Cargo damage app Simplifies cargo claim reporting between handling agent and airline Effective accurate cargo claim reporting serves an important purpose. It enables the airline to inform the shipper on a timely basis of possible service failures and, for example, to obtain additional instructions regarding re-packing of a consignment. Good damage documentation also helps to speed up the course of claims. The details can also be used as a base from which to learn from mistakes in the process and to implement quality improvements.
Text Esther Kort-Boreas Photography AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Menzies World Cargo
Luckily, damage occurring is an exception rather than the rule but any damage must be reported to the carrying airline. The way in which that used to occur urgently needed modernising. We discussed this with Henk-Jan van Keulen, Country Manager the Netherlands, AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Erwin Roeleveld, Project Leader Cargo Operations, Menzies World Cargo (Amsterdam), the airline’s handling agent. Erwin: “In the old situation if damage to a consignment was discovered a report would be drawn up in Word
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or Excel. Photographs were attached later. Everything was done on a desktop computer, i.e. not directly at the location of the damage. Then the question arose: to whom do we send the report? The correct email addresses for the relevant people at the airline had to be looked up. If, in the meantime, an employee had left the airline then the question arose who had taken over his or her tasks? Not very efficient, of course, but at that time there was no alternative.” “In order to be able to optimise the process, a few years ago we started using an internet-based application from CargoHub to replace Word and Excel. This was far more practical as all information was saved in a central database that integrated directly into
our quality management system. However, a few limitations remained: it was still necessary for designated employees to authorise the sending of the report; the damage report gave our employees too much leeway for their ‘own interpretation’; and the report still had to be created on a desktop computer. Last but not least, the selection of the correct contact person and the actual sending of the report were still manual processes.” In response to input from Menzies, the application has been further developed over the past 24 months and is now part of the Cargo Claims Loss Prevention Program (www.cclp. aero) for airlines and handling agents. Erwin: “Damage reports can now be created on site with help from a very user-friendly mobile app and photographs can be directly uploaded. The questionnaire is clear for our employees and the application effectively calculates both the classification of the damage and financial risks. Liability for the airlines and handling agents is based on a per kilogram
