Air Cargo World articles from December 2005

Air Cargo World archives from December 2005

Anticipating.(Editor's Note)
December 1, 2005... It's impossible to know whether air cargo will rebound in 2006. Last year was far better than anticipated while 2005 was much worse than anyone predicted. What does seem clear, however, is that 2006 will be a critical year for a changing air...

BAX's Global reach.(News Updates)
December 1, 2005... Is there a logistics operator in the United States left to buy? German operator Deutsche Bahn is taking a big leap onto the global freight transport and logistics stage with its $1.1 billion purchase of BAX Global, a response to the rapid...

Eyeing TNT.(News Updates)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Even as BAX Global's sale to Deutsche Bahn was being agreed to, rumors were rampant last month that the logistics world was in for another big sale: German investor Cornelius Geber said he was considering buying Dutch express transport company...

Piloting UPS.(News Updates)
December 1, 2005... UPS pilots are turning up the heat on UPS in their long-stalled contract talks, suggesting a possible strike if progress is not made this month. The Independent Pilots Association told UPS it will ask the U.S. National Mediation Board to...

Security attack.(News Updates)
December 1, 2005... Proponents of greater screening for air cargo shipments are keeping the pressure on the industry, pointing to a new report that is highly critical of United States government efforts on air freight security. The report from the U.S. General...

Freighter launch.(News Updates)
December 1, 2005... A new flurry of 747-400 freighter orders pushed the aircraft past the 150 mark, more than twice the orders for all-cargo editions of the 747-200 and Boeing appears eager to keep up the momentum. The manufacturer signed Cargolux and Nippon...

Joining forces.(News Updates)
December 1, 2005... The impact of Lufthansa's purchase in March of Swiss International Airlines is starting to ripple across the freight world through a comprehensive capacity agreement between Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss WorldCargo. The accord guarantees each...

EGL looks.(News Updates)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... EGL Eagle Global Logistics may get back into the acquisitions game but only to ramp up its business in contract logistics. "We will only buy what we do not have," EGL CEO Jim Crane said last month. What the Houston-based forwarder does...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2005... In last month's edition, a story titled "Even Freighters Get Detailing" contained two mistakes. First, FedEx says it is finalizing a contract with AAR to supply loading systems for its A380 aircraft and is not using Goodrich as stated in the...

Fueling savings: UPS implements a series of fuel conservation measures aimed at lowering soaring energy costs.(NORTH AMERICA)
December 1, 2005... There's one sure way for airlines to reduce fuel costs, even if oil prices remain sky high: use less fuel. Amid growing signs that shippers are balking at the fuel surcharges that are driving up the cost of air freight, conservation is becoming...

"Murder-Suicide".(Regional Reports)
December 1, 2005... Delta Air Lines is just at the beginning of Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring but is already near a crisis point. Delta asked a bankruptcy judge to reject its collectively bargained agreement with the carrier's 6,000 pilots, which would...

Airforwarders Association.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... The Airforwarders Association canceled the contract of David Wirsing as executive director and named Brandon Fried, a former executive at Adcom Worldwide, to replace him.

Forward Air.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Air freight trucker Forward Air boosted its net profit 34 percent in the third quarter to $12.1 million on an 18 percent gain in revenue, to $84.8 million. Forward Air's $231.9 million in revenue in the first nine months of 2005 was 13 percent...

Pilot Air Freight.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Pilot Air Freight's forwarding revenue grew 5.6 percent in the third quarter to $79.7 million, lead by 13.7 percent growth in international business, to $14.7 million.

Emirates.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Emirates launched a second daily A340500 passenger flight between New York's Kennedy International Airport and Dubai, raising the airline's cargo capacity on the route by 30 percent.

ASIG started performing ramp handling and warehouse services for freight airline.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... ASIG started performing ramp handling and warehouse services for freight airline Kitty Hawk Aircargo in San Diego.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways started three-times-weekly flights to Toronto.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways started three-times-weekly flights to Toronto through Brussels and appointed Swissport Cargo Services as its ground handler in Toronto.

Merging ambition: Air France and KLM are combining their cargo operations, creating the world's largest international air freight carrier.(EUROPE)
December 1, 2005... The Air France-KLM Cargo venture advanced a stage further with completion of the "integration" phase. From now on, the carriers will present one face to the customer. A team of 70 managers has been appointed worldwide to cement into place the...

European airlines saw freight traffic grow 1.5 percent in September, putting the carriers up only 2 percent over last year in the first nine months of 2005.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... European airlines saw freight traffic grow 1.5 percent in September, putting the carriers up only 2 percent over last year in the first nine months of 2005. Traffic across the North Atlantic was down 1.8 percent in September.

