Even Keeling
     "Air cargo should bite the bullet, raise rates, and stop acting like the timid giant in some children's story, ‘who doesn't know his own strength,’” Julian Keeling, President & CEO of Consolidators International said.
     We like that this guy has spent his entire professional life in the international transportation business, active in the U.S., Australia and his native New Zealand.
     Starting from scratch in1993, Julian has built Consolidators International into the largest independent international air freight wholesaler in the United States.
Julian began his career in the shipping industry “down under,” then entered the air freight business as a “triple threat” sales, marketing and operations person.
     Arriving in the United States in 1988, Julian brought new standards of service and reliability to the international wholesaling business when he became chief executive of a Los Angeles-based wholesaler.
     He left that company to start CII four years ago.
     Today in an air cargo business where top executives increasingly keep it to themselves, Mr. Keeling is up front, quotable and refreshingly willing to put it on the line, saying what he thinks.
     "Air cargo provides a service that to many shippers means the difference between profit and loss, increased or lessened market share and even acceptance or rejection of a company product.
     “We should charge rates commensurate with the enormous value of our services," he declared.
     "Yet, this essential transportation service in some instances is actually working for nothing with revenues generated only by add-on fuel surcharges and security fees.
     “Is this how we are going to pay the billions of dollars for all those new freighters ordered from Boeing and Airbus?”
juliankeeling@ciilax.com

Stan “The Man”

      "Air Bridge Cargo (ABC) is delighted to be working with Qantas Freight, a professional and entrepreneurial airline that shares our own commitment to high quality customer service. “We will be interlining with Qantas in China and Hong Kong to open up strong two-way trade lanes between Australia and the rapidly expanding the Russian marketplace,”
     Stan Wraight, Vice President of Volga-Dnepr Group said as ABC named Qantas GSA for Australia in a two-year deal that began June 1st.
     “ABC looks forward to expanding this agreement by developing opportunities with Qantas Freight in other areas," he added.

Top Club Meeting In June

2006 AACA Officers—Rachael Worley, FedEx Trade Networks; Kevin Madden, Global Airlift Services; Dawn Frey, Pilot Air Freight; Beverly Horan, AZ Warehouse. Missing from photo but never from Club is Harold Hagans.

    One of the reasons we have named the Atlanta Air Cargo Association “Best in the World” for the past two years is the job that organization does (among other things) in getting worthwhile speakers to come in and inform the local Atlanta community (and the rest of the world as well) of important timely issues affecting the present and future of air cargo.
    The AACA meeting is no exception and will feature Mr. Brandon Fried, Executive Director of The Airforwarders Association Washington, DC.
    Headline topic is "100% Air Cargo Inspection Initiative" including the just released new air cargo rules.
    June 20th, 2006 12:00 noon. Check in at 11:30. Atlanta Airport Marriott 4711 Best Road College Park, Ga.
404-766-7900
    Tariff $28.00 for members$35.00 for non-members
Contact: Beverley Horan, bhoran@azcfs.com Rachel Worley @ 404-684-2271 by Friday, June 16th.

Continental Airlines ordered 10 B787’s and 24 B737’s valued at list price $3 billion.
Delivery of what is now an order for 20 B787’s begins in 2009. The B737’s begin delivery in 2008.

In what may be the biggest takeover ever in the global airports business—BAA, the world's biggest airports operator is about to be taken over by Spanish construction group Ferrovial unless a takeover fight led by U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs is successful.
BAA, which owns seven airports in Britain, including the key hubs of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted has a bid for $19.2 billion dollars from the Spanish group.
Ferrovial owns 50 percent of Bristol airport in Britain, has complete ownership of Belfast airport in Northern Ireland, and owns a 20.9 percent share in Sydney airport.