GLOBAL A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
MANAGEMENT
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
WORLD ACW Digital is sponsored by AIRPORTS.COM FREIGHTERS.COM
FREIGH
FRE
Tabloid page bled.indd 1
13/09/2018 15:32
The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,001
1 October 2018
The hotel that welcomes pets
An Open Letter to IATA Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general and CEO Peter Gerber, chairman of the cargo committee
Dear Sirs,
T
he roots of the FWB and the electronic Air WayBill (e-AWB) go back to the 1980s. The concept of the e-AWB was adopted by the IATA Cargo Services Conference in March 2010 as an IATA Recommended Practice 1670. With the e-AWB full elimination of the paper AWB is now possible for e-freight shipments.
IATA’s Cargo Committee endorsed ambitious targets to move to 100% e-AWB adoption by 2014. That target has been significantly missed, with just over 55% penetration this summer, four years later. It cannot be over-emphasised that the e-AWB is the foundation of e-Commerce movements by air and is a 21st century solution for 21st century air cargo. The survival and continuous application of the legacy Cargo-Imp standards is doing absolutely nothing to help increase penetration of e-AWB, in fact it helps to prolong its adoption. IATA is aware of this and its impact to the industry but has been slow to terminate its support for Cargo-Imp. Virtually all SME forwarders rely on software providers for their IT systems and transmissions and their software providers are generally not willing or prepared to further develop messaging or document standards in out-dated technology because they fully expect that this is going to lead to major upgrades in the very near future. In fact, they would prefer to write all new document and message standards in Cargo-XML. The biggest problem is that very few of your airlines members can currently accept such XML standard messages. We are deeply worried that the penetration you have achieved so far has only been from the low-hanging fruit. The penetration data you are recording today has come mostly from the acceptance of e-AWBs by the multi-national forwarders
who clearly see the benefits, while in some areas of the world the local forwarders have been mandated to send e-AWBs before delivering their cargo to the airlines, an example being the UAE and Hong Kong. Many of the smaller, independent forwarders have yet to be persuaded as to the benefits of e-AWBs despite your best efforts. They only see cost and disruption to switching to a new standard with they believe minimum benefit. They are also of the mind that electronic data can be accessed by their competitors! Simply stated, no move on either ceasing Cargo Imp support or creating a timetable to withdraw its operating and messaging standards means ‘no progress’! After several years with very slow penetration of the e-AWB, we know it will not grow significantly without such drastic measures being taken. Now that IATA has announced plans to phase out Cargo-Imp, we call on you to actively push for 100% e-AWB penetration within the next two years; this can be helped by announcing Cargo-XML as the minimum industry standard. The Association must encourage by any means necessary the switching-off of any residual support for Cargo-Imp programs by the end of 2021. Thereafter, the body should only promote and support Cargo-XML programs. As an industry, we looked to eAWB360 as an industry call-to-action, that has co-ordinated industry engagement and communication activities aimed at encouraging airlines, freight forwarders, and ground handlers to adopt e-AWB, supported by also building stakeholder-readiness at selected airports. To provide comfort to its core airline customers, IATA must establish a rule that it is imperative all airlines (as a standard obligation) activate an electronic receipt of all FWBs received either by providing a FMA or FNA message. This will enable the forwarders to deliver their cargo to the airline shed
with confidence, or take the corrective action should a reject message be received. There is an issue of what appears to be the prohibitive cost of XML adoption. The current pricing structure seems to discriminate against the smaller forwarder or software developer. This continues to hinder the SME forwarder’s acceptance to change and comply. IATA has it within its gift (with their members support) to reduce their fees and this should be reviewed and addressed immediately. This is a key solution that will see IT software houses only too happy to write the required XML programs for their agent clients to help them facilitate the transmission of FWBs and receive the messages they need to successfully conduct their e-business. IATA, TIACA and FIATA and its member airlines and forwarders attend a number of worldwide conferences that are meant to address the major issues affecting this industry. Yet this critical topic is rarely discussed. e-AWB as the first step to e-freight has not been treated as a priority by conference speakers and again we need you to ensure this matter is given very high priority on every occasion!
