Vol. 11 No. 8                                  #INTHEAIREVERYWHERE                                           Friday January 25, 2013

     National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Deborah Hersman said Thursday that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery that caught fire earlier this month in Boston shows evidence of short-circuiting and a chemical reaction known as “thermal runaway.” Thermal runaway is an increase in temperature that causes progressively hotter temperatures, federal accident investigators say.
     It's not clear to investigators what came first: the short-circuiting or the thermal runaway, Hersman said.
     Nor is it clear yet what caused either of them, she said.
     Forget about whether Boeing got it right when they designed how lithium ion batteries should work in a B787; the big question is, now that more than four dozen of the aircraft sit on hardstands around the world and the production line in Seattle has stopped, how fast can a modification be brought to the fore?
     It’s worth noting that earlier this month ICAO ramped up new rules for carriage of lithium ion batteries as air cargo after fire incidents were reported aboard two Boeing 747 freighters and a DC-8.
Geoffrey
Read Related FT article "Dangers Of Lithium Ion Batteries."


his week we published a simple, beautiful letter received from and written by Ram Menen (pictured here with his lovely wife Malou) detailing his upcoming retirement June 2013. Ram has served as a major force in air cargo for the past 40 years and as key architect of Emirates SkyCargo as its Divisional Senior Vice President.
      Ram’s elegant letter, delivered at the same time as this week’s U.S. Presidential Inaugural, reminded us of one of the greatest speeches ever written, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
     Is Ram’s “swan song” the best speech he has ever delivered (and mind you, he has delivered about 2,000+ speeches), and beyond that a stand out in air cargo history?
     We will leave that to you, dear reader, to decide.
     But Ram’s quiet, simple, self-effacing words underscore someone who genuinely cares and thinks and is proactive about people and friends.
     Simply put, Ram Menen lifts everybody.
     Undoubtedly, many other stories about Ram will continue as we work our way towards June, as thanks and good luck from well wishers and his team flow toward a man whose body of work and good-guy personality are revealed in even greater detail.
     That’s the way it ought to be.
Geoffrey

Dear Geoffrey,

     Well, sheesh, all I can say is I wish I had been in the trophy case business in Dubai during the Ram dynasty. I could have retired a lot sooner.
     Seriously, the industry is about to lose a gentleman.
     This man could have sat back and counted his coins.
     Instead he was out front on the things that matter most to us, and that is what his customers wanted. God (choose your spiritual leader here) only knows what it took to get things done in a foreign land.
     I wish I had a nickel for every person who told me "oh, Emirates gets their fuel for free..."
     Believe that if you will, but Emirates Cargo thrived because they have the goods—and that doesn't just happen.
     So, Ram, take a rest for God’s sake—then come connect with us—we will be so bored if you are totally absent.

Your pal,
Dave
(Dave Brooks served as President of American Airlines Cargo from 1998-2012, retiring in May 2012.)


Picture Perfect Retirement—David and Sue Pierce wintering in Arizona.

Dear Geoffrey,

     I have known Ram from about the beginning of Emirates, my having first visited Dubai some time during 1985.
     A key element to any Industry and Profession is to recognize both the excitement and fun that is possible, and Ram did that.
     Ram is a Coach who recognized the capabilities of people and was able to unite them to accomplish very specific objectives. I have a great business respect, but more importantly, a wonderful friendship with a fine man.

David Pierce
Regional Director Cargo Marketing, Boeing
Manager Cargo Marketing and Business Development, Emirates
Retired


Geoffrey,

     Thanks again for publishing the news we all read in the cargo world and bringing back Pumping Traffic.
     I had the pleasure of meeting Ram at the Bilbao TIACA ACF and had dinner with him and other airline executives. He was sitting next to me and was such a delightful person, aside from being obviously smart and forward thinking. It was only a few months since I’d adopted my daughter from China, and he was all ears for my story… Since then, I’ve been following all his adventures with EK and he will be sorely missed in the industry. He is someone all in the business—and outside the cargo circle—should emulate. He is astute, kind, a visionary, and has brought so much to the industry.
     As for August Martin, I believe you’ve already written about him and am glad he’s not forgotten. His story is inspiring and his contributions, not only to spreading equality and breaking stereotypes, but his kind heart towards those in need, is an inspiration to all!

Best regards,
Elisabeth Szentkereszty de Zagon
Sr. SystemForm Engineer – Network Implementation & Control
FedEx Express Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa

Dear Geoffrey,

     History (somewhat unfairly) is mainly recorded in the deeds and thoughts of leaders, whereas every member of a team plays a vital role: we remember the name of the player who scored, and rarely the name of the one who made the pass.
     But in the case of Ram Menen, I have no shame in singling him out for appropriate distinction.
     I received the same simple letter which you have quoted, beautiful in its simplicity.
     It says it all in a few lines, like a zen painting: the bare fact of his decision, the extraordinary story of      Emirates since the startup, his deep appreciation for the team around him, his many connections and friendships outside his company, his choice of base and satellite (whatever those words mean for a world traveler), and of course the inseparable and loved Malou.
     Far be it from me then to spoil the charm of his simple words by a verbose gush of my own.
     I only wish to acknowledge that the man departs, but his legacy does not.
     For once let us be grateful that our agendas for the first half of the year are crammed with industry events (World Cargo Symposium in Doha, TIACA AGM in Dallas, CNS Partnership Conference in Phoenix, Transport Logistik in Munich, etc): Ram and the rest of us will need the second half of the year to recover.

