Vital Views 1975-2015  

    The year 2015 marks our 40th year in the world of air cargo news reporting—first as Air Cargo News and now as FlyingTypers.
   In 2015 we are fortunate to present the writings of the nearly 102-year-old Richard Malkin, who remains the first air cargo reporter in history (circa 1942) and now serves as FlyingTypers' Senior Editor.
     Here Richard recalls the views of executives over the four decades.
   

Guenter O. Eser, director general, International Air Transport Association, editorialized in an optimistic vein: “The customer’s preoccupation with bargain rates, a legacy of the Seventies’ concurrent recession and inflation, weakened as the Eighties wore on, and air cargo executives and cargo agents now report a strengthening trend toward restored primary interest in the service aspect—another highly welcome sign.”

Don Palmer, director, International IntermodalCenter, Huntsville International Airport, Alabama, had strongly positive words for the time-positive airport. Global air cargo’s future, he held, is “cargo-dedicated, time-definite airports.” He pointed to the integrators as “lighting the way and the combination airlines will need to begin the process of redirecting their cargo operations from passenger hubs in order to compete in the new customer-directed transportation environment. The future of global air cargo is all about running the distribution networks to meet the increasingly time-definite, door-to-door needs of the customer. Ultimately, cargo-dedicated airports are key partners and a vital component in achieving the logistical goals of the customer.”