Air Cargo World articles from August 1999

Air Cargo World archives from August 1999

Public.(United Parcel Services of America Inc.'s initial public offering)(Editorial)
August 1, 1999... When you have, say, $25 billion in cash flowing through your accounts in a year and you're watching the competitive landscape change before you, it doesn't take long to realize you've got the resources to change that landscape for yourself....

Hardly domestic bliss.(express carrier services)
August 1, 1999... It's easy to overlook some shifting traffic in the growing sea of services that express carriers are using to extend their reach, but the latest reports on domestic shipping suggest a potentially sharp change in the way companies and...

AEI, Eagle clipped.(Air Express International Corp.; Eagle USA Airfreight Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... If merger talks are any sign of a new trend, the American air forwarding industry is on the cusp of a dramatic new round of major consolidation. Industry sources say Air Express International and Eagle USA Airfreight came close to...

KLM's Seagate strategy.(KLM Royal Dutch Airlines; Seagate Technology Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... In an airline-shipper deal unusual for its scope and potential, high-tech manufacturer Seagate has named KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as its exclusive airline between Asia, the United States and the Netherlands. Industry sources say the Dutch...

UPS's challenge.(United Parcel Service of America Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... United Parcel Service says it has put together a team from Challenge Air Cargo and several divisions within its own system, including technology workers, to integrate Challenge's Latin American freight business into UPS by the end of the...

Counting to MD-11.(Gemini Air Cargo)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... With new ownership adding fresh capital, Gemini Air Cargo is mapping a move beyond the DC-10-30 freighters the company has used to build its wet-lease all-cargo business. With eight of the Douglas planes in its fleet, Gemini is looking at...

War's proceeds.(cargo carriers benefit from the Kosovo crisis)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... The Kosovo crisis brought U.S. cargo carriers a $40 million boost and air industry observers say struggling Polar Air Cargo has been the top beneficiary of the military missions. Polar, which has been trying to reverse large losses, had...

Geo transactions.(GeoLogistics)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Its acquisition talks with Federal Express at an apparent impasse, GeoLogistics underwent its second management shakeup in four months in a new effort to repair problems at the forwarder. The latest shakeup included the appointment of Bob...

Musical chairs.(American Airlines and Alitalia breaks cargo-only deal with Alitalia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... The passenger-driven race toward global airline alliances has claimed its first freight victim, a longstanding cargo-only pact between American Airlines and Alitalia. One of the first transatlantic cargo alliances, American and Alitalia...

Y2K confidence.(US aviation industry)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Vowing they are ready for the Year 2000 change, the American aviation industry passed the millennium ball to international groups that have yet to make such assurances. The Air Transportation Association-led Aviation Millennium Project...

China additions.(air freighter flights)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... A Department of Transportation proposal which may immediately add up to six freighter flights from the United States to China is coming under heavy fire from carriers - and those are the winners. The DOT tentatively awarded four extra...

Shipper RATs.(air cargo service standards)
August 1, 1999... Europe's shippers have something new ready for export - air cargo service standards The shipper movement that has been building in Europe is about to be exported to North America. Earlier this year, the European Air Shippers' Council...

Costing Alitalia.(Alitalia Cargo)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... With its profile growing along with its responsibility to Alitalia's bottom line, Alitalia Cargo expects to become an autonomous business unit by the end of the year. That would put more pressure than ever for the cargo operation to...

Consolidated Fracht.(Trucker Consolidated Freightways forms alliance with Fracht AG)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Trucker Consolidated Freightways is adding some operational weight to its European expansion effort through an alliance with Fracht AG, a Swiss forwarder with logistics business in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Sweden. "Our alliance...

Lufthansa Cargo.(resumes service to Dallas, Texas)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Lufthansa Cargo resumed freighter service to Dallas after a two-month hiatus.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.(withdraws bid for Martinair Holland)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Facing a cloud of competition questions from the European Commission, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines withdrew its bid to buy the 50 percent of Martinair Holland it does not already own.

British Airways.(sees 4% decline in cargo traffic in June 1999)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... British Airways saw cargo traffic fall 4 percent in June and its cargo load factor dipped 1.5 percentage points, to 69.6 percent.

Iberia Airlines.(completes public offering)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... A public offering of 30 percent of Iberia Airlines was hugely oversubsubcribed as seven groups led by financial institutions sought to take stakes in the Spanish carrier.