No move on this subject means no progress and without IATA and the other industry associations fully addressing this issue now, nothing will be different in five, 10 or even 20 years. We need the airfreight industry to step into the 21st century now! Yours sincerely, Gerry Burgin, FIFP, FCILT, Founder, GBCA Gordon Tutt, chair, Association of Freight Software Suppliers Des Vertannes, consultant John Batten, WFS executive v-p cargo EMEAA Ram Menen, consultant Malcolm Fowler, consultant
Page 6
INSIDE 25 years of success in poland
chapman Freeborn Aircharting has marked 25 years of business in Poland with a celebration at The View located on the 28th and 32nd floors of ... page 2
fta demands brexit answers
the Freight Transport Association has expressed concern at the lack of progress in Brexit negotiations, urging action to keep trade flowing between ... page 4 we must share data
shippers and logistics suppliers must share information to build a more secure and efficient pharma supply chain, delegates were told at the ... page 7
linz on the road to growth
cargo at Blue Danube Airport Linz experienced strong growth of more than 20 per cent in 2017 driven by the road feeder service segment ... page 10
aircargoweek.com
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
Celebrating 25 years of success in Poland
C
hapman Freeborn Airchartering has marked 25 years of business in Poland with a celebration at The View located on the 28th and 32nd floor of Warsaw’s Spectrum Tower. The company has had a presence in Poland since 1993 when it opened its office in Warsaw to serve local charter clients and expand specialist activities in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states. In 2015, a second office was opened in Katowice to help meet increased demand for its charter expertise and its growing range of related services including on board courier solutions for time-critical shipments. Chapman Freeborn chief executive officer, Russi Batliwala says: “Twenty-five years in the aviation industry is an achievement to be proud of. The key to our success in Poland has been the amazing group of people that make up our team – as well as the longstanding support of our customers and airline suppliers.” The event provided an opportunity to recognise team members for their length of service including Wojciech Trzpiel who reached the 10-year milestone, and Idalia Glodowska and Rafal Gontar who have served the company for 23 and 25 years respectively.
Virgin keeps growing following record year
Following a record year in 2017, Virgin Atlantic Cargo has grown by three per cent in the first half of 2018. The airline carried 116.3 million kilos to the end of June 2018, building on the strong performance in 2017 when volumes reached a five-year high. The cargo business also continued to benefit from close alignment with its trans-Atlantic joint venture partner, Delta Cargo. Pharma grew by more than 50 per cent helped by opening the airline’s Pharma Zone at Heathrow Airport in the fourth quarter of 2017 and confirmation of its Good Distribution Practice Compliance in April this year. There was double-digit growth in bookings from its top pharma freight forwarding customers. The booming e-commerce market continued to boost express shipments while car parts for manufacture and sale have increased Virgin’s share of the automotive market. Virgin Atlantic Cargo managing director, Dominic Kennedy (pictured) says: “We continue to see benefits from our strategic
focus on pharma as well as other core products and services, including express, high value cargoes and automotive. “Exchange rates and other external factors may slow some parts of the air cargo market in the second half of 2018 but with the momentum we have built, alongside the benefits of our partnerships with Delta Cargo and Virgin Australia, our expectations for the rest of the year remain positive.” Growth in load factors was helped by high demand from the UK to the US as well as to Delhi, Johannesburg, Dubai, Shanghai and the Caribbean. Volumes out of Australia were 22 per cent above target with routes to Los Angeles from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane all recording growth, coupled with strong demand on Virgin Australia services from Melbourne to Hong Kong. Half year volumes to the UK grew 2.9 per cent with higher demand for US-UK capacity causing tonnage to increase 7.7 per cent, thanks to growth from the US West coast and the South East.
ACS flies hurricane relief to Hawaii
A
ir Charter Service’s Texas office has flown 120 tonnes of relief goods to Hawaii following the destruction caused by Hurricane Lane. The relief flights came after ACS was involved in flights following problems caused by Kilauea Volcano. ACS Americas president, Richard Thompson (pictured) says the island was still reeling from the eruption with islanders facing sinkholes, landslides, loss of electricity and mass displacement. ACS was contacted to transport a search and rescue team to Honolulu just before the storm hit in anticipation of the
2
ACW 1 October 2018
destruction. Thompson explains: “We were able to find a Gulfstream IV able to fly in the eight-strong group. We then sourced an MD-11 to fly in more than 120 tonnes of relief goods on two separate flights – one directly after the storm, on August 26th, and one a couple of days after that.” In May ACS transported 68 tonnes of barite, a fire retardant ore to limit the damage when lava from Kilauea reached the geothermal power plant, with Thompson commenting: “And now they’ve had to deal with Hurricane Lane and its aftermath, in which the wind speed reached 160mph and more than 50 inches of rain fell over the space of four days!”
Country manager Radoslaw Puchalski says: “Our team in Poland continues to go from strength to strength, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. The business has been based on providing innovative charter solutions and personal service for 25 years, and that is the way we want to continue as we look to the future.”
Protectionist rhetoric fails to hit Asian air cargo
Cargo demand has continued to grow in August across Asia Pacific due to sustained demand, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). Freight tonne kilometres (FTK) were up 4.2 per cent in August to 6.1 billion but capacity in available FTK grew at a higher rate of 5.5 per cent to 9.7 billion, pushing load factors down 0.8 percentage points to 63.2 per cent. AAPA director general, Andrew Herdman says: “International air cargo demand increased by 4.8 per cent, although growth rates have moderated after the strong surge we saw last year.” Between January and August, FTKs were up 4.8 per cent to 47.6 billion, AFTK by 6.7 per cent to 75.8 billion and load factors down by 1.2 percentage points to 62.8 per cent. Herdman comments: “Air cargo demand remains relatively firm moving into the peak season, even though growth rates have moderated. The escalation in protectionist rhetoric and the imposition of new tariffs has so far had little real impact on trade flows, but adds an element of uncertainty for businesses reliant on integrated global supply chains.”
