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Vol. 20 No. 34	Tuesday September 7, 2021

Laurent Bernet, a genuinely lovely human being and a great pioneer of air cargo in France and beyond, died on July 7 in Paris; he had been battling cancer for the past decade.
“Laurent was a lovely man and a great colleague,” said United Cargo President Jan Krems, “For sure we miss him.”
Geoffrey Arend and Laurent Bernet

     “Laurent was not a dreamer, he lived in the 'now'”, said Jacques Leijssenaar, United Cargo Vice President Cargo Sales EMEIA, based in Amsterdam.
     “He also lived and enjoyed his life to the max and when he talked about his family, he got that nice twinkle in his eyes.
     “His positive attitude and shining personality will forever bring a smile to our faces.
     “Most recently, Laurent served as Regional Manager Outside Sales EMEIA.
     “As a people manager, Laurent always made taking care of his team members a priority. He did always challenge them, but with respect and encouragement, always protecting them and their decisions.
     “This respect was mutual since he was always able to explain his point of view and he was never afraid to change his mind,” Jacques Leijssenaar concluded.
. “The reason I love what I do is the people I connect with,” Laurent told me one afternoon as we sank a bottle of wine in a small elegant garden in Paris.
     “Moving from what's familiar to places yet to be discovered—that’s what I appreciate about being in the airline business.
     “Keep it simple” was a recurring theme as Laurent revealed his deep-seated love for the logistics industry.
     “I love cargo, because this business is an ever-challenging game.
     “The core of what we sell is customer service. I realize this isn’t rocket science, but still, you always have to be your best,” Laurent said.
     “The fundamentals are having respect for and listening to your customer.”
     Laurent was a fixture at United Airlines Cargo for 27 years and had served as France Cargo Sales Manager.
     But Laurent also had a balanced, well-rounded career working both sides of the Atlantic; first at Fritz, where he did an internship in 1992, before joining United Cargo.
     It turns out that during his formative years in air cargo, Laurent served as a Cargo Account Executive at United’s critical major global hub in Chicago, Illinois.
     “I wanted to work for the airlines. In 1994, I had a meeting scheduled with the United Cargo Manager in CDG, but he had to cancel that appointment due to a strike.
     “So I came to the U.S. and applied for a job with United’s passenger service team.
     “I took a test to prove I was fluent in French (smiles all around) and was accepted at an hourly rate of $7.25 when I joined the ‘Friendly Skies’ in December 1994.”
     The rest, as they say, is history.
Laurent and Annare Bernet

     Laurent Bernet lived in Paris with his wife, Annare and two daughters, Fiona and Emily.
     I asked him what his priorities in life were and his answer was quite clear and characteristically French:
     “Love, family, good food, travel and job satisfaction,” he smiled.
     I loved that Laurent Bernet’s outwardly spirited approach was genuine, coming from deep within.
     Laurent was battling cancer and had survived a harrowing automobile accident in 1998.
     But by any measure, Laurent had a life well lived.
     As we departed he looked at me and smiled saying:
     “Learn from other sources,” Laurent said softly.
     “Never forget that people make all the difference.
     “Keep your word, and never promise what you can’t deliver.
     “But sometimes you have to say no, and that is difficult.
     “Whether you say no or yes, in the end the secret is trust,” Laurent Bernet said.
     Rest in peace, wonderful and dear Laurent.
Geoffrey and Sabiha

     Boston Logan International Airport air cargo stakeholders have some congestion challenges, but help is on the way as Massport, the airport operator have teamed up with Kale Information Solutions the wunderkind Airport Community System (ACS) that streamlines the entire export and import process for all airport cargo stakeholders.
     “Get ready for the Massport Airport Congestion Pilot kick-off meeting Sept 13 from 10:00a-11:00a EST and on September 16 from 11:00a-12:00p EST).
     “Stakeholders will be trained on the system by Kale Information Solutions,” says Donna Mullins, Vice President, Kale Information Solutions USA.

Try It You Will Like It

“The pilot is free of cost to all participants,” Donna said, “with the goal to get an in-depth understanding of how the system works and benefits each of the stakeholders, including ground handlers, freight forwarders, truckers, shippers, etc.
“After the training, the stakeholders will be able to use and provide feedback and gauge for themselves the benefits (or not) of the system. The system does not require the stakeholders to change any of their existing tools and technologies. At the end of the pilot, if all stakeholders agree that the system is beneficial and they want to use it, Massport says that it will then work on a strategy to move forward with it.

Here Is How It Works

Currently truck staging at the air cargo terminals is, at best, first come, first served with the handler having no advanced knowledge of what the truck is picking up or dropping off. This creates congestion at the airport, as trucks have to wait for the handler to find the cargo or proper equipment to load or unload the truck. The Kale ACS allows truckers to schedule a specific time to go to the terminal and gives the handler advanced notification of the shipment data. For example, in case of import cargo, the handler can advise the trucker if the cargo is not ready and the trucker can avoid an unnecessary trip to the terminal; and in case of export cargo, the GAH can view, in advance, the required documentation to accept the cargo.