Emirates.(starts A310 passengers service between Dubai and Munich)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Emirates will start A310 passenger service six times a week between Munich and Dubai in November.

BDP International.(names Rotra Forwarding as agent in the Benelux)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... BDP International expanded its Shanghai office to target companies building off-shore facilities in China and Northeast Asia.

Malev Airlines.(resumes An-26 freighter service to Tirana and Skopje)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Hungary's Malev Airlines resumed An-26 freighter service from Budapest to Tirana and Skopje that had been suspended due to the Yugoslav-NATO war.

UnionTransport.(acquires two SeaAir Transport operations in the Netherlands)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Forwarder Union-Transport has acquired the two SeaAir Transport operations in the Netherlands, one based in Amsterdam and one in Rotterdam.

Qatar Airways.(shifts cargo handling in London to Heathrow Cargo Handling)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Qatar Airways shifted its cargo handling in London to Heathrow Cargo Handling, a joint venture between Servisair and Air France.

TNT.(opens hub in Arnhem, the Netherlands)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... TNT opened a $25 million hub in Arnhem, the Netherlands, dedicated to truck traffic.

Air India.(drops service to Rome, Frankfurt and Manchester)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Air India dropped service to Rome, Frankfurt and Manchester as part of a route revamp that points more flights to the Far East.

Hellman WorldWide Logistics.(opens offices in Barcelona and Madrid)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Hellmann Wordwide Logistics opened new company-owned offices in Barcelona and Madrid.

Swissair.(buys 42% stake in Portugalia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Swissair parent SAir Group took a 42 percent stake in regional airline Portugalia.

Restructuring JAL.(Japan Air Lines Company Ltd)
August 1, 1999... Cost-cutting at Japan Airlines has JAL Cargo getting that stand-alone feeling With the rest of the Japanese economy gradually and painfully restructuring, it was only a matter of time before the retooling reached the main carrier of the...

Asia's peak?(cargo companies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Cargo companies in Asia say they are bracing for price increases from air carriers as improving trans-Pacific traffic suggests the peak shipping season has been building early at such key gateways as Hong Kong. Air forwarders say Asia's...

BDP International.(expands Shanghai office)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Forwarder BDP International named Rotra Forwarding as its agent in the Benelux region.

Cathay Pacific.(establishes cooperation on air services)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Five mid-sized Hong Kong forwarders established a cooperation on air services to Europe offered by Cathay Pacific and, potentially, other carriers. They are: Birkart, Flynt International, Geis, Oriental Air Transport Service and...

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.(opens two offices in Seoul)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Hellmann Worldwide Logistics opened two company-owned offices in Seoul, one downtown and another at the airport.

Emery Worldwide.(launches Gold Priority Express in Japan)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Emery Worldwide introduced its Gold Priority Express product in Japan for shipments destined for the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

Qantas Airways.(to start direct flights between Sydney and New York)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Qantas Airways plans to start direct flights between Sydney and New York, via Los Angeles, in October. Qantas and United Airlines also are planning separate new nonstop services between Melbourne and Los Angeles.

Delta's Nixon.(Delta Air Lines)
August 1, 1999... Never mind those freighters, Delta Air Lines' new cargo chief wants to do the best with what he has What has Rick Nixon done since taking over Delta Air Line's $557 million cargo business in March? Unlike his counterparts at other major...

Northwest lead.(Northwest Airlines Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... For the fourth time in little more than a year, Northwest Airlines has a new face at the top of its cargo hierarchy. Mickey Foret, who took over as the carrier's chief financial officer last year after a stint as president of Atlas Air,...

Kitty Hawk Air Cargo.(opens new hub at Fort Wayne, Indiana)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Kitty Hawk Air Cargo opened its new hub at the Fort Wayne, Ind., airport, moving the freighter operation that had been in Michigan.

Lear Corp.(signs air charter manager Grand Aire)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... The auto parts division of the Lear Corp. signed air charter manager Grand Aire to handle its parts for automakers in North America.

BAX Global.(adds guarantee to its second-day freight delivery)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... BAX Global added a guarantee to its second-day freight delivery.

UPS Worldwide Logistics.(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Fretting over value-added service, UPS Worldwide Logistics hired guitar players to tune instruments as part of a contract with guitar maker Fender International.

