Why CNS Matters Now

Featured speaker in March at The Wings Club in New York was Giovanni Bisignani, Director General and CEO, IATA seen here flanked by CNS President Tony Calabrese and CNS Chairman Guenter Rohrmann.

     Onn Sunday April 30, Cargo Network Services (CNS), is holding their annual conference at the Hyatt Las Vegas Resort, surrounded by that epitome of industrial high-tech city in the Nevada desert.
     For a long time CNS has been saying that air cargo has got to change drastically to embrace the world business environment.
Slowly with determination, extreme dedication and purpose, that vision is coming into focus.
     Enhancing the relationships between airlines and forwarders, while sharpening effort on training in security and air cargo business procedures has always been the CNS priority.
     Now as world events continue to underscore the need, CNS has been moving to an even wider venue by advancing the proposition of further e-business opportunities for the air cargo industry.
     CNS, a subsidiary of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) was founded in 1985 to serve the needs of the air cargo industry in the United States which as you read this, is still far and away the biggest market in the world.
     CNS provides a range of products and services to promote efficiency, profitability, credibility, cooperation and quality of service among air carriers and cargo agents.
     “In a constantly changing landscape, CNS is committed to understanding industry dynamics so it can anticipate the future needs of the airline-cargo agent partnership,” says CNS President Tony Calabrese.
     CNS Chairman Guenter Rohrmann (CEO of DHL Emerging Markets) lauds another opening of another show:
     "The CNS Partnership Conference brings together leaders of our industry to discuss and debate how we can build a better and stronger air cargo industry.
     “My dream has always been that in the future IATA would play a much stronger role in cargo.
     Recent appointment by IATA of a global head of cargo indicates a fresh start has been made.
     “Since we recognize that the world is fast becoming a single global market, CNS needs to focus more in bringing global solutions into the U.S. marketplace.
     “CNS will work toward supporting the work of IATA Cargo in the E-Freight initiative, and also supporting IATA's push for global harmonized security standards.
     “CNS also joins IATA in supporting the continued implementation of Cargo 2000."

While the CNS Partnership Conference 2006 will lean in some measure toward the social aspect with plenty of glitz and golf, interspersed with conference sessions, the simple truth is that the basics such as ongoing training programs are unique and vital reasons that this organization continues to build and grow.      CNS Partnership in Las Vegas will draw top players from all over the world and is easily among the most important two or three conferences on the planet that anyone involved in air cargo should attend in 2006.      It’s not the people who attend that think that they are important, who rule at this get together for air cargo either.      What will make Las Vegas work is what has kept people coming back year after year—an idea that airlines and their agents in air cargo can do their jobs and make the industry better by simply spending a few days together, up close and personal, talking out the rest of the story, face to face.

     CNS Partnership Conference is about people and that is what makes this one great.
     Also in a time when results are often demanded back at head office, even before the hotel towels are unpacked, expect more than a few deals to be cut neat and trim like the lawns that surround the resort.
     But for a moment let’s travel into customer country, as it will unfold at CNS.
     “Both Swiss WorldCargo as well as Lufthansa Cargo command exclusive attributes in the market, that will now be invested in further cooperation, while retaining our individual brands,” says Oliver Evans, (left) President of Swiss WorldCargo.
     Positive and uplifting statements are nothing new.
     But the opportunity to spend some quality time getting behind the headlines and delving into certain subjects is a good example of the excellent and personal platform CNS offers.
     Christian Fink, Managing Director of Lufthansa Cargo Charter, pictured right (LCCA) noted that when it comes to priorities “job one is staying close to our customers.
     “CNS is a great venue for learning and also having an opportunity to spend quality time with our customers.
     “As we move to further build our independent brand as a world charter resource we also rely on the professionalism that CNS Partnership Conference delivers.”
     John Ryan, bmi cargo sales manager Americas couldn’t agree more.
     “I think I have attended every CNS Partnership Conference.
     “The interesting thing is that every CNS gathering is different, each one has its own character and issues.
     “But the great contribution of The CNS Partnership Conference I think, is its reliability in an air cargo business that today is still very much people-oriented.
     “bmi Cargo looks forward to greeting our old friends and making some new ones at CNS.”
     The Hyatt Las Vegas Resort enclave may not be Fantasy Island, but the place, surrounded by golf courses and wait staff and rippling rhythm wafting out of the vest pocket bars and lobby saloon will do until the real thing comes along.
     Some attendees might turn off their cell phones, preferring instead to listen to the birds and bees or even conversation as it swirls around the place.
     At CNS we discover things can get downright juicy, as the aforementioned Swiss WorldCargo which along with the rest of the storied airline was inhaled by Lufthansa recently, stands up and proclaims that it still enjoys a bit of autonomy as DLH apparently does the smart thing allowing the cargo product of this premium and niche carrier to continue, focused on care-intensive market segments.
     The set up goes like this:
     “Customers who buy our products have come to expect from us top quality in terms of service, punctuality, flown as planned ratio and market specific product features,” Oliver Evans insists.
     “Business nowadays is about re-engineering and continuous improvement.
     “To put it in its simplest terms, a company must put the customer first, exploit new technology to reduce own costs and cost to the customer, and remain competitive to be successful.”
     So at CNS, a small and informal round-table discussion will have the opportunity to get behind the public face and find out what makes this new deal “outstanding,” as Evans yodels.
     Is somebody putting words into this guy’s mouth?
     Stay tuned.
     The Swiss adventure will be replicated we are certain more or less by others at CNS Partnership 2006, but in our view that only adds to the air of excitement driven in part by the unexpected.
     In an airline industry that once upon a time was all about excitement and discovery, this air cargo conference does its bit by keeping up a grand tradition suggesting that attendees expect an atmosphere that welcomes new ideas.
     Being able to drop in on a half dozen brief encounters up and down the salon meeting mezzanine from time to time adds to the event.
     But where the rubber meets the road, CNS, back before anybody counted upon them, staked out a claim for hands-on air cargo education that in 2006 looks like both salvation in this industry and for some even some kind of divine intervention.
     In 1994, CNS began offering a five-day classroom-training program for air cargo industry personnel.
     The most successful and widely recognized air cargo training program available, the CNS-IATA/FIATA Introductory Cargo Training Program continues during 2006, open to the business providing students with essential product knowledge about the various aspects of international air cargo necessary to successfully accept and move cargo.
     Graduates increase their professionalism and productivity of their companies through knowledge of industry rules and regulations.
     “How To” training covers all the bases including air-waybills, proper procedure on acceptance of cargo, using the OAG routing guide, aircraft loading and ULD and other responsibilities encountered in the air cargo environment.
     Tony Calabrese said:
     “We are seriously dedicated to building professionalism in every aspect of air cargo.
     “This year our training sessions held just this past month in New York and elsewhere were well attended.”
     There are training sessions open right now for enrollment.
     Sessions are conducted by logisticians and old- line air cargo people such as Cotton Daly and Ed Blakely (to name a few) and are multi-day immersion events.
     “Look we know that our training needs the best effort of both ourselves, the students and in most cases, the employer.
     “But when completed our Introductory Cargo Training Program continues to deliver all around for everyone.
     “CNS can also provide certified instructors to lead this course on an in-company basis,” Mr. Calabrese said.
     For additional information and class schedules for the remaining months of 2006 and other CNS sponsored educational initiatives contact CNS at (516) 747-3312.
     A critical CNS activity is the CASS-USA settlement system that was moved four years ago to an e-billing platform.
     Today after some initial hiccups, CNS has the system working swimmingly with Citibank, offering users on-line functionality for the settlement of air cargo charges.
(Geoffrey Arend)