first all-cargo airline to join the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
     Next year when SWA retirees and its veterans meet again, it will be 30 years since the airline flew—almost as long out of business as it was in business.
     But SWA vets have always seemed to be able to make the most of less and maybe that tops the list of things to mention when talking about the airline.
     Seaboard World Airways put a stamp on air cargo that continues to this day with some of the great thinkers, dreamers and doers that ever took up the air cargo art.
     Seaboard gave air cargo, people like Boesch, Arendal and Rohrmann and Larsen and Chabrol and Mahoney and Jackson and hundreds of others.
     Seaboard people planted a Redwood Tree at Schiphol AMS forty years ago that is a landmark today, but the airline also left executives in every part of air cargo that went out from USA, Europe and elsewhere populating an industry.
     Some SWA people are gathering this weekend at JFK.
     The agenda is simple—drinks, an overnight, a trip out to the now vacant Building 260 at JFK International where once everybody was young and braces of gleaming B747-200Fs came and went in and out like clockwork making history.
     Where once everybody went to work and danced about the heavens carrying air cargo as far as it could go, now walls that can never talk will once again hear familiar voices of people who have returned for one more push back and some stories to tell once again over drinks and dinners in a walk down memory lane.
     Not to be missed.
     Contact: foaviation@aol.com or v20100@aol.com
Geoffrey

     Airbus has bounced back in the freighter biz
     The last freighter produced by Airbus was handed over almost an age ago to U.S. integrator FedEx in Summer 2007.
     Since the delivery of the A300F, the European manufacturer had not built another cargo plane.
     Now a new era seems to have begun with a brand new A330-200F taking to the skies last Thursday (November 5) for a four-hour maiden flight over the southern parts of France.
     “This milestone marks the start of a 180 hour flight-test and certification campaign, and paves the way for first delivery of the type in the summer of 2010,” commented Airbus in a statement.
     So far nine airlines and leasing companies have placed 67 firm orders for the craft, among them Turkish Airlines, Guggenheim Aviation and Matlin Paterson.
     The freighter can transport either 64 tons nonstop over a distance of 7,400 km or 69 tons up to 5,930 km. The freight compartments can be cooled down to 5 degrees centigrade enabling transports of temperature sensitive products like perishables, pharmaceuticals or medicines. Completely new is a software tool offered customers by Airbus that enables loadmasters the virtual loading of the plane once they have the weights and dimensions of the shipments.
     “This will enhance the utilization of the aircraft substantially and save the airlines money,” states Technical Program Leader Matthias Lerovante when asked by ACN/FT.
     Said Airbus Chief Operating Officer - Customers, John Leahy:
     “The efficient A330-200F is very well adapted to today’s market dynamics of rising fuel prices and increased pressure on yields.”
     He adds:
     “The A330-200F is the right aircraft at the right time.
     “We are at the eve of a market recovery, and now is the time for airlines to prepare for future freight growth.”
     Airbus sees the need for over 3,400 freighters in the next 20 years to cater for a 5.2% average annual growth rate. In turn, this will require around 1,600 mid-sized freighters, of which the A330-200F will play an important role.
Main competitor is Boeing’s B767F.
     “But in comparison our freighter offers ten more tons of payload and has an 800 nautical miles greater reach,” says Jonathan Lesieur, Marketing Manager Freighters at Airbus.
     In addition to carrying commercial goods there might be another task coming up for the A330-200F: the replacement of the more than 45 years old air-refueling tanker KC-135 the U.S. Air Force is still deploying. In a joint bid submitted to the Pentagon Airbus parent European Aeronautical Defence & Space (EADS) and their U.S. partner Northrop Grumman are eager to win the 179 unit-comprising tanker contract valued at USD$35 billion in its initial phase.
     So is U.S. manufacturer Boeing, that appealed successfully against the original decision by the U.S. Government in favor of the Airbus variant in the mix. Now Boeing is back in the race with its KC-767AT (Advanced Tanker) that is based on a newer version of the 767-200 LR long-range freighter manufactured in Everett.
     This obviously doesn’t frighten CEO Tom Enders of Airbus.
     “The less costly aircraft will win that contract,” stated the manager during a recent press gathering in Hamburg, Germany, by adding “smaller jets are normally cheaper than bigger ones.”
     In comparison to the KC-767AT the Airbus A330-200F tanker transporter weighs less and is a smaller aircraft.
Heiner Siegmund

Air Cargo News FlyingTypers leads the way again as the world’s first air cargo publication to connect the industry to the broadly expanding and interactive base for social commentary—Twitter.
     Here are updates from Twitter so far this week. To be added to this 24/7/365 service at no-charge contact: acntwitter@aircargonews.com

November 10:   Japan Airlines (B777 Sky Eco pictured) cuts 16 money losing routes as it tries to pare huge losses. Half are domestic, the others international include Mexico City.

November 10:   Project Cargo Management course to be held in Singapore January 28-29 2010 after Breakbulk Conference.Cost USD $1500.

November 10:   Purolator Courier went weight & balance IT solution from Lufthansa Systems called LoadControl that automates load planning & saves fuel.

November 10:   Korea prosecutors into price J'Accuse as Fair Trade Commission there raps NCA over surcharges. KFTC awaits NCA reply before next step.

November 10:   EVA Cargo goes IATA e-freight last week between Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong & Singapore knocking out 16 paper documents each shipment.

November 10:   With a dozen already in the fleet, Air New Zealand ordered 14 more A320s plans eliminating 15 Boeing 737-300s on domestic runs.

November 9:   Turkish Airlines orders more A330-300s as number of A330-300s goes to ten—also plans to acquire two A330F to replace A310s.

November 9:   China Postal Airlines opens for biz and overnight mail is part of every day life -Tues. Sun. Changchun, Jinan, Nanjing via B737-400s.

Contact! Talk To Geoffrey

RE:  Americas Beautiful Venue Lags
Dear Geoffrey

  In your recent article about ACA you noted all U.S. flag carriers were absent with the exception of AA. Please don’t forget Centurion Air Cargo and Arrow Cargo are both U.S. Flag full freighter operations and both also had some of the larger stands at the show. (next to DHL, I think Arrow’s was the largest.)

Best regards,
Don Cochran
President
Platinum Air Cargo
281 869 8021 x 108

Dear Don,

  Thanks for writing.
  Great point.
  Thinking about combo-legacy carriers and should have said so.
  Our apologies to both Arrow & Centurion—both great air cargo resources proudly carrying U.S. flag.

Greetings,
Geoffrey

Hi Geoffrey

  It was good to speak with you at ACA. Your report today summed up the event very well.
  Great show, lousy venue.
  As a conference delegate I certainly did not feel very valued.
  I wonder how many conference delegates picked up a cold due to the freezing temperatures in the meeting room.

Kind regards
Peter
Peter Walter
Marketing Manager
CHAMP Cargosystems

Air Cargo Americas
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