ACW ON THIS DAY 2006
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
Schiphol celebrates 90 years
Vol 9, Issue 39
AS THE world’s oldest international airport to be still situated at its orginal location, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol celebrated its 90th anniversary on 19 September. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Dutch Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be giving a special concert for the airport’s neighbours on 14 October. On the same day a statue of the airport’s founding father and first airport operations manager Jan Dellaert, will be unveiled. Dellaert was the gateway’s first station and operations manager working for the airport from 1920 to 1960. Under his leadership, the airport was rapidly
aircargoweek.com
2 October 2006
reconstructed after having been completely destroyed during World War II. Dellaert devised ground-breaking plans for a new airport, consisting of a central terminal and a tangential runway system, which opened in 1967. The basic design of Dellaert’s original concept for Schiphol remains virtually unchanged.
Schiphol 1916-1919
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
FTA demands practical post-Brexit solutions
WorldNews
he UK’s Freight Transport Association (FTA) has expressed its concern at the lack of progress in Brexit negotiations, urging action to keep trade flowing between the UK and EU. With six months to go until the UK leaves the European Union and the threat of No-Deal looming, the FTA is urging European leaders to ensure trade that cannot function without international agreements, including airfreight and international haulage can keep flowing freely after Brexit. FTA head of European policy, Pauline Bastidon (pictured) says: “With only six months left until Brexit, it is fair to say that the negotiations have not progressed as far as we would have hoped. With so much political posturing playing out in the media, it is easy to forget that there are deeply integrated supply chains and jobs at risk if things go wrong.” She adds that new agreements will be needed to allow trucks, aircraft and trains to cross borders with the European Union to keep goods flowing and shops and factories supplied. Additional costs and red tape are major concerns for FTA members, but Bastidon says biggest worry would be the drastic reductions to the international movement of freight vehicles and aircraft. Explaining that the logistics sector needs clarification on cross-border movement, Bastidon says: “Simply saying that things will be sorted out or that both sides will take unilateral measures in isolation, as suggested repeatedly on the EU side, is no insurance or reassurance for businesses which are currently negotiating
following the temporary suspension of operations, Nippon Cargo Airlines has restarted operations to Chicago. Services from Tokyo’s Narita airport to Chicago via Anchorage resumed on 28 September, adding to flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong. The airline says the rest of the aircraft operations will resume as soon as safety is confirmed and preparations are completed.
T
Rene Steinhaus has been confirmed as chief executive officer of lux-Airport, having been in charge of Luxembourg Airport’s operating company since March 2018. The aerospace engineer started his career in 1998 with Fraport and held several senior positions at Frankfurt Airport. He joined lux-Airport in September 2016 as commercial director.
contracts with no knowledge of whether or not they will be able to provide the services they are committed to without market access being permitted.” The association is urging both sides to work on contingency plans and mitigating measures so businesses can plan and have legal certainties even in the event of No-Deal. Bastidon says: “These solutions need to be worked on and agreed now, not at the eleventh hour, while trying to find a more sustainable solutions for the overall negotiations. Our members need tangible answers, not political theories.”
RSA National opens doors to flagship DWC terminal
RSA National has opened the doors to its flagship air cargo terminal at Dubai World Central, supporting the UAE’s vision of becoming the world’s leading logistics hub. The joint venture between National Air Cargo and RSA Global has the vision to operate as a one-stop, boutique integrator offering multimodal supply chain solutions specialising in services for customers in established and emerging sectors as well as niche products including perishables and dangerous goods. To mark the occasion, a ceremony was held at RSA’s new cargo terminal with the attendance of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who is the chairman of Dubai Airports, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, as well as chairman and CEO of Emirates Group; along with Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths. The company has completed 13,000 square metres of built up area consolidating freight forwarding and multimodal capabilities, with the ability to expand it to 56,000 square metres. Al Maktoum says: “Today we are delighted to celebrate the inauguration of RSA National’s air cargo terminal at DWC. The RSA National air cargo terminal is an impressive and welcomed development and supports Dubai’s efforts to remain at the forefront of aviation and logistics globally.”
