Boston flights began on 31MAR24. Image: Etihad Cargo
31MAR24 saw Etihad Cargo’s first Boston flight take off from Abu Dhabi, thus opening the door to its fourth U.S. gateway destination and taking the tally of its U.S. services up to 33 flights per week. Boston will be served four times a week, bringing 50 tons of weekly cargo space onto the market. Its other cargo hubs are New York (14 flights/week), Washington (daily services), and Chicago (daily passenger flights complemented by a weekly freighter service).
A modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operates on the AUH-BOS route and will mostly transport perishables, medical instruments, pharmaceuticals, and aircraft parts. “Boston is recognized globally as a critical hub for food, pharmaceuticals, and cutting-edge research and development. Etihad Cargo’s expansion into this market is poised to significantly enhance the flow of perishables such as lobsters and seafood, as well as critical pharmaceuticals, including medical devices and oncology treatments, from Boston to Abu Dhabi and the rest of the world,” the release reveals.
In addition to growing its network, Etihad Cargo has also expanded its network with SATS Group member, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), which operates at all of the carrier’s U.S. stations. Working with an experience partner allows Etihad Cargo to offer its premium, tailored products, with the assurance of quality handling. On offer are its CEIV-certified products such as PharmaLife, FreshForward, LiveAnimals and SkyStables.
Stanislas Brun, Vice President of Cargo at Etihad Cargo, said: “The introduction of the Boston route is a strategic expansion of Etihad Cargo’s U.S. network, offering more belly capacity to partners and customers. Boston is an important destination for food and pharmaceuticals, as well as a center for innovation and development. Etihad Cargo’s Abu Dhabi-Boston service will support the region’s export economy, particularly in facilitating the global distribution of its world-class seafood and breakthrough medical products, and further strengthen trade ties between the U.S. and UAE.”
Big bird out transporting big shipment again. Image: Antonov Airlines
The mention of Louis Vuitton conjures up iconic handbags, and yet – the shipment that Antonov Airlines delivered on 29MAR24 is a tad too big for a standard handbag. In fact, no handbags were involved. Focus instead, was on the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match taking place from 29AUG24 to 07OCT24 in Barcelona, this year. And the main shipment in question was a high-tech ‘flying’ yacht AC75, flown on behalf of the American Magic team, along with other accompanying cargo. At 22 meters in length, 5 meters in width and a height of 3.5 meters, Antonov’s AN-124-100 was the only aircraft suitable for transport. In cooperation with logistics partners GAC Pindar and Solent Freight Services, Antonov Airlines flew the yacht from Providence, Rhode Island, USA, to Spain. It is the second time that Antonov Airlines transported cargo for the America’s Cup. Back in 2020, in preparation for the 36th America’s Cup, the airline carried the AC75’s predecessor monohull yacht – that time from the USA to New Zealand. A special cradle was deployed to load the yacht and then pull it into the cargo cabin using the on-board winch.
The American Magic Team are now preparing to win back the trophy from the current champions, Emirates Team New Zealand. “The New York Yacht Club, one of the most prestigious clubs in the world, held the trophy for 132 years before losing it to Australia in 1983. Since then, only teams from the USA, Switzerland and New Zealand have won the Cup,” the release states.
Maksym Bogatov, Commercial Executive ANTONOV Airlines, commented: “We are happy to be a partner in the logistics of the American Magic team again. We hope this year the American Magic team [will win] the desired victory at the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match.”
Jannie Davel, Senior Vice President of MSC Air Cargo, Martin Drew, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc, Diogo Elias, Senior Vice President of Avianca Cargo, Dirk Goovaerts, CEO of Continental Europe, Middle East and Africa of Swissport International, Boon Kiam Kuah, Senior Vice President, Cargo Services of SATS Ltd. and Nichole Schulz, Director of Industry Affairs of UPS, have been announced as The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA)’s six new Board members. With this added expertise, TIACA’s Board of Directors further improves its industry representation. All board seats are now filled, save one open position pending for a Shipper representative. That said, TIACA points out that more seats could become available as current Board terms end, and requests that interested parties contact its Secretariat for more details.
Steven Polmans, TIACA Chair, said: “A strong and diverse Board has proven beneficial to the transformation of the association over the last few years. The appointment of these new Board Members will not only ensure that we remain agile and relevant but will also provide the Board with a fresh perspective. We are excited to welcome Jannie, Martin, Diogo, Dirk, Boon Kiam and Nichole to the team and look forward to working with them as we continue our work in enhancing TIACA’s services and ensuring we are fully aligned with industry needs.”