Kale For HJIA Atlanta is Performance Superstar

Elliott Paige      Elliott Paige, (right) Airport Director for Air Service Development at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport declared:
     “Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was happy to collaborate with Kale Logistics Solutions, to implement the first Cargo Community System in North America.
     “Atlanta launched the Airport’s ACS on November 14, 2019, after several months of testing and piloting with several early adaptors related to trucking, freight forwarding, airlines and ground handling.
     “Many more of our colleagues and partners are still joining ACS. HJIA continues to encourage all our on-airport cargo-related operators to sign on to ACS.
     “We look forward to continuing partnering with Kale Logistics moving ahead,” Elliott Paige concluded.

Nothing To Lose But The Wait

Join the Massport Kale Airport Congestion, Presentation September 13 & 16th Donna declared “You have nothing lose but the wait,” Contact: Donna Mullins – donna.mullins@kalelogistics.com

     Last week attendees in Miami at the 30th Annual Cargo Network Services (CNS) Partnership, the American-based pioneer air cargo organization dedicated to advancing cooperation between airlines and forwarders, were introduced to a new look as CNS met its new President Frédéric Leger.
     Frédéric Leger has held several inside jobs at IATA and is referred to as a “right hand man” to IATA DG Willie Walsh.
     Both are based and will continue to operate from Geneva.
     “I’m very proud to walk in Tony Calabrese’s footsteps, but also the footsteps of successes as we open this 30th edition of The CNS Partnership Conference,” Mr. Leger told the early morning gathering in Miami Monday August 31.
     “We have a good agenda, opportunities to network, and time for good fun.
     “I'm pleased to inform you that we have revived the CNS Focus Magazine that will be available by mail and on a digital platform. “
     Mr. Leger went on to thank the CNS Advisory Board, all the sponsors and others, including PayCargo that stepped up and provided the main dinner gathering as the conference wound down on Tuesday evening.
     “I feel,” Frédéric Leger said, “a sense of optimism because of course you're here and also because the numbers for 2021 are good.
     “But there are also other success stories.
     “Millions of people were locked down.
     “Businesses were shuttered.
     “Air cargo for the world became critical for most basic consumer goods and even gained some fame for delivering life-saving vaccines and the medical supplies.
     “It's clear that air cargo is playing a vital role in the world of today and tomorrow. By delivery of critical life-saving supplies with innovative solutions, and by advancing the goal for carbon neutral flights and sustainable alternative fuel advances, air cargo will continue to demonstrate that it can do the impossible.”

We Like Mike

     Noticably absent from the event was Mike White, who retired last year after almost single-handedly lifting that organization from a very deep rut during his term in office.
     Amongst the dozen or so former CNS Presidents’, Mike’s work is considered to be the greatest, comparable even to Tony Calabrese, CNS founder.
     Tradition at CNS has always allowed for former Presidents to be invited to attend the Partnership, especially to welcome a new President which made Mike’s absence all the more noticeable.
     Maybe COVID-19 caused his absence.
     No doubt this 2021 Partnership attendance figures were quite meager, although we did notice that H. Warren Jones, a Past President was in the house on opening day.
     In any event Mike (‘We Like Mike’) beyond CNS or even IATA for that matter, is among the two of three most popular figures anywhere in the world of air cargo, so we hope to see him next June at the CNS Partnership wherever it is held.
     We also wish bonne-chance for the ambitious and very busy new CNS President Frédéric Leger.
Geoffrey

   Airlines Might Cease To Exist, Says International Air Transport Association (IATA)'s Willie Walsh.
   With Brandon Fried Head of the U.S. based The Airforwarders Association Association (l) is Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA as the Cargo Network Services Corp. (CNS) Partnership Conference in Miami took off early shortly after sunrise Monday August 30 for a half hour meeting on stage from 08:10 to 08:40.
   The encounter was definitely the drawing card for CNS although anyone that stayed up late or skipped the light breakfast may have missed the live meeting.
   What could be more dynamic than the legend at the top of IATA that everybody wants to know about with the most iconic broad-based personality in air cargo? Brandon Fried is fearless:
   He will talk to anybody and he knows everybody!
   Here are a couple of highlights From Willie Walsh:
   On Air Cargo: “I can say this and say it honestly, and you can talk to the people who've worked for me. I've always had an appreciation for the contribution that cargo makes, because, you know, I understand.”
   On Survival of Airlines: “We've got to hammer home with governments that if they want an effective airline & cargo industry, they're going to have get together and agree on common standards and regulations; there should be a common agenda to work together to try and keep people moving.
   “We're going to face it (shutdown) again, it's inevitable that we'll face this situation again with governments around the world saying, okay, we're shutting down.
   “We really do need to get out there and get the message across that the industry will not exist if we go through this again.”