Quote of the week “We are deeply worried that the penetration you have achieved so far has only been from the low-hanging fruit” The open letter to IATA
RSA Global co-founder and group CEO, Abhishek Ajay Shah says: “We believe the launch of RSA National’s flagship air cargo terminal is a game changer for the UAE’s aviation and logistics industry to claim the number one spot. We have designed this smart facility to deliver innovative multimodal, tech-forward supply chain solutions and plan to expand as the region’s demands grow. The sky’s the limit.” National Air Cargo board member and president for the Middle East and Pacific Rim, Jacob Matthew says: “The completion of the first phase of the first commercial cargo terminal at DWC is an important step for RSA National in the context of the UAE aviation industry, a vital driving force of the country’s economic diversification plan.” Griffiths comments: “We have witnessed impressive freight growth at DWC since it first opened in 2010. The airport has quickly ascended the global rankings for international freight volumes and is now ranked in the top 20. We have achieved this by developing and implementing leading- edge customer centric processes, technology and infrastructure. “RSA National’s innovative and tech forward mindset is fully aligned with this approach and we are honoured to celebrate this great achievement with them today.”
Atlas Air to operate 747 for SF Express Atlas Air will operate a Boeing 747-400 Freighter for SF Express, entering service in this month. The aircraft will operate on key global routes across the transpacific market connecting China and the US. Atlas Air Worldwide president and chief executive officer, William Flynn says: “SF Express plays a very important role in the growing express and e-commerce industries, and we look forward to providing SF Express and its customers with unmatched service and a platform for future global expansion.”
aircargoweek.com
cargo and airmail volumes at Hong Kong International Airport grew by 2.4 per cent in August to 431,000 tonnes. Transhipments grew by nine per cent with North America and Southeast Asia seeing the most significant growth. In the first eight months of 2018, cargo and airmail increased by 3.1 per cent to 3.3 million tonnes. airfreight throughput at Singapore’s Changi Airport increased by 1.8 per cent in August to 184,000 tonnes. On 4 September, Changi welcomed SF Airlines flights from Shenzhen in China, marking the first time a Chinese express airline has flown a freighter between Singapore and China. cargo and mail volumes at Aeroflot increased by 6.2 per cent in August with double digit international growth making up for a domestic decline. Aeroflot carried 20,334 tonnes in August, with international growth of 13.3 per cent to 13,812 tonnes but a domestic fall of 6.2 per cent to 6,522 tonnes. So far this year, volumes are down 1.1 per cent to 140,198 tonnes, with international growth of 3.8 per cent to 95,046 tonnes and a domestic fall of 10.1 per cent to 45,152 tonnes. british Airways will expand its presence in Japan with four flights a week to Osaka from 31 March 2019. British Airways’ director of network and alliances, Sean Doyle says: “This new route will also open up more opportunities for companies to explore and build business in the region so we’re expecting this new service to be well received by our customers.” Bart Ligthart has taken the position of head of trading and portfolio management at aircraft leasing company AerCap. He joined the portfolio management team in 2007 and was appointed head of trading early this year. Ligthart has 11 years of experience in aircraft trading and portfolio and has been central to developing AerCap’s portfolio management strategy. AerCap CEO, Aengus Kelly says: “We are fortunate to have someone of Bart’s calibre and experience to lead our portfolio management team and to take advantage of market opportunities. Bart has a proven track record of execution and a tremendous understanding of both aircraft and the aircraft investor markets.” Air Lease (ALC) has delivered a Boeing 787-9 to Air New Zealand on a long-term lease. Air New Zealand already has Airbus A320s and Boeing 777-300ERs on lease from ALC, with additional A320-200neos and A321-200neos on order. Air Lease Corporation executive chairman, Steven Udvar-Hazy says: “ALC is proud to continue its long excellent relationship with Air New Zealand by leasing this new B787-9 aircraft which will be an instrumental aircraft in Air New Zealand’s ongoing fleet evolution and modernisation to maintain its status as a leading global airline.” Shanghai Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The aircraft has a special ‘100’ symbol on its fuselage, as the 787-9 is the 100th aircraft for Shanghai Airlines. Shanghai Airlines is set to receive additional 787-9s in the coming years.
ACW 1 october 2018
3
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
Construction starts at Budapest Airport’s Cargo City
C
onstruction of Budapest Airport’s Cargo City, part of the €160 million BUD:2020 Development Programme has begun. The €32.6 million investment into a 20,000 square metre cargo handling facility and dedicated Boeing 747-8 Freighter stands will centralise cargo operations and expand the airport’s handling capacity to cope with increasing demand. As part of the BUD:2020 Development Programme, Budapest Airport opened two state-of-the-art express facilities in 2017 with a total area of 16,000 square metres supplying increasing volumes from the express and e-commerce business. Budapest Airport executive director property and cargo, Rene Droese says: “This is an exciting milestone for the Hungarian cargo community. Following on from our infrastructure developments for the integrator market, our aim is to provide the ideal environment for air cargo with our Cargo City project.”