Glyn Hughes, Director General, forecasted: “2024 is a critical year for TIACA and having strong leadership in place is vital to the association as we continue to grow and invest in programs that support the industry such as BlueSky, Invest in Climate Action and the Air Cargo Training Library. The team is also actively planning for the latest edition of Air Cargo Forum, 11-14NOV24, in Miami which is expected to draw 4,000-5,000 [participants] to a world-class event that will allow for plenty of networking, business and fun. Additionally, the Board has tasked the Secretariat to continue to expand other TIACA programs that tackle industry challenges through a united voice to enhance a safe, efficient and robust air cargo industry, designed to meet the needs of today whilst anticipating the needs of tomorrow.”
Envirotainer’s Releye maintains the desired temperature as long as 170h without the need for recharging, claims the company – courtesy: Envirotainer.
Envirotainer has been releasing annual sustainability reports since 2018. Now, its 2023 version is online and details its sustainable achievements and goals as the company reaffirms its desire to inspire positive change. “In a year marked by challenging global events, Envirotainer’s commitment to sustainable practices remained stronger than ever with science-based targets added to the company’s already ambitious environmental goals,” it said, underlining that its strategy lays out long-term goals designed to have the largest impact, overall, despite the known challenges in the logistics industry.
Amongst its achievements so far are the successfully transportation of around 2 million doses of medicines and vaccines per day, last year. A 99.86% on-time delivery rate with no temperature deviations proved Envirotainer’s reputation of reliability and precision. Another impressive statistic is that 95% of its electricity came from renewable sources and at its Swedish production facilities, energy used as 100% green. Another 100% referred to the number of its partner stations that have voluntarily signed Envirotainer’s 2023 Supplier Code of Conduct, thus demonstrating their collective effort towards a sustainable supply chain. Envirotainer works with all its partners and suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Envirotainer was recognized as a Great Place to Work, scoring 84% overall and a 79% trust index, showcasing a supportive and inclusive work environment,” the release said, going on to illustrate its gender diversity progress: women make up one-third of its leadership roles and 44% of its management group – double what it was in 2022.
David Simonsson, CEO of Envirotainer, stated: “Our journey towards sustainability is not about dramatic shifts but the unwavering commitment to our values and long-term goals. We believe that this approach will have the biggest impact for our company, our stakeholders and society. Our latest Sustainability Report captures this ethos. It highlights our industry leading dedication to sustainability at every level from operations to our entire value chain. We believe that sustainability isn’t just something to be measured but a commitment to be lived. Our focus is on creating a meaningful and lasting impact. We are dedicated to making sure our efforts today lead to a healthier, more sustainable world tomorrow.”
Rose Yiqian Qiu is OST Airport’s new Cargo Sales Director. Image: OST Airport
Seeing the success of peer airports Liège and Brussels, it is no wonder that Ostend-Bruges Airport is looking to accelerate its air cargo growth. This week, it announced the creation of a Cargo Sales Director position responsible for the airport’s cargo development, and appointed Rose Yiqian Qiu to the role. She took up her position on 02APR24. Coming over from YunExpress Belgium, where she was General Manager, Rose has great experience in aviation, retail and logistics dating all the way back to 1995, and proven success in driving growth and operational excellence. “Rose Yiqian Qiu will take the lead in advancing the air cargo activities at OST Airport, making the most of its strategic location and cutting-edge facilities to seize opportunities in the growing air cargo market,” the release confirms. It can be expected that the airport follows in the e-commerce footsteps of Liège, soon.
Ostend-Bruges Int. Airport, situated at the heart of Belgium offers the USP of 24/7 operations, streamlined handling processes and good flexibility. It recently saw the addition of a Cargo Village currently consisting of a cargo building 12,000 m² in size and a dedicated cargo apron.
OST Airport CEO, Eric Dumas’ statement on Rose’s appointment, emphasized: “Her extensive industry knowledge and proven track record make her the ideal person to bring OST Airport’s air cargo segment to new heights.”
Dr Gert Pfeifer now heads the company’s Europe faction. Image: Jettainer
General Manager Europe, now embodied by Dr Gert Pfeifer for Jettainer, is a new position within the ULD management company. He assumed the new role on 01APR24, thus laying another milestone in the company’s reorganization plans. “This position was created to align Jettainer’s sales and organizational strategy for Europe with regional market requirements and the group’s overarching commercial strategy,” the release explains. With Dr Gert Pfeifer, Jettainer has a manager who knows the business inside and out, having joined the company back in 2009. Prior to his current position, he was Head of Operational Excellence Supply Chain and responsible for fleet management, ULD engineering, repair, and maintenance processes, as well as new customer integration. He had a strong focus on IT and operations and was co-responsible for the development of digital twins. These are virtual images of real ULDs that enable users to identify improvement potentials.
