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Future-oriented thinking at Schiphol The global corona pandemic changed so much. Certainly in (global) logistical streams. In the air cargo sector, we saw a greater reliance on freighter capacity arise due to the loss of a significant portion of belly capacity. We also saw different shippers, new chain players and a shift in cargo types. In the past two years far more medical equipment/aids and essential spare parts for just in time production lines (automotive, high-tech) were being transported by air. As: while some logistical modalities collapsed under the pressure brought about by corona, generally speaking, air cargo remained a reliable form of transport.
Text and photography ACN
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ut also, there were, and still are, major challenges for air cargo. In the second half of 2021 we saw congestion in places in the air cargo chain at Schiphol which we could not explain away as being
Cargo Magazine
due to increased volumes. By quickly shifting gear and bringing in a few practical measures the community managed to keep the cargo flow at Schiphol moving. But, at almost the same moment – around the formation of the new cabinet – a political discussion ensued about the future of aviation in the Netherlands. A
not always well-substantiated and rational discussion, but, ultimately, an emissions deficit and noise restrictions threaten to exert significant pressure on Schiphol. And even if solutions are found, it appears that the demand for slots at Schiphol in the near future is always going to be greater than the slots on offer. The question is, therefore, how should we work with this scarcity? For ACN two things top the agenda for the coming years. Firstly, how the allocation of scarce space should be managed and, secondly, how to optimally use the space that there actually is.
Sharpen the selectivity policy With regard to the allocation of the scarce space, we feel that close attention must be given to which flights