Strategy and digital role for Millet at ECS
ECS Group has appointed Cédric Millet as chief strategy and digital officer. Millet graduated from the renowned Ecole Centrale in France in 2000, and has previously worked for Qatar Airways where he successively held the position of vice-president, revenue management and pricing and head of cargo – South Europe based in Paris. He also has experience at Air France Cargo. Bertrand Schmoll, chairman of ECS Group, welcomes this recruitment: “By hiring Cédric
as chief strategy and digital officer, we are moving up a gear in our digital transition which has already started few years ago. We also hired him to put his experience at the service of the ECS’s long-term strategy. We are setting up new working methods and new processes. “This change will enable us to increase efficiency in order to sustain and accelerate our growth.” Air Italy, the former Meridiana Airline, has moved its representation in the United States to Globe Air Cargo USA, a subsidiary of ECS Group. Miami-based Globe Air Cargo USA intends to open up new logistical solutions for the American market with direct daily flights to Milan Malpensa from Miami and New York. “The addition of daily nonstop service from New York and Miami to Milan, Italy strengthens GAC USA leadership position as a leading GSA in the market” says GAC USA country manager Francisco Hernandez.
He adds that following AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Silk Way West Airlines starting services this year joining Cargolux, Qatar Airways Cargo and Turkish Cargo, Budapest now has five freighter operators. Droese adds: “The cargo connectivity of Budapest is also continuously expanding via the new belly cargo services of LOT, American Airlines, and Qatar Airways, as well as Emirates, Air China, and Air Canada Rouge.” Budapest Airport chief executive officer, Jost Lammers says: “Air cargo is of strategic importance to Budapest, and Cargo City will ensure that we continue to provide our growing customer base with efficient, modern facilities, so that they can thrive in our booming catchment area.” This summer, Budapest welcomed Kuehne + Nagel to its cargo community and saw four new North American routes launched, with flights to New York, Chicago and Philadelphia in the US, and Toronto, Canada.
Capaccioli joins BIFA as a trainer The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has expanded its training team with the appointment of Claire Capaccioli as trainer – freight and customs procedures. For some time the UK trade association for freight forwarding companies has anticipated a significant increase in the training requirements of its members. BIFA training development manager Carl Hobbis says: “One year ago, when Graeme Wilkinson joined our training team, we forecast that with Brexit and the development of a relevant freight forwarding apprenticeship, that the need for training would increase. “Now with the International Freight Forwarding Specialist apprenticeship now available for delivery, and with ongoing uncertainties over the ramifications of Brexit on such matters as Customs Clearance, what was anticipated is now evident. Claire’s appointment is a reflection of that.” Capaccioli has worked in the industry for 27
years, starting her career in 1991 at Kintetsu World Express but spent 20 years at Yusen Logistics. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. BIFA director general, Robert Keen commented: “Having known Claire for some years through her involvement with BIFA in our Manchester Regional meetings and her assistance with previous BIFA training material developments, I have been looking forward to her joining the team.”
Air Partner and Antonov help clear up after Super Typhoon Mangkhut Planning Division and cargo divisions are always ready to help execute any level of support and recovery.” Radiant Global Logistics director of humanitarian aid, Wiley Knight says: “Through the support and quality of service that Air Partner provides, we were able to successfully complete these projects within 24 hours after the storm passed.” The Antonov AN-225 Mriya flew from Ukraine to Oakland International Airport in California to pick up 123 tonnes of aid bound for Guam International Airport. This was the first time the AN-225 flew to Guam. Antonov Airlines head of commercial department, Ruslan Bykovets says: “The Antonov Airlines team organised this complicated operation overnight during the weekend, proving once again our ability to react quickly to the needs of the customers 24/7, which is crucial in maintaining our position at the forefront of the cargo charter market.”
Air Partner is helping clear up the mess caused by Super Typhoon Mangkhut with the delivery of supplies to Guam, on behalf of Radiant Global Logistics. The typhoon went through Southeast Asia and Hong Kong with winds of 157mph, and as extreme weather conditions continue, both Radiant and Air Partner remain on high alert to ensure they can offer support. Air Partner’s cargo division provided Radiant with the Antonov AN-225 and an AN-124 operated by Antonov Airlines to move urgent relief supplies such as water and food. As Radiant coordinated the rapid response logistics for the needs of their customer, the Air Partner team worked around the clock to mobilise and deliver the time-critical project successfully. Air Partner vice president of cargo, Jack Burt says: “In critical moments like this, Air Partner is able to help communities prepare for potential disaster and destruction. The Emergency
4
ACW 1 october 2018
aircargoweek.com
Tabloid page bled.indd 1
24/09/2018 14:46
germany
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
Animal lounge welcomes one billion guests
L
ufthansa Cargo’s Frankfurt Animal Lounge has celebrated its 10th anniversary with a ceremony with partners and customers at the nearby Opel Zoo. The animal lounge combines all areas including handling, animal coordination and veterinary services under one roof, with 50 employees and qualified animal caretakers working around the clock at the 4,000 m2 facility. During the design stage attention was paid to ensure the animals’ stay would be as pleasant as possible with the facility being equipped with a non-slip asphalt floor, which is more comfortable than a concrete surface. The loading area is weather protected and stations for import, export and transit are separated from each other to avoid contact between the animals.
