Vol. 8 No. 39                                            WE COVER THE WORLD                                                                 Monday  April 6, 2009

   Siegfried “Siggi” Koehler, the father of the B747F at Lufthansa died last week on April 2.
   Siegfried Koehler was an absolute original of the air cargo form of transportation, a visionary dreamer and doer who before he retired in 1990 changed both German and world air cargo forever by initiating Lufthsnsa's purchase of the first B-747 freighter and the creation of the all-cargo airline within Lufthansa.
   When that DLH B747F opened up scheduled services between Frankfurt and JFK on May 26, 1972 utilizing the revolutionary nose dock air cargo terminals at legendary Building 261 at JFK, the technology and obvious great leap forward for air cargo electrified the imagination of both the shipping world by driving millions of tons to air cargo and the industry itself that has built on this great pioneering effort ever since.
   The brainchild of Siegfried Koehler would make history as the first separate all-cargo airline for a scheduled carrier and the world’s first operating B747F. “There is so much to be said about Siggi Koehler,” said Klaus Holler, Lufthansa Cargo VP The Americas based in Atlanta, Georgia
   “He started the cargo drive within Lufthansa pushing for air cargo first from Cologne and later in Frankfurt. “Without him cargo would not have developed so rapidly.
   “Siggi inspired everyone with his dedication and belief in air cargo and his innovative original ideas.
   “I was privileged having known him and had him for a boss,” Klaus Holler said.
   “He has not only been the spiritual father and teacher for virtually hundreds of young employees of Lufthansa Cargo, many of them later becoming important to the company around the world—he created the culture on which Lufthansa Cargo is based today,” his friend and student Günter Mosler recalled.
   “The European and global airfreight community - with the passing of Siegfried “Siggi” Koehler - has lost a unique personality and a truly great human being.
   “It was Siegfried Koehler who first built and then directed a dedicated team of freight professionals– most were freight forwarders by origin – that despite much competition from others ended up positioning Lufthansa Cargo as pre-eminent in Europe’s number one airfreight market."
   Siggi Koehler also realized almost before anyone else that to sell and handle air cargo, partnerships were a must so he created the Lufthansa-Agent relationship that has ruled marketing strategies here since then.
   “His lean staff-team established the German network of stations and strongly influenced the expansion in Europe and the world.
   “He also selected and prepared the regional cargo managers in Asia, The Americas and Africa and The Middle East that laid the foundation and empowered and expanded the Lufthansa Cargo brand to among the most important transportation resources on the planet.”
   In 2002 Siegfried Koehler was selected as a recipient of The International Air Cargo Association's Hall of Fame Award in recognition of his lifelong career of pioneering.
   Mr. Koehler is also credited with launching German Cargo Services, today’s Lufthansa Cargo Charter.
   Siggi Koehler is a founder of the ACD German Air Cargo Club and was elected chairman of the Cargo Committee BAR Germany.
   Active until the end, Mr. Koehler was a frequent speaker and teacher at various seminars as well as universities in New York, Tokyo, Berlin and Bangkok.
   Even well into retirement, Siggi Koehler was always referred to and spoken of with utmost admiration and respect.
   Another friend Guenter Rohrmann recalled a legend, trusted mentor and colleague saying simply:
   “Siggi Koehler was one of the finest gentlemen one could ever meet.”
Geoffrey


Ariana Afghan's Long Road Back

Dateline Kabul—Long-suffering Ariana Afghan Airlines is bucking the industry trend and is reporting improved results both on the passenger and cargo ledgers, with a 40% growth in cargo revenues being a key component of the turnaround.
     Air Cargo News FlyingTypers was recently in Kabul to interview the airline’s President, Captain Moin Wardak, and his cargo team, to get a briefing on what many consider the “world’s bravest airline.”
     Once (1957-1984) 49% owned by the fabled Pan American World Airways, and in that era considered one of the finest airlines in the Region, Ariana has been beset by brutal tribal war fares, foreign intervention and tough economic sanctions, but despite all, has incredibly managed to keep flying the Afghanistan flag.
     Captain Wardak is now seeking to introduce new technology aircraft into the fleet and has taken steps to cut costs and boost revenues.
     H. Ahmad Shah, Cargo Manager and his staff, now have a cargo B727-200 at their disposal to make multiple weekly flights to Amritsar and New Delhi in India from the airline’s headquarters in Kabul.
     There is demand both inbound and outbound, but outbound capacity is restricted due to Kabul’s severe terrain.
     Among top exports are asafoetida, a natural plant, which is used by Indians for medicinal and cooking purposes, fruits, handicrafts—especially rugs—and animal skins, particularly Karakul shiny skins of newborn lambs made famous by President Karzai.
     This used to be a top export item to Europe but the EU has banned importation due to the harsh manner in which the skins are extracted.
     Leading imported items include fabrics, clothes, shoes, watches, tea and mechanical parts, which are in great demand in Afghanistan.
     In addition to the cargo operation, the freight team typically places from 1 to 7 tons on passenger aircraft to 15 international destinations.
     Afghanistan produces 92% of the world’s opium so the airline has a special unit, which monitors illegal shipments.
     The airline has survived civil war, ten years of Soviet occupation, the rise, fall and resurgence again of the Taliban and virtual destruction of its entire fleet by the U.S. led bombing in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks for which the carrier hopes to get reparations.
     As billions of dollars are poured into the land-locked country, Ariana is certain to benefit by peace and economic development—so elusive for three decades.
     Looking at these fine people we are heartened to see them not only winning their battle for survival but also up and flying and ready to lift themselves and the country to greater heights.
     We also see something of PAA Clipper Cargo heritage in their look and determination.
     Works for us.
Geoffrey