With this latest appointment, Jettainer has added to its existing General Managers for the Americas and for the Middle East and Africa. “Gert’s new responsibilities include developing and implementing a regional sales and operations strategy for Europe to enhance and ensure the market-driven and reliable ULD management service at all times. He and his teams will handle all aspects of customer relations in the region, including sales, operations, and customer service, reinforcing Jettainer’s dedication to excellence in serving its customers,” the release outlines. Thomas Sonntag, Jettainer’s CEO commented: “Our new structure is designed to reflect the specific customer needs and market situations in the various regions. It brings us closer to our customers, which subsequently benefits our entire global customer network. Thanks to his many years with the company, particularly as Head of Operational Excellence Supply Chain, Dr Gert Pfeifer has in-depth knowledge of the ULD market and our customers’ requirements and has all the skills needed to drive Jettainer’s growth in Europe.”
CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ series takes a look at the many different career aspects within the air cargo industry. Of the manifold stakeholders involved in ensuring that cargo flies from A to B safely, efficiently, and on time, those involved in training also play a crucial role. This week, Elke Wasser (EW), Managing Partner, Logistic Training Center GmbH, highlights her involvement in attracting and equipping new talent with the skills needed to become a part of an industry that is literally always on the move.
Elke has inspired more than 1,500 people to join the air cargo industry. Image: LTC / Elke Wasser
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
EW: I have been the managing partner of Logistic Training Centre GmbH since 2010. We train people looking to work in the air freight and logistics industry, on IHK-certified training programs. Upon training completion, we place them with future employers. The responsibility lies in not disappointing either side and on offering people in training a future.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you? (Or is there such a thing?)
EW: No two days are the same in our business. We have to constantly adapt to the requirements of the logistics industry and employment agencies. The volatility of air freight means that companies’ personnel requirements fluctuate considerably. The changing political decisions regarding the labor market are also a major challenge. Our task is to accommodate and adapt to these fluctuations for both sides and to provide companies with the right personnel at the right time. The third challenge is to always find and assign the specialized trainers with the approved teaching qualifications.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
EW: I have been working in the logistics industry since 1979. My father was an air freight pioneer and I always wanted to work in air freight. Even as a child and teenager, I found the international flair and the smell of kerosene fascinating. I was then able to fulfill my dream of entering the air freight industry in 2001.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
EW: I love my job because it is extremely varied. We work with a lot of different people and agents. The challenge is to dovetail these different parties, namely air freight logistics, with the other stakeholders in the labor market. What I like best, however, is that over the last 30 years I have been able to inspire more than 1,500 people to join the air freight industry as apprentices and career changers. Many of my apprentices and trainees are now working in leading positions. I am also helping to give air freight a face in the job market. It always gives me thrill when this leads to success.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?
EW: I see the biggest challenge in keeping the relatively expensive and highly regulated air freight location of Germany competitive in an international comparison. Our daily work is a real challenge due to the excessive legal requirements, especially in Germany with its regulatory frenzy.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry? Any particular training they should aim for?
EW: Our industry has always been open to people from other career backgrounds. So, my advice can only be: Dare to get to know this international, exciting and always varied industry. I recommend that the companies responsible also give outsiders a chance, as this can be an opportunity for both sides. Our candidates, in particular, have acquired all the necessary training and can therefore be immediately deployed. Routine then follows automatically.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
EW: How we saved the world together – successful supply chains during the pandemic.
Islamabad has pulled the emergency brake on state-owned Pakistan International Airlines. The government is willing to sell the company completely or at least 51% of its shares. This is in response to urgent advice from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to dispose of loss-making state holdings. Otherwise, the fund may freeze its payments for the country.
It seems unlikely that President Asif Ali Zardari and his cabinet will change their minds about selling PIA at the last minute, because the highly indebted country needs cash. And new money will only flow if Pakistan is willing to divest itself of permanently subsidized assets by selling them to private investors.
A hot candidate standing high on Islamabad’s list is state-owned Pakistan International Airlines, which has only remained afloat for years thanks to the inflow of state subsidies.