Traxon Europe.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... TRAXON Europe, the air freight electronic communications provider, says its service surpassed five million monthly electronic messages. The operation says its services aimed at new customs regulations in the United States and India helped more...

Air France-KLM.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Cargo traffic at Air France-KLM inched up 1.9 percent in October but cargo load factors fell nearly 3 percent as capacity grew at more than three times the growth in traffic. For the first l0 months of 2005, Air France-KLM cargo traffic was up...

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Ending a long-term trend in all-cargo volume growth, traffic on freighters at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol slipped 0.1 percent in September although overall cargo traffic was up 0.9 percent in the month and 2.9 percent for the first nine months...

Kuehne + Nagel.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Memorex Europe extended its inbound logistics, inventory management and delivery contract with Kuehne + Nagel for two years.

Martinair Cargo.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Martinair Cargo started weekly MD-11 freighter service between Amsterdam and Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.

bmi.
December 1, 2005... bmi started service to Jeddab and Riyadh out of London Heathrow.

Globe Air Cargo will represent Ethiopian Airlines as general sales agent for the United Kingdom and Ireland.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Globe Air Cargo will represent Ethiopian Airlines as general sales agent for the United Kingdom and Ireland, where Ethiopian plans to upgrade capacity this year from a 757 to a 767.

Geodis.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... French forwarder Geodis will build a warehouse in Maisfeld, Germany, to help handle a three-year contract for logistics services in Western Europe for audio and video distributor Thomson.

ABX Logistics.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... The Belgian post office will use ABX Logistics for customs clearance of inbound international parcels.

Virgin Atlantic Airways contracted with Unitpool to manage ULD repairs.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Virgin Atlantic Airways contracted with Unitpool to manage ULD repairs for the airline at Unitpool's 30 repair stations around the world.

Peak worries: Asian exports are finally reaching a peak, but it may too little too late for the struggling air carriers.(PACIFIC)
December 1, 2005... You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief rise from airline offices on either side of the Pacific Ocean as the peak season finally moved into gear in the second week of October. Hopes for an early start to the season--perhaps as early...

Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Freight traffic for Asian airlines grew 1.5 percent in the third quarter, less than half the 3.5 percent increase in capacity, according to the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines. Capacity growth outstripped traffic for five straight months,...

China's Central Bank said China's economy would grow at better than 9 percent in 2005.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... China's Central Bank said China's economy would grow at better than 9 percent in 2005 after the GDP rose 9.4 percent in the first nine months of the year.

Korean Air.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Korean Air saw cargo traffic fall 4.5 percent in the third quarter because of weak exports out of Korea.

Nippon Cargo Airlines.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... The owner of Nippon Cargo Airlines says the Japanese freighter operator placed a firm order for eight 747-400 freighters with options for up to six more of the jumbos, sharply scaling up capacity for an airline with 11 747s in its fleet. NCA...

AirBridge Cargo and Nippon Cargo Airlines signed an agreement to share 747 freighter capacity between Japan and Europe.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... AirBridge Cargo and Nippon Cargo Airlines signed an agreement to share 747 freighter capacity between Japan and Europe on flights that will operate through ABC's hub in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Singapore Airlines.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Singapore Airlines took its 15th 747-400 freighter and stepped up service to India and the United States, including new twice-weekly flights on a Singapore--Dehli--Copenhagen--Chicago rotation.

U-Freight.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Hong Kong-based forwarder U-Freight opened an office on Indonesia's Batam Island, an electronics manufacturing base.

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals saw traffic grow 6.7 percent in October as the handler set a monthly record of 228,234 tonnes. It was the third straight month of decelerating growth at HACTL and imports grew only 1.8 percent.

Singapore Changi International Airport.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Freight traffic at Singapore Changi International Airport grew 2.8 percent in September and was up 2 percent in the first nine months of the year over the same period a year ago.

Dragonair Cargo.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Dragonair Cargo was seeking government approval to add five freighter flights a week to Taipei to respond to growing demand for shipping between Mainland China and Taiwan. The Hong Kong-based airline's cargo traffic was up 15.8 percent through...

GAC Thailand.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... TRI-US Entertainment of Thailand appointed GAC Thailand to provide a full door-to-door service from Thailand to Hollywood for its film projects.

Exel.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Exel joined the RosettaNet logistics technology standards group in Thailand.

Singapore Air Terminal Services, working with partners in China to increase its stake in ground handling services in the country.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Singapore Air Terminal Services, working with partners in China to increase its stake in ground handling services in the country, struck a joint venture with China's Tianjin Airport Cargo Services and will be the single largest shareholder with...