Euro’s value is biting into German export airfreight
Lufthansa Cargo COO and board member for operations, Soren Stark says: “Our highly trained employees, who provide for our animal guests every day with an incredible amount of dedication, passion and experience, are crucial to the excellent reputation of the Frankfurt Animal Lounge.” More than a billion animals have been hosted over the years, with ornamental fish the most frequent visitors, with 80 million coming through each year. Lufthansa Cargo senior director of handling specials, Jorg Bodenroder says: “Many exotic species have already flown with us. From giraffes and hippopotamuses through to Mesopotamian fallow deer, Lufthansa has reliably risen to every logistical challenge to date. “Of course, special memories include famous guests such as the two pandas Meng Meng and Jiao Qing sent by China’s President Xi Jingping to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as special animal envoys in 2017.”
The animal lounge is well equipped for horses with 42 large stalls with up to 28 sqm of space available on the ground for the 2,000 animals passing through annually. Popular household pets such as dogs and cats are also regular visitors, with 39 small animal boxes and three separate quiet zones for cats giving them somewhere to retreat to. The ‘Pet Premium’ product offers pet owners a special service withcustomers receiving photos if they wish to reassure them of how well the pet is being looked after,. Airline personnel are s available to speak to the owner if needed for safety and reassurance.
Swissport takes over Apron in Stuttgart
Swissport is continuing to expand in Germany with the acquisition of Apron, making Stuttgart the company’s second largest cargo hub in the country after Frankfurt. The Swiss cargo handler and ground services provider will handle most of the air cargo at Stuttgart Airport, and the acquisition will increase Swissport’s cargo revenue in Germany by nearly 20 per cent. Swissport senior vice president for Germany,
6
ACW 1 october 2018
aircargoweek.com
Austria and Switzerland, Willy Ruf says: “With the addition of Stuttgart to our global network, our clients will now be able to rely on our high-quality cargo services at eleven airports across Germany. Thanks to the direct tarmac access of the Stuttgart cargo facility, cargo shipments can be handled with short transit times.” More than 27,000 tons of air cargo was handled in Stuttgart in 2017.
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
germany
K
Five more years at Fraport for Schulte
Cologne welcomes first A330-200P2F
O
n the afternoon of Sunday 23 September, the first commercial air cargo flight with the world’s first Airbus A330-200 passenger to cargo conversion landed at Cologne Bonn Airport. Egyptair Cargo has incorporated the first aircraft of this type in its fleet and will operate between Cologne/Bonn and Cairo three times per week. The aircraft will regularly land at and take off from Cologne/Bonn in the afternoons. From October, the airline will increase its weekly flights to five, servicing Johannesburg as a new destination in addition to Cairo. “We are very pleased that Egyptair Cargo is increasing its engagement here at Cologne/
Bonn by deploying this aircraft. This is a strong commitment to our location and highlights once again the relevance and the potential of our airport’s cargo sector,” says Flughafen Köln/Bonn CEO Johan Vanneste. The A330-200P2F freighter replaces the Airbus A300-600F previously deployed by the airline. With a maximum payload of 61 tonnes, the more advanced and quieter new A330200P2F can carry about 25 per cent more air cargo than its predecessor. Picture: Johan Vanneste (fourth from left), CEO of Cologne Bonn Airport, welcomes Capt. Bassem Gohar (fifth from left), CEO of Egyptair Cargo, and his crew.
The supervisory board at Fraport, Frankfurt Airport’s operating company has approved extended executive board chairman Dr Stefan Schulte’s contract for another five years. Schulte (pictured) joined Fraport in 2003 as chief financial officer, before being appointed deputy chairman of the executive board in April 2007, and has served as chief executive officer since September 2009. Effective 1 September 2019, Schulte’s contract will be extended until 31 August 2024. Fraport supervisory board chairman, Karlheinz Weimar says Schulte has successfully contributed to the company’s growth,
and he is a nationally and internationally recognised aviation expert. He says: “We are pleased that Fraport will continue benefitting from his longstanding expertise, experience and dedication as Fraport’s CEO in the coming years. By reconfirming Dr Stefan Schulte at the helm of Fraport’s executive board, we are demonstrating our commitment to advance the company further on its success path. On behalf of the supervisory board, I wish him and the entire executive board great success in their task ahead.”
