Vol. 9 No. 10 WE COVER THE WORLD Thursday January 21, 2010

Air Cargo Timeline To Haiti

     As the horror in Haiti continues to unfold, including a mighty 6.1 shock that rocked the tiny island nation early Wednesday morning, air cargo companies around the world have joined in the effort to fly in relief.
     While the media on the ground in Haiti continues to report the story from their perspective, another avenue of communication in air cargo is first person on the scene descriptions that Air Cargo News FlyingTypers is receiving from around the world depicting relief efforts from preparation to delivery.
     As example here is a minute-by-minute report of how Air Berlin and its all- cargo subsidiary leisure Cargo moved critical supplies to SDQ this past Monday January 18.
     What emerges here is the stuff of head and heft and heart—the folks at leisure are no slouches at getting the job done right.
     Our thanks to Felix Brockerhoff who created this document of air cargo at its human best.
     We ask you, the reader, to share your experiences in times of need but also whenever you think an event of unique common interest is taking place and you are there.
     Cell phone snaps and a couple of words published in Air Cargo News FlyingTypers can only lift everyone.
     We are standing by 24/7/365 waiting to hear from you.
Geoffrey

     “leisure Cargo and Air Berlin transported 100 tons of relief goods to Haiti.
     On Monday the18th of January 2010, 32.5t and 25 doctors and aid helpers were uplifted on board AB1400.
     The complete flight was part of a donation for the Haiti earthquake victims from Air Berlin, Air BP and Total Germany with 60t Jet fuel and the Düsseldorf International Airport, charging no flight handling costs.
     Aboard the aircraft was also the organization Ein Herz für Kinder, Air Berlin crew, a doctor team and relief goods of humedica e.V., Kindernothilfe e.V., World Vision e.V. and LandsAid e.V. who had donated the 100t, 220cbm relief goods.
     The Airbus A330-200 (Flight Number AB1400) was routed Düsseldorf-Puerto Plata. 8 PMC and 2 AKE with 32.5t were uplifted on schedule 1315 utc.
     The complete logistic organization and flight responsibility had been handed over at 19:00, Friday evening to leisure Cargo, from Air Berlin.
     As the export cargo agent on emergency duty, I was informed Friday afternoon that one flight might be planned for Monday with 30-35t.
     Through Friday night into Saturday came phone calls as the shipment built and we immediately began to coordinate the repacking and staging for shipment of the relief goods.
     Work continued non-stop from Friday into Saturday.
     When even more cargo continued to be received at Düsseldorf and it was 02:00am Sunday morning with the telephone still ringing and total tonnage rinsing to more than 60t, I decided to send a first shipment on the normal passenger flights from Air Berlin to Punta Cana (PUJ) and Puerto Plata (POP).
     Air Berlin Traffic Center quickly authorized the space and we slated 175t for the flight AB7440/17Jan DUS-POP and 10t for the flight AB7446/17jan DUS-PUJ.
     With great assistance from Air Berlin Dispatch, Air Berlin Operations and the FDCG warehouse workers, 27.5t were sent on their way to the Dominican Republic a day ahead of time.
     Everybody worked together, including getting us past the German-mandated law that bans Sunday truck driving.
     After a few phone calls with the civil authorities a special agreement was put in place.
     First flight off we worked from early morning until late in the evening repacking, loading and unloading of the trucks, the 100% screening, labeling and build-up in the leisure warehouse on scores of relief-bound ULDs for Haiti. Rest was either short breaks or cat naps as leisure Cargo employees answered the call for help giving their all to this relief goods shipment operation.
     Between Sunday and Monday morning 72.5t were delivered to leisure DUS from three aid organizations.
     As I planned the shipments, our workers labored on short rest and through meal time. Again after a very short rest, Monday morning had come, officially the big day.
     As dawn broke Monday, word of our effort hit the press and we answered questions and professed our pleasure in being able to help others, although Monday was in reality just another work day no matter what the task had been during our busy weekend.
     But I could tell that everyone was exhilarated and happy to help others in need.
     I looked up in the sky and watched the A330-200 from Air Berlin take off and thought: I guess this is what they mean when saying I am “good tired”.
     All of us were very satisfied to be able to help . . . a little bit!.
     Many of us left for home with a smile.