 

A Fox In The Hen House

     New questions about the TSA in USA are rising as that agency set up to protect air travel and the public from the ravages of belly and main deck air cargo is now under the gun for allegedly violating federal law after getting caught filching a slogan for an advertising campaign it launched in 2007 urging airline passengers to pack carry-on bags neatly.
     The problem according to a story last week in USA Today is the TSA posters and ads campaign that in 2008 encouraged passengers to "SimpliFLY" — to allow screeners a better view of what's inside carry-on bags.
     But what happened is that TSA was for some reason using a word “Simplifly” that has been trademarked and copyrighted since 2005 by Salt Lake City International Airport to direct airport users to a toll-free help line at the airport.
     So SLC filed a lawsuit claiming TSA trademark infringement, unfair competition and false representation worthy of unspecified monetary damages to the airport.
     Cool gambit we say.
     At first blush the lawsuit seems an action that if nothing else might alert the world that indeed there is an airport in Salt Lake City.
     In any case it is not unfair to say for however long SLC the airport has been in business, it has not had an attention getter as big as questioning the honesty of the agency charged by the USA government for keeping the skies safe though screening and other security services at all USA airports.
     In any case SLC says that it paid $335.00 to register "Simplifly" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2005 and since it has TSA dirty, it wants a cash settlement to square the deal.
     How much cash it will take to quiet all of this down is an open question.
     But the SLC gambit makes sense to us.
     Why sit around in a place called Utah that nobody knows much about anyway and take the chance of missing out on all those wheel barrels full of money that the U.S. government is giving away right now to anybody with a pulse?
     For its part TSA has made no comment but dropped the Simplifly campaign mid last year.
     Bet TSA doesn’t try the same thing with Superfly!
Geoffrey

 

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     Spring Airlines, China’s only low-fare carrier, received its first purchased A320 from Airbus on March 27, increasing its A320-exclusive fleet to 12.
     Three years after its maiden flight in 2005, the airline has recorded profits for three successive years, with an average ratio of seat occupied of 93.38 percent.
     At the airlines’ briefing for this newly delivered jet and its plan of 1 million low-fare tickets last week, more aggressive expansion steps were revealed:
     “Fifteen more A320s will be delivered within three years to expand Spring Airlines’ network globally,” Wang Zhenghua, chairman of the Shanghai-based carrier said.
     “We have ordered 16 A320 jets, at a cost of RMB6 billion (US877 million), with support from the financial leasing arm of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China., China Construction Bank and HSH Nordbank AG.”
     "The current asset-to-debt ratio of Spring Airlines is about 40 percent to 50 percent, much lower than the average level of the industry, so we have adequate cash flow to support the expansion of the fleet."
     Despite the economic downturn, the carrier still aims to double its net income of 2009 from last year's RMB20 million, and revenues are expected to achieve a growth of over 40 percent from last year’s RMB1.6 billion.
     "We will initiate more measures to achieve this target, such as charging fees for checked luggage," Wang said.
     About the carrier's plan of selling shares to the public, Wang said although affected by the unfavorable stock market, the carrier will continue preparing for an initial public offering.
David

Damn Yankee Stadium Is Great

Contact! Talk To Geoffrey

Dear Geoffrey,

     Nice picture of you and part of the family at the New Yankee Stadium’s first game last Friday April 3.
     GO METS!

Always,
Jeff Kriendler
Miami

Dear Jeff,

     Thanks for writing.
     Glad somebody remembers NYC is a National League town.
     The old Yankee Stadium did look a bit forlorn like a spurned first romance or something, BUT the new Yankee Stadium is just incredible from the now steel frieze that once again tops the interior façade, down to the old fashioned retro hand operated scoreboard at field level—up to the most brilliant scoreboard ever seen that captures the eye atop centerfield.
     In every way from its execution in limestone to the exact on field dimensions, to the exalted gallery entrance with two hundred foot ceiling and fifty-foot tall reproductions of great Daily News pix of Ruth & Co—the biggest construction ($1.3b) in Bronx history is absolutely thrilling.
     But maybe to me, the most touching was a small fridge selling 16 ounce cans of Rheingold, Schaefer and Ballantine Ale in the lobby.
     Now these cans that are poured into cups (no cans allowed at ballparks anymore) are nine bucks a throw.
     But they are the beer of the Boys of Summer when once those three brands (now all out of business as part of larger breweries and sadly insignificant in 2009) owned the entire NYC beer market during the 1950’s.
     Ballantine was the beer that sponsored the Yankees and Mel Allen, the Yanks radio announcer used to say, “Make the three ring sign and ask that man for Ballantine!” from the NY Yanks booth during all the games.
     I worked for Ballantine as my first job out of the Army and we sold five million barrels a year out of the Newark brewery, that now lies in complete ruin and can still be seen from Route 1&9 while riding over to EWR.
     The point is made, to underscore the care and detail at the new Yankee Stadium.
     I am the guy who saved the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia that served as New York City’s only international airport address from 1940 until 1948 so my head is in preserving the past.
     America, I figured, must be the only place that could tear down the 85-year-old Yankee Stadium somebody dubbed “The Cathedral of Sports”.
     But those Damn Yankees have actually carried off bringing something better and even some tears to a loyalist.
     What sight lines to watch sports and comfort to boot with what are business class seats compared to the old Stadium.
     Our season seats are twenty-five bucks apiece in the upper deck all the way up and back and are just great.
     Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?
     Mickey, Jackie & The Babe are already hanging out here.

Greetings,
Geoffrey

 

Up Close & Personal
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