Session One Second To None

     Opening session titled “Emerging Opportunities” was moderated by Larry Langford and included panelists Jo Frigger, Emo Trans; Ricardo Lehmacher, IATA; Franz Zoechbauer, Austrian Cargo and Sanjay Tiwari, KLM Cargo U.S.
     No one can blame this erstwhile gathering of industry experts of not including information on some vital developing markets in the world.
     The difficulty was inhaling the information set up in Mr. Langford’s detailed and lengthy market analysis presentation.
     After a full house audience heard about everything including the Quadrangle Highway in India, and various nuances and numbers of the Indian Market, (amplified by one slide of blue circular projections that looked for all the world as if Pam Am Clipper Cargo was back in business), the CIS and Russia and the entire continent of South America, the gathering increasingly began fidgeting with their blackberries and cell phones.
     One by one, the panelists spoke to the markets of their special expertise.
     Jo Frigger spoke of increasing niche possibilities in South America while Sanjay spoke of new market possibilities in cities in India off the beaten track.
     “Vienna remains an excellent gateway to the East,” offered Franz Zoechbauer, while Ricardo Lehmacher offered a practical and complete market analysis of South America.
     The problem with all of this was the time allotment to discuss three such important air cargo markets of the world in one session.
     Somewhat buried in all of this was the importance of the interconnectivity between the markets.
     For example China, which somebody said offhandedly “has already happened” was excluded almost entirely from this discussion except when Jo mentioned that China was way ahead in developing a stronger business relationship with South America than with any other country outside of USA.
     In an air cargo conference that is proclaiming in its opening sentences the need to keep it simple and stay on message, the opening business session was overloaded with diversified content and somewhat maze-like.
     It was as if someone had served dessert before the meal.
(Geoffrey)

Brooks Beats Expectation     “Managing assets is key. “We are expanding overseas while maintaining our service standards over here.” Nobody can accuse Dave Brooks, President of American Airlines Cargo of ramping up the excitement. But this quiet spoken captain of cargo has an eagle eye for understatement as he goes about racking up an impressive list of cargo gains at the world’s largest airline. “Last year was a record breaker for AA cargo as revenues topped USD$820 million. “We opened up services to Delhi, Dublin, Shannon and Osaka,” Mr. Brooks told attendees at the CNS Partnership Conference in Las Vegas Monday. “We have continually streamlined the process for our customers. “Doing business with AA Cargo has never been easier including booking allocations online. “At the same time we are upgrading our cargo transfer facilities at several locations. “So far that work has been completed in LAX and LHR. “On tap is going live with CPS; enhanced interline strategies, and a host of other initiatives underscoring that AA Cargo puts the customer first.” (Geoffrey)

Can you believe the luck of the landlords? Big winner in “Golf Paradise” at CNS Lake Las Vegas for a trip to another golf soufflé was Oscar “I have a birthday on every first of the month,” Couto of AMB Properties. Couto won an Oscar for best trip by a CNS partnership attendee of an all-expense paid golf soiree at the fabulous Half Moon Bay for a date of his choice, with Continental putting up the transportation and FedEx, the hotel and golf. Oscar was overheard telling no one in particular: “No one deserves this more than me.”