PIA jetliner on way to privatization? – photo: courtesy AP
“Debt-lite” new structure Recently, the government has set up a Privatization Panel. In an advertisement published in different newspapers, it named 03MAY24 as the application deadline for statements of interest in PIA. The airline has piled up arrears of payments in the region of several hundreds of billions of rupees. At the same time, Lahore-based Etihad Consulting was appointed as the financial adviser for the intended sales proceedings. “The restructured PIA is being offered to potential investors in its ‘debt-lite’ new structure for a 51% stake,” the Privatization Commission states in its website presentation. It added that it intends to sign a share price deal by 24JUN24, after all provisions in the forthcoming transaction are completed.
Mixed fleet Once restructured, “PIA provides an opportunity for investors to acquire a full-service airline,” reads the Commission’s statement. Currently, the airline holds a share of 23% in Pakistan’s aviation market, ahead of Emirates, Etihad, flydubai or any other foreign carrier. It operates a mixed fleet of 34 aircraft, including 17 Airbus A320s, 12 Boeing B777s and 5 ATRs. In recent times, it was forced to cut flights to the Middle East due to stiff competition from its Gulf-based peers.
These figures may sound attractive to potential investors at first glance, but the airline has a battered reputation caused by endless scandals in recent years – scandals that were tolerated and enabled by political patronage. For a long time, staff appointments were based on close family ties to influential political or administrative circles or to senior managers at the airline, with the applicant’s qualifications only playing a minor role.
Standing on EASA’s blacklist This led to considerable safety deficiencies, objected to by global aviation regulators for years, who have repeatedly called into question PIA’s governance and safety standards. In 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) banned the carrier from its most lucrative routes in Europe and the UK, following a crash near Karachi which killed 97 passengers and crew members. An investigation report published on 24JUN20 by the Pakistani Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB), held both pilots responsible for the crash. During the approach at Karachi Airport, they had been extremely distracted by an intense conversation about the Covid-19 pandemic, so they ignored multiple visual and acoustic warning signals from air traffic control.
Shortly after, the airline cancelled the licenses of 15 pilots which were based on falsified documents. A further 14 cockpit crew were declared unfit to operate any aircraft.
The ban imposed by EASA cost PIA an annual revenue of roughly 40 billion PAK rupees, which translates into 133 million euros.
Every investor will therefore have to consider how to eliminate these serious deficits in order to regain trust and improve the airline’s tarnished reputation. Presumably many heads will roll, not only those of the top management, but also those responsible for technology, safety, and personnel issues.
As it goes, airport operating licenses are never welcomed with a standing ovation, and Brussels Airport’s is no exception. The cargo users take a ‘wait and see ‘approach. CargoForwarder Global (CFG) asked some of the airport’s clients what they think of the new permit of “unlimited duration,” which is bound to some prerequisites pertaining to noise emissions and aircraft movements.
Director Public Relations, Lorenzo Van de Pol, DHL Express – company courtesy
Air Cargo Belgium’s Director, Freek De Witte admits that the new license safeguards cargo operations and short-term growth, but also mortgages the long term. “The new permit does also not give real incentives for further fleet renewal,” Mr. De Witte says.
DHL Express is relieved that the new license does not bring a ban on night operations, even if it will reduce the number of landing and take-off slots. The demand for less noisy aircraft will also have consequences for the operations of the integrator’s aging fleet of A300s and B757s.
“All of this will inevitably have an impact on the organization of our network,” says Director Public Relations, Lorenzo Van de Pol. “It will necessitate serious efforts to marry the global connections with the more restrictive conditions.”
Workable straight jacket “On first sight, to DHL, these conditions are a tight straight jacket, but also a workable one,” Mr Van de Pol continues. “For us, it is logical that efforts are demanded from everybody and we will live up to these conditions as we see that the license tries to provide a subtle balance between the interests of the airport, the economy and the surrounding area. Also, in the future, the economic viability of the airport must be guarded permanently by all means.”
“But the clarity is there,” he says. “Clarity in a long-term framework creates the space to investigate, plan and execute new investments such as in the sustainability of our activities. That trust is back, also for our dedicated staff. From now on we can offer our present and future staff a stable working environment, beyond discussion.”
Waiting for Europe In the period to come, DHL will analyze the conditions in detail so as to map their total impact. The future impact of a number of issues like the cap on the number of flights and the formulation of more stringent noise targets beyond 2030, are not completely clear.
And there is still the European ‘balanced approach’ procedure which has to weigh all measures and conditions before they can be implemented. Only then will DHL Express introduce adjustments in its activities to continue its operation from Brussels Airport, the company says.
