CNS Weekend In Vegas

    
     Guess what?
     We are in Las Vegas, for the first time at CNS.
     But before the real work gets underway, optioning golf or the opportunity to go into the Black Canyon and see the Hoover Dam “up close and personal,” this quiet mostly cool Sunday morning we chose “Dam the Golf.”
     The Hoover Dam is just beautiful, quite art deco from every angle including the two delicately beautiful winged sentinels that stand just across the street from this wondrous structure.
     Executed in bronze, but now seventy-one years later with a lovely opaque green patina, the beautiful creatures are the uplifting part of an immensely detailed terrazzo floor all around them, that salutes the workers who built the great dam, while celebrating America itself.
     Later back at the Moroccan–style venue for the 2006 partnership we unearthed some news from the ever-expanding world of air cargo.
     Aleks Popovich newly named Global Head of Cargo for IATA, also at CNS for the first time, said:
     “CNS is a most effective organization for bringing the airline/forwarder relationship into focus.
     “I am in the cargo business because I love the family feeling of the industry.
     “CNS brings out the best in air cargo. From what I’ve seen so far this conference could serve as a template for bringing the world air cargo community together.”
     Julie Johansson Cargo Sales Manager North America for Malaysian said that MAS is putting the final touches on hosting TIACA 2008 in Kuala Lumpur.
     “We also are starting our second B747-400F from Los Angeles in May.”
     “Business is picking up,” Julie said.

Left to right at Partnership Conference 2006—Julie Johansson, MASKargo, Clive Langefeldt, Hermes Aviation and Christina Algeciras, Hermes Aviation.

     Clive Langeveldt, Director Sales and Service, Hermes Aviation is elated that parent company Mercury Air Cargo signed a big block-space arrangement with Singapore Airlines Cargo.
     “We can provide cargo space to small and medium forwarders who otherwise might not be able to compete in the air cargo business.”
     “More service providers all around are good for air cargo,” Clive exclaimed.
     Christina Algeciras, director sales and services for Hermes who has handled the South African cargo account for the past eleven years is elated that SAA Cargo returns to all cargo operations May 6 with twice weekly MD-11s, JFK/Accra/Johannesburg.
     Flights will include Wednesday and Saturday service.
     Another new attendee at CNS is the airline that everyone wants to be, Southwest.

The Southwest team—left to right, Mack Sikorski, Director Cargo Sales & Marketing, John Barnes, Area Manager Cargo Sales Cargo Management Group, Wally Devereaux, National Accounts Manager Ground Operations.
     
      Southwest appears this week in the Nevada desert looking perhaps at some hookups beyond the Americas, but with a Texas-sized sense of hope for new flights started up from IAD as the big cargo conference in Las Vegas unfolds this week.
     Tony Calabrese, CNS President proclaims “more attendance” in 2006 than 2005,” a positive sign for future CNS partnerships including the 2007 fete in San Diego next year.
(Geoffrey)