2010-Part III

Reto To The Top At LH Charter

     Reto Rudolf Hunziker, who had gone global in reputation as marketing team leader at the Sino-German all-cargo JV Jade Cargo based in Shenzhen, has moved to his new post as managing director at Lufthansa Charter Agency, succeeding Christian Fink who was upped and now has moved out of day-to-day air cargo to an entirely new job at Lufthansa.
     Before he departed, Christian sat together with Reto for an exclusive Air Cargo News FlyingTypers up close and personal video, which if you have not watched it yet is a good look, (left) maybe even a 101 on how two executives can successfully engineer an effective transition of power.
     But as January gets deeper, that is as they say, another story.
     Reto Hunziger right now is most interested in the here and beyond.
     “From my impressions and working as a colleague and partner with Lufthansa Charter, what I can see is a first-rate team that is both close-knit and effective.
     “Christian has done an admirable job here and the people are really wonderful.
     “Sure there will be changes, but I am a European and an air cargo professional who has benefited from past years at Swiss World Cargo and also building my team, my family (right) really, at Jade Cargo in Shenzhen.
     “Our future is based on a global vision with a local hands on, and to build strength upon strength.”
     What you notice right away about Reto is his up front approach to everything he does.
     He wears how he feels and what he intends to do, right where everyone can see it, clearly on his face as he speaks from the heart:
     "Physically I am in Frankfurt, as I formally made my transition between the two positions in the first week of January. Mentally and emotionally I feel as though I am now at 30,000 feet somewhere between China and Germany with a bird’s eye view over both operations.
     “As I dive into my new world at LCCA there are a handful of strategic initiatives that I am still assisting my Jade Cargo colleagues with.
     “I am quite lucky to have the opportunity to make a gradual and thorough transition from one world to the next.

FT:   From your bird’s eye view of 30,000 feet, what is your observation concerning the health of the economy from the perspectives of a scheduled Chinese all-cargo carrier and a Charter agency?
AP:  It could be worse. After having lived through the economic downturn of the first half of 2009, I am thankful that we find ourselves in market conditions, which can be described differently than simply “disastrous.” By no stretch of the imagination are we out of the woods yet, but current conditions are manageable and there is no reason that Jade Cargo & LCCA can’t succeed in 2010.
FT:   But 2009 couldn’t have been that bad ?
AP:  Yes, by the end of the year we had reason to celebrate. Even with the economic recession, we actively managed the situation as best possible, leveraged partnerships with our key customers, implemented a handful of strategic initiatives with partner air carriers and managed to close the year with a good result. Given the obstacles that faced us during the course of the year, we were quite pleased with the final result.
FT:   Will Jade Cargo most likely experience the same success in 2010?
AP:  Fortunately Jade has a very strong team of management and staff. Given their current course of direction, there is no reason that they shouldn’t be in a position to further build on their success of the past year.
FT:   What impresses you as being different since you have joined Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency?
AP:  Having spent my last four years building a start up organization at Jade, I have immediately been impressed by what it means to join a well established organization at LCCA. The team is fully entrenched in their roles and they have years of experience in conducting business in a predictably reliable manner. Even though there are challenging goals ahead, the environment is somehow more relaxed. Accordingly, I can already see that I will be able to spend a greater focus on mid-term and long term objectives than I did in my previous position.
FT:   What should companies begin doing differently in 2010 compared to last year?
AP:  We have something of great value that we didn’t have last year … experience! The onset of the economic crisis took everyone by surprise as there was no precedent for such an event in recent history. Now, as we move into 2010 we all have personal experiences of what worked and what didn’t work under the extreme conditions. It is the responsibility of each and every individual to keep those lessons firmly in mind as we move forward under less than ideal circumstances.
FT:   “Less than ideal circumstances?” Are you indicating that the world economy is not in recovery mode in your opinion?
AP:  “Recovery mode” and “recovered” are two different things. From my perspective, markets definitely have not recovered. And, although we may be in a recovery mode in terms of key economic indicators, the international transportation industry still has some very tough time ahead in the coming months. Now is not the time for everyone to sit back and relax.
(Geoffrey)

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January 19:   Next time try visiting the airport. Travel & Leisure Magazine names TWA at JFK & THF in Berlin as two "most beautiful airport buildings," along with a host of others around the world. Only, both of the aforementioned are closed.
     In the case of the Eero Saarinen designed TWA Terminal Classic—New York JFK Port Authority has thoughtlessly crapped up the views and vistas of that hallowed space into what at best now appears as a brooding afterthought and worse as a place that has disappeared altogether, TWA is an absolute mess that suffered fire damage recently.
     Port Authority and NYC Landmarks should be ashamed of themselves.
     We don't think too much of the people that closed up Templhof Berlin
either. So far at least that masterpiece is still intact with civic
oversight and continued upkeep to keep it protected.

January 19:   AMS & FRA connect . . . Cargonaut (AMS) & Traxon (FRA) Europe launched a document and message management system called eCargo Pouch today. Supports IATA e-freight.

January 19:   Lufthansa MD11F supplies arrived SDG from FRA Monday as carrier reaches out including moving relief goods aboard line flights into MIA for transfer to PAP as well.