ACL Airshop gained a new CEO on 01 March 2024. Bernhard Kindelbacher, a former Lufthansa Cargo executive, took over the top leadership at ACL Airshop, following Steve Townes’ nine-year tenure. ACL Airshop provides a customer-centric variety of ULD services for over 150 airlines, including tailored solutions customized to a client’s specific requirements.
Kindelbacher is based in Amsterdam, however CargoForwarder Global (CFG) met up with him for an exclusive interview at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Hong Kong. Here is what he had to say about his initial steps and feelings regarding his new position and market perspectives of his company.
Former Lufthansa Cargo executive Bernhard Kindelbacher heads ULD manager ACL Airshop since five weeks – photo: private
CFG: If you reflect on the period before your official start, what primarily influenced your decision to join ACL Airshop?
BK: The opportunity initially presented had a strong entrepreneurial element. Having recently completed a work assignment in the USA and Canada, where I engaged deeply in leading an operation, this aspect of the job intrigued me. And even within the global Lufthansa structure, it often felt like we were running our own medium-size, unique cargo organization in North America. Upon examining the structure of ACL Airshop, I saw parallels to my previous experiences, coupled with the freedom to drive the Company forward within the logistics sector on a global scale. ACL Airshop asked me to bring airline and air cargo ‘know-how’ and that is what we are doing now. There are many opportunities for ACL Airshop to grow. The ingredients for a comprehensive Cargo ULD Management are all here in ACL Airshop, but it is all about putting them together, making it work, and presenting custom ULD solutions to our customers.
CFG: Which steps have you already taken in terms of onboarding and transition?
BK: We did a lot, quickly and efficiently. I visited on a global tour our stations and customers first in the USA, then in Europe, and finally in Asia with my respective COO colleagues joining me. These experiences contributed to my understanding of the company’s operations, its goals, teams, customers, stations, and my colleagues. It was a perfect onboarding and I received such a warm welcome from all the ACL Airshop colleagues as well as the customers.
CFG: Did anything unexpected happened during this period?
BK: Not really. Maybe one surprise: ACL Airshop offers all the ingredients, yet we’re still not perceived as a comprehensive ULD fleet management provider, despite having all the necessary solutions and services. People don’t recognize yet that we can offer more than just individual parts. I believe there’s much more potential here. With my 30 years of experience in the industry, I view it as a familiar challenge that we need to navigate within the ULD environment now.
CFG: What makes the ACL Airshop model different from competitors on the market?
BK: It arises from the ACL Airshop origins, with one aspect being short-term leasing solutions. Others operate within the framework of a more closed, fixed system, but we can offer much more additional benefits. We now offer long-term comprehensive ULD management programs as well, with roughly 50% of our large worldwide ULD fleet under multi-year contracts with major customers. That includes not only the flexibility through our available stock worldwide but also our network of Repair Stations, our award-winning logistics technologies such as Bluetooth track/trace and ULD mgt software, and our substantial manufacturing resources in-house which is a plus in the supply chain. It is a competitively unique combination of all those features, all aimed toward satisfying customer requests. We possess greater flexibility, faster reaction time and global ad-hoc capabilities. We have a very large network of service locations plus our large available inventory of lease-ready ULDs. I believe this full array of skills and deliverables are unique and very attractive for our customers so they can focus on generating revenues while ACL Airshop takes care of their cargo ULD Management.
Secondly, my colleagues at ACL Airshop bring so much air cargo experience on the table from their times in airlines. This background aligns very well and provides a better understanding when we interact with customers. We know from customer surveys that they rate our people very highly in terms of responsiveness, speed, solution orientation, professionalism and dedication. That stems from over 4 decades of a vibrant, customer-centric organization.
CFG: Could you state a couple of goals to be achieved in the upcoming future?
BK: First, our goal is to clarify in the market that we are a comprehensive cargo ULD fleet management provider. Our aim is to become a more-dominant cargo ULD management provider. We are already well-established in the USA and Europe, so the next step would be to establish a greater presence in Asia. We have an advantage there, as the Asian market is mainly driven by cargo carriers or divisions, and we have all the necessary knowledge within our team. Our footprint of air hub locations across the APAC region is large and still growing.
Secondly, our aim is to retain and attract professionals from the industry with extensive knowledge, the right spirit for our challenges, and great interest to develop and use modern technology and innovative processes.
ACL Airshop in short: More than 74,000 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) are owned, maintained, and leased by ACL Airshop. These include air freight pallets and containers, sourced from 57 airport hub locations across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America. The overall company employs close to 250 people globally.
