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Casablanca Summer Blossoms

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w terminal at Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca being created to accommodate double the business in the near term, plus renewed world interest in internationally-minded Moroccan firms, has Vince Chabrol Royal Air Maroc GSA based at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York upbeat as the busy summer 2006 season takes off.
   “Royal Air Maroc Cargo is fully committed to deadlines and schedules offering tailor-made solutions.
   “From USA Royal Air Maroc Cargo offers great connections from Casablanca to Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, Oujda, Fez, Laayoune and Ouarzazate.
   Royal Air Maroc Cargo also serves destinations in the European Union and Middle East
   “As example services via CAS to Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Brussels offer flexibility in terms of frequency, alternative routes and capacity.
   “Also from our African gateways road transport partners contribute to expanding our network coverage, opening the door for shipment of goods to new markets. “Fully committed to continuous progress by ISO 9002 certification, Royal Air Maroc Cargo is developing its information system, updating its processes, and is dedicating a full-fledged team for handling incidents and mishaps in real time.
   Royal Air Maroc Cargo operates 30 aircraft including two Boeing 737/200s convertible for cargo operation with an average capacity of 12 tons.
   “There is a good deal of interest right now in the African market as new trade lines are being forged to Middle East as well as Asia and India.
   "USA shippers should think of utilizing any of our cargo friendly services to build their business.”
Email: v20100@aol.com

   TAM Cargo celebrates spreading its wings from four to daily flights into New York JFK International Airport from Sao Paulo June 1st.
   TAM has opened a GSA operation situated in Building 263 (Asiana) at JFK.
   “Tri-Star Airport Handling Services Feirreira@tristarhandling.com.br with Tony Ferreira at the helm provides first-class cargo connections,” said Richard Adams, Jr., Director General of TAM Cargo.
   “We are expanding upon our base as biggest domestic Brazilian carrier for the past two years with international services added including Paris and London (June) from Sao Paulo.
   “We are adding a daily from Manaus to Miami that brings our service to MIA to thrice daily including our two frequencies from Sao Paulo.
   To celebrate the New York daily and six month’s service, TAM hosted a big “welcome aboard party dinner fest at PORCÃO CHURRASCARIA in Manhattan.
   Pictured (l to r) José Antonio de O. Ferreira, Tri-Star Airport Handling Services, Miami; Richard G. Adams, Jr., TAM Cargo; Fabio Piovan, International Cargo Operations, TAM Cargo; and Tony Perez, Tri-Star Airport Handling Services, New York.

Still Rudi At 263

   Rudi Piltawer of Paramount Air GSA is what we like about covering these stories in the air cargo business.
   You see we enjoy what we do and so does Rudi, and there is a bond amongst people who feel the same way.
   Rudi is from Germany by way of Brazil where he grew up, and later went to work for Varig Cargo and stayed at that airline for a quarter of a century before retiring in 2001.
   But the call of air cargo remained so strong that Rudi, who speaks and knows of many things both inside and astride transportation, came back for another turn.
   Building 263 at JFK is a place that was created and operated as one of New York’s and the world’s first advanced air cargo facilities with the legendary Rudy Auslander at the helm in 1975.
   Today giant aircraft still whisk by the picture windows of 263 arriving and departing on the world tour, while posters from Air Canada share wall space with Pam Am and Northeast Airlines.
   “Yesterday is today and tomorrow waits for no one,” Rudi Piltawer smiles.
   “Fundamentals are what matters.
   “Stay close to your customer, keep an ear to the ground, let everyone know what to expect, and you’ve mastered the art of building transportation,” he insists.
   No argument from this quarter.
(rudipiltawer@paramountair.us)