Kitty Hawk Inc.(sells its engine and maintenance to TIMCO)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Kitty Hawk Inc. sold its engine and maintenance operation in Oscoda, Mich., to TIMCO and agreed to have the buyer handle maintenance of Kitty Hawk's 727s and engines.

C.H. Robinson.(to acquire the assets of Vertex Transportation)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Forwarder C.H. Robinson agreed to purchase the assets of East Rochester, N.Y.-based Vertex Transportation.

AmTran.(acquires 50% of Amber Air Freight)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... AmTran, parent of American Trans Air, acquired the remaining 50 percent of Amber Air Freight, which is responsible for marketing ATA's belly cargo and mail capacity.

Air Canada.(upgrades aircraft on its Toronto-Phoenix service)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Air Canada added significant new cargo space on Toronto-Phoenix service by upgrading aircraft from A319s to 767s.

Towne Air Freight.(to cooperate with Freightmasters on airport-to-airport service)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Towne Air Freight and Freightmasters agreed to cooperate on an airport-to-airport service between their terminals.

Stevens Air Transport.(opens a hub in Columbus, Ohio)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Stevens Air Transport opened a station in Columbus, Ohio, the forwarder's 25th U.S. facility.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.(starts construction of 8,000-ft runway)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport broke ground on an 8,000-foot runway the airport hopes to open by 2003.

U-Ship.(changes name to United Shipping and Technology)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Retail courier U-Ship changed its name to United Shipping and Technology.

Danzas.(revamps its North American sales structure)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Danzas revamped its North American sales structure to centralize reporting to the company's Bellevue, Wash., office.

British Airways World Cargo.(moves to Chicago O'Hare International Airport)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... British Airways World Cargo moved into a larger facility at Chicago O'Hare International Airport that is also closer to BA's aircraft.

Yellow Freight.(launches national Definite Delivery service)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Yellow Freight added a national Definite Delivery service to its guaranteed trucking services.

Relativity.(airports in Brazil)
August 1, 1999... An international team looking at cargo trouble spots has surprising things to say about a well-known choke point Call it the South American theory of relativity. Relatively speaking, the long-maligned customs clearance and processing at...

OhioFloral?(AeroFloral to fly to Bax Globa's hub in Toledo, Ohio)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... BAX Global has stepped up its presence in the Brazil market by convincing South America's largest flower transporter to fly to its Toledo, Ohio hub. As part of a blocked space agreement with BAX, Miami-based AeroFloral added two weekly...

Knowing carriers, knowing costs.
August 1, 1999... Most companies are in the dark when it comes to negotiating transportation contracts because they leave the negotiating process in the hands of a traffic manager who may have little understanding of the company's goals beyond cost...

Squeezing the heartland.(airports)
August 1, 1999... With passenger airlines slimming down, the stakes are higher than ever for airports that want a piece of the cargo business It's a cruel irony that a region with seemingly endless space has been hit the hardest by the narrowing belly...

Cargo spaces out.
August 1, 1999... Potato chips or marble? Just weight and see how cargo operators convert volume into revenue Does 300 kilos of freight translate into a transport charge for 300 kilos? Every announcement about air freight rates mentions a price per kilo,...

A shippers paradise?(Scandinavia's freight transport market)
August 1, 1999... Shippers hold the cards in Scandinavia's freight transport, but they're not always looking for more air service With some of the world's most innovative manufacturers in relatively tight proximity - just think of Nokia, Ericsson, Volvo...

Circle International.(hires Yew Kong Seng to head its information technology department)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Circle International: As part of a global push to improve technology and training, the forwarder's Asia/Pacific division hired Yew Kok Seng and Theresa Lee to head its information technology and human resources departments,...

Panalpina.(names Christian Ryser as president of US/Canada division)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... Panalpina: The Swiss forwarder replaced Roll Altorfer with Christian Ryser as president of the USA/Canada division. Ryser has worked with Panalpina for almost two decades, most recently as managing director of the Venezuela...

DHL: Victor Guinasso.(DHL Airways Inc. names Victor Guinasso as president and CEO)(Brief Article)
August 1, 1999... DHL: Victor Guinasso was named president and chief executive officer of DHL Airways, the U.S. portion of the global express carrier, replacing Patrick Foley. Foley stepped down from those positions Aug. 1 and the former...