Best wishes,
Oliver
(Oliver Evans is chief cargo officer at Swiss World Cargo)


Dear Mr. Geoffrey,

      It is with great shock that I read of the early retirement of Mr. Ram Menen, who is iconic in today’s air cargo business.
     I am lucky enough to have met him once in Dubai, though quite long ago during a conference; from that day on I always felt encouraged and inspired by him.
     He is a man with diverse cargo knowledge, who led the cargo business with a success beyond imagination with all its dynamism.
     We all understand that his family needs his precious time; nonetheless we, in the cargo community, are likely to miss him.
     Though it is hard to accept his decision, it is time to wish him all the best for the rest of his life.
     Meantime, I would like to express my deepest respect and admiration to Air Cargo News FlyingTypers for keeping us all abreast of the changes in our industry, not to be caught by surprise.
     Keep it up and well done!

With best regards,
Gashaw
Gashaw Haile (Mr.)
Mgr. Ethiopian Cargo Planning & Route Management
Ethiopian Airlines, Headquarters, Bole International Airport

Geoffrey,

     As news came out of Ram's impending retirement I can't say that I was very surprised.
     In speaking with Ram recently, I know that the last few years have really taken a toll on a number of executives in the air cargo industry and Ram was no exception.
     I am very happy for him to take this important next step and sure that everyone agrees that no one is more deserving of some downtime than Ram Menen.
     He has been the face of our industry for the past twenty years and his contributions are immeasurable.
     Ram has done this selflessly and for the benefit of the air cargo business and all of us who love this industry owe him a huge thank you for that.
     However, we all can be lifted by the certainty that Ram will continue to contribute to this industry even though he may officially be retired.
     I am proud to call Ram my friend and wish him all the best in the years to come.

Neel Jones Shah
Neel Jones Shah is President, JS Aviation Consulting and Chief Commercial Officer, Able Freight Services.


Dear Geoffrey,

     Ram is one, if not the best, air cargo innovators our industry has ever produced. I have known Ram since he started in our business in Kuwait and I can only marvel at his genius.
     Ram has taken a hub in an area that has a small need for origin or destination cargo and through his leadership has made Emirates the largest air cargo carriers in the world.
     He did this not by lowering the rates but by giving his customers superior service.
     In doing this Ram has led the way in many of the changes today in air cargo.
     Ram’s leadership, in my view, resulted in achieving one of the greatest feats in the air cargo industry that can be equal to innovators like John Mahoney, John Emery Sr., and Fred Smith.
     I am proud to call him my friend.

Bill Boesch



he rush to receive orders from Asia before factories close for Chinese Lunar New Year—the Year of the Snake—on February 10 will see demand for air freight services surge, according to airline executives contacted by FlyingTypers.
     A spokesman for Lufthansa Cargo predicted the demand boost would start around January 20 and would affect the big mainland hubs such as Shanghai and Beijing as well as gateways in South China and Hong Kong.
     “The last two months in 2012 were quite satisfying in China and we are cautiously optimistic that we will see some growth in 2013, though a real pick up is more likely for the second half of the year,” he said.
     “A real outlook will, however, only be possible in a couple of weeks as the first weeks in the year are always special and make it difficult to forecast developments exactly.”
     John Cheetham, regional commercial manager for Asia-Pacific & India at IAG Cargo, said volumes so far had been stable, but a volume boost was still expected in the lead up to February 10.
     “Traditionally we would expect to see a pre-Chinese New Year surge in airfreight as manufacturers look to clear their stocks before production closes for the holiday,” he added. “We would expect to see the surge in the last week of the month and the start of February prior to the holiday.”
     Cheetham said IAG Cargo, which combines the cargo businesses of British Airways and Iberia, was approaching 2013 with “cautious optimism.” The company recently announced the launch of a thrice-weekly cargo service between Heathrow and Chengdu in southwest China, which will start September 22, providing additional wide-body capacity to support Chengdu’s booming manufacturing sector.
     “The global economy is still very fragile and consumer demand is uncertain,” said Cheetham. “However, we believe that the markets will show some signs of growth this year against the low base of the past two years. We expect load factors to improve in Asia, which will result in some rate increase, particularly in the spot market.”
     Saudia Cargo is also examining new freighter services to upcoming markets in central China locations, including Chongqing and Chengdu.
     Peter Scholten, VP commercial, said the China market had been strong so far in 2013 and this would continue through to Chinese New Year, which would then be followed by a dip.
     “This is happening as we speak,” he said. “It’s not a major peak, but it’s now a nice market with a strong demand.”
     Saudia will pull freighter capacity from China for a week or two when the market slows during Chinese New Year.
     “We’ll offer extra flights into Nairobi in Kenya for the flower market in Amsterdam in the run up to Valentine’s Day,” said Scholten.
Sky King

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