   A towering inferno engulfed and devoured the main cargo warehouse at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport on May 25, sending huge volumes of dark choking smoke skyward halting air traffic and causing hundreds of panicked people to flee.
   As firefighters fought valiantly, aerial tankers used to douse forest fires were pressed into action dropping chemicals on the blaze.
   On the scene airlines reported that despite the damage cargo traffic is quickly returning to normal to and from Istanbul.
   Lufthansa Cargo said it relocated warehouse and office activities elsewhere at the field after both were destroyed
   Lufthansa spokesman Nils Haupt said:
   “Since yesterday evening, the export and import acceptance of Lufthansa Cargo is being handled in two warehouses – export at the airport, import close to the airport.
   “All Lufthansa passenger and freighter services to and from Istanbul will operate as scheduled.” An embargo that had been imposed yesterday has been lifted.
   Most carriers are accepting bookings for export and import without any restrictions.
   Three people were injured in the blaze, officials said.
   Cause of the inferno is as yet undetermined although some speculation has suggested that stored chemicals may have been ignited by a short circuit.

Report China's two largest cargo airlines - Air China Cargo Co and China Cargo Airlines Ltd - are set to merge before the end of September, with Hong Kong Dragon Airlines to join them later this year marks the beginning of consolidation within the China market after years of service expansion in the market mostly by foreign carriers It also signals realization that in order to compete with the global airline community, China flags are better off together at this point than going it alone. Forming a new entity the three carriers believe offers the potential to become a top five global cargo airline. Whether or not that happens depends on several factors not the least of which is getting some breathing room from the onslaught of foreign carriers willing to fly just about anywhere to get a piece of China. At this point in time about two thirds of the country's air cargo volume is handled by foreign carriers, and that number is still going up. Air China Cargo's shareholders are Air China, CITIC Pacific Ltd and China Capital Airport Holding Co, which hold 51 pct, 25 pct and 24 pct stakes, respectively. China Cargo Airlines were established in 1998 by China Eastern and China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co (COSCO Group), with China Eastern holding a 70 pct stake and China Ocean Shipping holding the remaining 30 pct. Air China subsidiary China National Aviation Co Ltd is Dragonair's biggest shareholder, with a 43.29 pct stake. Meantime yet to be heard from are potentially scores of entrepreneurs within China eager to get into the airline game.	In an air cargo business that spends a lot of time talking about keeping track, this little number may be too cool for school . . . Lansmont Corporation in California, USA says it has the next generation in portable, self-powered environmental recording instruments. SAVER™ 9X30 (Shock and Vibration Environmental Recorder) captures, categorizes, and quantifies potentially hazardous environmental shock, vibration, and atmospheric conditions present within a given product’s in-use and/or transport environment SaverXware companion software allows users to program the SAVER™ 9X30 to collect user-defined environmental measurements for up to 30 days. An internal clock logs the exact time of each event occurrence. Automated reporting capabilities allow individual or multiple data file analysis with Event Classification, as well as Comprehensive Data File Analysis and Summary. Neat. More: www.lansmont.com. Korean Air Cargo launches a thrice-weekly Incheon-Los Angeles-Seattle B747-400F service later this week on Thursday June 1. The flight is about the Boeing, Microsoft and Starbucks, and auto part traffic shipped from the gateway. Korean Air has been providing air cargo service via belly lift aboard four weekly passenger flights calling at Seattle since last year.
Gulf Air Cargo managers and General Sales Agents (GSA's) from the Asia Pacific region met in Bahrain and took the obligatory group shot on the hotel steps after a two day meeting that discussed industry challenges, new business opportunities and marching orders. A highlight included a report from Des Vertannes, who joined the airline recently as Head of Cargo unveiling priorities for Gulf’s cargo business.
An offer they couldn’t refuse . . . AMB Property Corporation that operates cargo terminals all over the place said Mark P. Sabatino (left) has been named Vice President, Regional Manager of Chicago (USA) and Minneapolis responsible for the overall operations of AMB Chicago and Minneapolis portfolio. Also Mark A. Saturno (right) has joined AMB Property Corporation as Vice President, Midwest Acquisitions, responsible for expanding AMB’s industrial portfolio throughout Chicago and Minneapolis. Although nothing is for certain, figuring where these guys might prefer to eat lunch should be easy. Ciao baby!