Boeing struck a deal with Afghanistan's Ariana Afghan Airways to renew the carrier's fleet.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Boeing struck a deal with Afghanistan's Ariana Afghan Airways to renew the carrier's fleet with two leased 757-200s this year and direct purchase of four 737-700 aircraft in 2009.

ST Aerospace.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... New Zealand's Ministry of Defense awarded ST Aerospace a $38 million contract for the cargo conversion and avionics upgrade of two 757-200 aircraft.

Perishable market: air cargo operators have mixed feelings about Latin America, where politics and regulations restrict freight flows.(LATIN AMERICA)
December 1, 2005... The Latin American market is something of a conundrum for air cargo operators trying to decide how much to invest in the region. Demand for its products, notably perishables, is growing in the United States and elsewhere, and production methods...

Varig Brazilian Airways lost $175.4 million in the third quarter but boosted its prospects for emerging from bankruptcy protection.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Varig Brazilian Airways lost $175.4 million in the third quarter but boosted its prospects for emerging from bankruptcy protection by agreeing to sell its logistics units, VarigLog and Varig Manutencao, to TAP Air Portugal for $62 million.

Mexicana.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Mexicana added a seventh daily flight between Los Angeles and Guadalajara.

Copa Airlines.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Panama's Copa Airlines will buy up to 15 next-generation 737 aircraft for delivery from 2007 to 2009.

LAN Airlines.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... LAN Airlines' cargo traffic fell 1.3 percent in October on a 0.3 percent reduction in capacity.

The U.S. Department of Transportation granted American Airlines antitrust immunity to form a three-way alliance.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... The U.S. Department of Transportation granted American Airlines antitrust immunity to form a three-way alliance with LAN Peru and LAN Airlines that will allow for the coordination of marketing, scheduling and other services among the three...

Continental Airlines.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Continental Airlines received preliminary government approval to operate flights to Buenos Aires from its Houston hub.

Delta Air Lines.(... Briefly)
December 1, 2005... Delta Air Lines plans to add service over the next six months to 28 destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America, including Roatan and San Pedro Sula in Honduras and Managua, Nicaragua.

Air cargo's reality check: after a banner year in 2004, air freight growth stalled in a lackluster 2005.(Feature Report: Review/Outlook)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2005... The skyrocketing growth in air cargo traffic in 2004 was followed by a loud thump in 2005. After celebrating the industry's best year of growth since 1997 last year, air freight fell rapidly back to earth this year. Growth in 2005 did not just...

2006 Air Cargo World corporate outlook.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2005... Emirates Sky Cargo Company Mission To deliver the highest standards of product quality to support business logistics within the air transportation industry and to achieve complete customer satisfaction through innovation and refinement...

Hazardous handling: confusion over regulations can make hazmat shipping a dangerous proposition for air cargo operators.(Feature Focus: Hazmat)
December 1, 2005... A price tag of $60,000 is quite steep for a bottle of perfume. Of course, that's not actually the price. But a perfume company was fined that amount after one of its sales staff shipped a small flask via an express operator without the proper...

Air freight trucking guide.
December 1, 2005... Trucking is a growing component of the air cargo business, particularly in the United States, where expedited trucking operations are in many instances moving time-sensitive freight that was once carried by air. The third annual Air Freight...

Events.(Calendar)
December 1, 2005... Dec. 5-6 Miami: World Mall & Express Americas, at the Sheraton Bal Harbour, the Triangle Management event looks at how private meets postal in express markets. For information, call operators meet Central European partners. For...

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings.(Airlines)
December 1, 2005... Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings: Wake Smith resigned as chief operating officer of the parent of Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo. He started there as an advisor in 2000 and became COO in June 2004. No reason was given for his resignation.

Nippon Cargo Airlines.(Airlines)
December 1, 2005... Nippon Cargo Airlines: The Japanese freighter operator appointed Shunichi Fujimura senior vice president for tire Americas and general manager for New York. He replaces Naoshige Makino, who returned to Japan. Fujimura was general manager for...

SN Brussels Airlines.(Airlines)
December 1, 2005... SN Brussels Airlines: The passenger airline named Neff Burrows executive chairman after the resignation of Rob Kuijpers, the former CEO of DHL Europe. Kuijpers resigned in October because of what reports in Europe said were differences with the...

Spirit Airlines.(Airlines)
December 1, 2005... Spirit Airlines: The regional passenger airline named Tony Lefebvre, the former head of cargo at US Airways, as senior vice president of customer service regional passenger airline, a position overseeing all ground operations and airport...