Cargo grows despite weaker exports Cargo volumes at Frankfurt Airport increased by 0.8 per cent in August due to a favourable distribution of weekdays but the value of the Euro is affecting exports. Germany’s largest cargo airport handled 182,589 tonnes in August, helped by one more high cargo volume Friday and one fewer low cargo Tuesday. Fraport, Frankfurt Airport’s operator reports that market conditions weakened in August with the value of the Euro affecting exports, which were down 1.2 per cent though imports were up 3.3 per cent. Traffic to and from the Far East was up 6.4 per cent, while North American growth was hit by
aircargoweek.com
declining traffic with Canada. The Middle East was up significantly due to an increase of 66 per cent for Saudi Arabia while tonnage for Africa declined in almost all countries. European volumes were caused by major declines in traffic to and from Moscow. Freighter capacity declined in July but was significantly higher in August. Utilisation of cargo capacity was below 2017’s rates, with cargo on passenger aircraft down 4.6 per cent. The biggest airfreight markets of China and the US grew by 20.3 per cent and three per cent respectively, with cargo on freighter aircraft heading to China increasing significantly.
ACW 1 october 2018
7
pharmaceuticals
Some cargo is truly life-saving. Getting pharma cargo there safely and on time can mean a patient survives.
Singapore Airlines launches THRUCOOL
S
ingapore Airlines has launched THRUCOOL, a service to transport high-value, time-sensitive and temperature controlled pharmaceutical cargo with speed and reliability. THRUCOOL offers dedicated cold chain services to safeguard the integrity of pharmaceuticals and healthcare shipments, including priority uplift and handling, quick ramp transfer at airports, cold room facilities, as well as thermal blankets and covers for insulation. Customers can also opt to place shipments in temperature controlled containers, and track their location during shipping. The airline has partnered with SATS, Cargo-
8
ACW 14 MAY 2018
logic and Qantas Freight to launch a ‘quality corridor’ on the Zurich-Singapore-Sydney route. Complying with IATA CEIV Pharma standards, the quality corridor addresses the industry’s need for safety, reducing the potential for product loss attributed to handling and environmental factors such as temperature excursions. Singapore Airlines senior vice president for cargo, Chin Yau Seng says: “We are acutely aware of the life-saving role these shipments play in societies across the world and THRUCOOL is our assurance that our customers’ cargo will receive the best care not only on our flights but also on the ground during transit.”
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
Qatar Airways extends QEP network
Qatar Airways Cargo has extended its Qualified Envirotainer Provider Training and Quality Programme (QEP) network to another 10 stations, bringing the total to 15. The QEP accreditation recognises that carriers operate Envirotainer containers in compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) throughout their network, demonstrating proper management of active pharma shipments. The 10 new stations are London Heathrow, Milan, Shanghai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Colombo, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai, which all join Amsterdam, Basel, Paris, Doha and Chicago. Qatar Airways chief officer cargo, Guillaume Halleux says the airline has come a long way since the introduction of the QR Pharma product in 2014. He says: “The Envirotainer’s QEP accreditation at 10 new stations in our network endorses
aircargoweek.com
our efficient pharma handling processes and our capability to manage active pharma shipments, which is recognised by both, forwarders and shippers. Our aim is to continue to enroll more stations into the Envirotainer accreditation programme in the coming months.” Envirotainer global head of partner management, Bourji Mourad says: “QEP provides a structured, analytical approach for assessing quality that will simplify validation plans for pharmaceutical shipments. The QEP accreditation serves to align practices and procedures across the cold chain and through our involvement with the various industry associations, Envirotainer ensures that QEP is compliant with the most current best practices. Congratulations to our partner, Qatar Airways Cargo, who I am sure will continue this journey with us, with more stations being accredited in the coming months.”
K
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
K
pharmaceuticals
Share data for a more secure supply chain
S
hippers and logistics suppliers must share information to build a more secure and efficient pharma supply chain, delegates were told at the Cool Chain Association’s 6th Pharma and Biosciences Conference in Brussels, Belgium. Cool chain partners must come out of their data silos to ensure the best service in a rapidly evolving pharma landscape, where patients expect tailored products to be delivered to their door, or even administered by a nurse. UPS vice president and managing director for healthcare in Europe, Niels van Namen says: “There will be a differentiated future – a much broader range of products, a natural split between the very cheap accessible products in the local supermarket and very personal products which are very high value.” He adds there will be a range of delivery channels, with UPS already delivering to the patient at home, and the new normal could be the delivery driver is also the nurse giving the injection. “We need to have a physical infrastructure knitted together to make sure the product ends up with the patient, at home, at work, or in the hospital, safely, securely, and in the right condition.”
Not sharing information
Pharma experts taking part in the two-day discussion agreed that the cool chain is improving but the fear of sharing information and embracing new ideas was an issue. Logistics expert Yoram Eshel says: “Each part of the chain is
delegates saying certificates could be essential. Shippers in the audience added that certification was already a deciding factor when selecting a trade lane. Worldwide Flight Services vice president planning North America, Ringzing Wangyal says: “It is important that we are transparent just as the disruptors are and we should learn from them. Within three or four years all the paper will be gone, and we should focus on this and not fight against e-cargo.” Wangyal adds that e-commerce will give the industry a lot of ideas and opportunities, and it is time for everyone to work together.
