Every Sunday, CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ illustrates the huge variety of careers that exist in the air cargo industry, by picking out a specific segment and giving it the voice of an individual working there. Cargo is and always will be a people business, and commercial relationships are best built on the ground, through local branches. All airlines offering cargo capacity will have local representatives either through GSA services or own, inhouse sales teams – as is the case with Lufthansa Cargo, for example. This week, Kamilla Kasler (KK), Country Manager Hungary, Lufthansa Cargo, describes her role and shares her thoughts and advice on the air cargo industry.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
KK: Country Manager Hungary at Lufthansa Cargo AG – representing Lufthansa Cargo towards authorities and external partners – mostly forwarders. My day-to-day job is to manage the sales team in Hungary and coordinate our sales activities with our Joint Venture partners. Also to implement the company’s strategy into local activities and translate customer needs into Lufthansa Cargo solutions.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
KK: Although I have a calendar scheduled well in advance, the air cargo business is about urgency and immediate actions. Change of plan is a daily routine. As a mother of 2, problem-solving is in my DNA. The only case where I do not respond to a call immediately is if I have a customer meeting. Of course, I have dedicated days for checking the results of the last week, having our staff meeting to discuss important developments, possible strategies and most importantly celebrate achievements. Nonetheless, as I have an open-door policy, colleagues can approach me any time for consultancy in finding the best suitable solution for our partners. As I have a very experienced team, we really concentrate on comprehensive cases where our customers cannot proceed via our online webpage. Sometimes it also means contacting our product experts in our HQ through Teams calls. So, as you can see, most of the days are different but fully packed with opportunities for development.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
KK: I joined Lufthansa Cargo during my studies in 1994 [smiles]. I had no detailed information about the job itself. I was told that there will be some administrative tasks, and that the prerequisite was to speak German. The interview went well, and I found myself in an exciting environment. Very soon I recognized the great opportunity of working for an international company and as my superiors appreciated my contribution as well, they offered me a full-time position.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
KK: The highlight of the day is having a meeting with our customers. We are in a privileged position to have long term partnerships thus even if the occasion is about an escalation, we always have a constructive discussion.
CFG: What do you see as the greatest challenges in our industry?
KK: Increasing costs due to inflation and airspace restrictions over Russia.
Shortage of manpower is also a widespread challenge for all stakeholders. Besides constantly searching for new talented colleagues, Lufthansa Cargo invests a lot in automation and AI solutions.
Expectations about reducing the carbon footprint and being transparent about that are rising. With our Boeing 777F fleet, we are proud to operate the most efficient freighter available. Furthermore, with our Sustainable Choice add-on service, our partners can directly reduce emissions by purchasing SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to enter into the air cargo industry? Any particular training they should aim for?
KK: I couldn’t say that there is a training that people must have – at least not beforehand. Air cargo is a very volatile industry and colleagues should be flexible, ready for any change. It is also an advantage if they get energized under high time pressure.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
KK: Challenge accepted.
Many thanks, Kamilla!
If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.