FedEx.(Integrators)
December 1, 2005... FedEx: FedEx Services named Ann Saccomano, a former reporter at Air Cargo World sister publications the Journal of Commerce and Traffic World, a senior communications specialist at its Memphis, Tenn., headquarters. She had most recently been at...

APL Logistics.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... APL Logistics: The unit of ocean container line APL named Brian Lutt president, replacing Hans Hickler, who left as CEO in May for DHL. Lutt has been president of Asia/Middle East for APL parent NOL Group since 2004 and has worked for NOL in...

FIATA.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... FIATA: The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, named Alicia Chin of Toronto the 2005 'Young International Freight Forwarder of the Year.' A sales team leader for Exel, Chin submitted a dissertation on new export trade...

Lynden International.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... Lynden International: The Seattle-based forwarder named 20-year freight industry veteran David Wright an account executive at the company's headquarters. Wright spent 10 years in sales and pricing at ocean container line CMA CGM Group and more...

Quick International Courier.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... Quick International Courier: The New York-based emergency shipment specialist named Dan Rourke director of an expanded and reorganized air charter division. Rourke has worked in the air charter industry for more than 20 years with companies...

Stonepath Group.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... Stonepath Group: The Seattle-based logistics provider promoted Lothar Kammerer to senior vice president as it expanded its project logistics team because of growing infrastructure and energy projects around the world. The company established a...

Target Logistic Services.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... Target Logistic Services: The Los Angeles-based forwarder named industry veteran Jay Bellin managing director at its San Francisco office. Bellin was most recently at Panalpina as vice president of professional services and compliance. He...

Ozburn-Hessey Logistics.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... Ozburn-Hessey Logistics: The Tennessee-based logistics company named Dave Hanley director of its integrated solutions group and Nathan Sanders director of operations in Indianapolis. Hanley was at Triangle Services, Ryder Integrated Logistics...

Hellmann Wordwide Logistics.(Third-Parties)
December 1, 2005... Hellmann Wordwide Logistics: The German forwarder named Stephan Meyer to head key accounts for its Night Star Express service. Meyer, 36, had been at NET-Nachtexpress for 13 years.

BBA Aviation Services.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2005... BBA Aviation Services: Hugh McElroy became president and CEO of the overhaul and maintenance company's Dallas Airmotive subsidiary. He has more than 30 years experience in the industry and joined the company in 1999. Before that, he was...

Boeing Commercial Airplanes.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2005... Boeing Commercial Airplanes: The jet maker named Kai Heinicke regional director of cargo marketing for the Americas, expanding the freighter marketing division from three to four. He joined Boeing after seven years at United Airlines, and was...

Jetworks.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2005... Jetworks: The Greenwich, Conn.-based asset management firm whose portfolio includes widebody aircraft and A300-B4 freighters, named Anders Hebrand and chief operating officer as part of an agreement with Hebrand's company, Sigma Aircraft...

Traxon.(Technology)
December 1, 2005... Traxon: Felix Keck of Lufthansa Cargo became managing director of airline technology provider Traxon Europe, succeeding Jean Yves Cap, who returned to Air France. Keck has been with Lufthansa Cargo for 14 years, most recently as vice president...

Brussels International Airport.(Airports)
December 1, 2005... Brussels International Airport: The airport's management company named Wilfried Van Assche chief executive officer and chairman of the air-port's management committee. A consultant since 2004, be was chief operating officer of Ontex...

Aeroports de Paris.(Airports)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Aeroports de Paris: Francois Rubichon was named chief operating officer, replacing Hubert du Mesnil. Rubichon, 42, has worked in government and postal positions, and was executive director of Geo-Post Logistics from 2000 to 2002. Earlier, he...

TSA.(Government)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... TSA: The U.S. Transportation Security Administration named Donald L. Barker federal security director for Memphis International Airport. Barker had been security director at the Eugene, Ore., Mahlon Sweet Field. A 21-year veteran of the U.S....

The Air Cargo bottom line.
December 1, 2005... Airline Costs Makeup Operating costs' percentage of U.S. airlines' overall expenses for the 2005 second quarter Labor 26% Fuel 22% Aircraft Ownership 8% Landing Fees 2%...

Liberalization: the United States' refusal to budge on foreign ownership rules shouldn't stop historic U-S.-E.U. open skies deal.(Commentary)
December 1, 2005... I would like to say a word about our negotiations with the European Union toward a possible breakthrough aviation agreement--one that would bring an entirely new level of liberalization to trans-Atlantic air services. Everyone knows the...