Last mile focus
doing much better in its own area, but the chain is not there yet, we are not good at sharing information. Information must be shared between regulators, pharma agencies, forwarders, and all parts of the supply chain so that everyone can learn and improve.” He added that companies must not be afraid to share information, saying the pharma industry together with logistics stakeholders need to work together to improve product integrity. Sessions also focused on facilities, insurance, security, and the benefits of Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) and Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certification, with
aircargoweek.com
Cool Chain Association chairman, Stavros Evangelakakis says the focus should be on the last mile, saying: “As an industry, starting from the shipper all the way to the patient we should also think about the challenges faced by the people delivering on the last mile through jungles and up mountains.” He adds: “There are thousands of preventable deaths of infants under five years old every day and we should be part of the solution.” Pictured above: Pharma logistics expert Yoram Eshel (left), Rinzing Wangyal (centre), VP Planning North America, Worldwide Flight Services, and Niels van Namen (right), VP and Managing Director, Healthcare, Europe, UPS.
ACW 1 october 2018
9
austria Linz on the road to strong growth Austria is alive to the sound of air cargo.
A
I
R
C
A
R
G
O
W
E
E
Meet the next generation of freight forwarders
C
argo at Blue Danube Airport Linz experienced strong growth of more than 20 per cent in 2017 driven by the road feeder service segment. The airport serving Austria’s third largest city handled 53,976 tonnes of air cargo in 2017, the majority of which was transported on road services. Cargo travelling by air declined but the airport comments “the local volume is very pleasing”. Describing the reasons behind the growth in road volumes, the airport explains it was driven by: “Quality, customer orientation and the economic upswing in our core catchment area are the key factors.” Looking ahead, Linz says the second half of the year is always stronger, and it hopes to increase the volume of flown freight, with further growth predicted for 2019. Linz Airport tells Air Cargo Week: “We have a dense trucking network to the most important airports in Western Europe and are in the process to establish a better network to Eastern Europe.” Linz has the advantage of being within the biggest export region in Austria while five of the 10 most important economic regions in Europe are within the airport’s catchment area. The main competition comes from surrounding hubs including Vienna and Munich. The airport says: “We offer the complete logistical network at the airport and have less throughput time due to lean processes, experienced staff and short distances. We closely cooperate with our clients in order to provide tailor-made solutions.” It adds: “We are open 24/7 for all kinds of cargo aircraft and many of the important global forwarding agents are located directly at the airport.”
10
ACW 1 october 2018
Picture credit: Blue Danube Airport Linz Cargo aircraft visiting the airport including Boeing 747-400s, 747-8s, 777s and even the Antonov AN-225, though it has not flown to Linz recently. The airport says: “There are 1-2 regular flights on a daily basis, additionally some ad-hoc flights. Of course, the airport is actively looking to receive more regular freighter services. That´s one of our main goals for the near future.” Ad-hoc freighter flights include transporting horses, as Linz is the only airport in Austria able to accept all kinds of hoofed animals. Flight numbers vary from year to year but there is usually at least one charter per year. The airport comments: “Once we had to ship 400 horses to India.” The focus for the future is digitalisation and renewing infrastructure. The airport says: “In addition to that we permanently adapt our terminals and equipment to satisfy the needs of our customers.” More cargo flights would also help Linz, with the airport saying: “Additional cargo flights on regular basis could sustainably establish Linz airport as a cargo hub in Austria. This is the biggest challenge and opportunity for our airport.”
aircargoweek.com
A total of 68 young men and women have begun their professional careers at Gebruder Weiss, as the Austrian transport firm looks to train the next generation of freight forwarders. The Lauterach, Austria-based firm offers six career paths: freight forwarding agent, freight forwarding logistics manager, operations logistics manager, IT engineer, office manager and professional truck driver. Gebruder Weiss employs 233 apprentices at 30 locations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Head of corporate human resources development, Monika Mandl says: “Traditionally, apprenticeships have always been very important to us. We focus on providing thorough and varied training which we find is the best way of bringing out the potential of our apprentices.” Gebruder Weiss has been training its own apprentices for about 80 years and training includes seminars, language courses, team-building activities and field trips, helping apprentices acquire different skills on a professional and personal level. Through rotation, apprentices gain an insight into different departments during their apprenticeship, enabling them to build up broadly based knowledge and explore where their own interests lie.
K
TRADEFINDER Airlines
Training
Online Services
Turkey
Charters
Freight Forwarders
United Kingdom
India
Hong Kong
GSSAs
Freight Forwarders
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Freight Forwarders USA
USA
aircargoweek.com 11_01 Oct 2018.indd 1
ACW 1 october 2018
11 27/09/2018 12:26
Tabloid page bled.indd 1
04/09/2018 10:28