     Jessica Tyler President of American Airlines Cargo, who just back from CNS Partnership that concluded August 31st, is over the moon (in Miami) as Wednesday dawned deep in the heart of Texas, the home of AA Cargo:
     “Being together (safely) with a couple hundred industry leaders IN PERSON after 18 months was in one word: invigorating. I’ve been able to get out and about domestically to see customers and our team and even did a visit to Frankfurt and London 2 weeks ago. Being together at CNS was such a great reminder of what makes this industry so incredible - the people, the challenges, the collaboration and this past year the ability to show the role we play in making the businesses and the people of the world, thrive.
     “The mood was optimistic. Eager. Everyone wants to work together to make the supply chain of the world for the end-consumer and the economies of the world, work.
     “The top priority for all of us at American Airlines Cargo is making sure our team is cared for during this ongoing, challenging environment.
     “If we do that AND equip our team to best care for the needs of our customers, we’ll continue to strengthen our partnerships, evolve our business and serve the world.”

More from CNS From Jason Berry, VP Air Canada Cargo reporting from Montreal: “Regretfully, we made a last minute decision to refrain from sending any of our out of country staff. “There have been too many cancellations and with all the challenges facing Florida we decided it would be best to limit our presence to just our USA staff. “At CNS on site all during the conference were Milt Fenske, Keola Pang-Ching and Rhett Stutler from our U.S. sales teams ready to meet and greet all attendees and share our vision of a bright future ahead. “A top priority for Air Canada Cargo remains preparing for our freighter launch later this year and doing all we can to preserve quality cargo capacity for our forwarding customers using our pfreighters as much as possible as we ramp up our passenger flying. “I'm eager to get back to networking in person,” Jason declared. Report from Jan Krems, President United Cargo: “The United team four strong is Live at CNS,” Jan declared. “Positive mood and conversation all around. It's very good to see industry colleagues face to face once again,” he assured with two thumbs up.
	FlyingTalkers Meeting Frédéric Leger CNS President Kale Boston September Changes @ EWR Cargo

Airline Problems Began Long Before COVID-19

Bill Boesch is a true air cargo pioneer having served in top cargo posts at Seaboard World, Pan American, American Airlines Cargo, Emery, DHL and elsewhere. One of my fondest memories of Bill is inside a container with Julie Kupersmit, (right) founder of Containair manufacturing company in New York. Both were at the big TIACA Show in Manhattan 40 years ago and were at work furiously drawing sketches for a new container on scrap paper. Little wonder that later Bill was a force behind Envirotainer.

     Here Bill, (second from left in photo), who is a TIACA Hall of Fame inductee and was awarded The Medal of Freedom by the U.S. Government for his work in developing logistics in Iraq saving thousands of American lives, offers a bit of perspective based on more than a half century of experience.
     “The U.S. passenger carriers’ main strategy has been to be the biggest and have the highest market share.
     “Their schedules and their frequent flyer games were based on that, their growth plans ensured they had resources, capacity and flights as needed on each route at different times, so their frequent flyer customers never had to use another airline. Cargo was considered a by-product in the end. This strategy only works when the economy is flourishing.
     “With declining figures, carriers cannot shed their fixed costs, and start suffering.
     “New, lower cost carriers enter the market: a situation we have often seen over the past 50 years, roughly in 10-year cycles.
     “With lower profit margins than other industries, airlines have never been a good long-term stock buy.
     “Bob Crandall, the former chairman and president of American Airlines had a sign on his desk which said: ‘If God meant people to fly, he would have made it profitable’.
     “Bob Baker, who ran the successful operation at AA, felt that airlines had a hard time to show a good long-term profitability because of their unions, but I believe that the problem was not the unions as much as the airlines just had the wrong long-term strategy at that time.”
     Still quite active with military transport, Bill’s interview in its entirety will appear in Air Cargo News FlyingTypers September 21.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Orville Wright

   Celebrating National Aviation Day last month brought to mind a story to share.
   In the U.S. National Aviation Day is celebrated on August 19. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the holiday in 1939. Here FDR is pictured in Dayton, Ohio with Orville Wright after he issued a Presidential proclamation, designating the anniversary of Wright’s birthday (August 19) to be National Aviation Day.
   Orville was the business head of the famous Wright Brothers who first flew at Kitty Hawk in 1903 and changed the world with that first flight. After Orville donated the tiny bi-plane aircraft to the Smithsonian Museum and later Charles Lindbergh gave his Spirit of St Louis Ryan aircraft to Paul Garber at the Smithsonian, the museum displayed both aircraft for years above a case of model airplanes at the original Smithsonian in one of those beautiful pink buildings in Washington, D.C.
   By and by as crowds gathered and the display case enlarged with more airplane models, the Museum discovered that over a million people a year were coming to see two airplanes and a bunch of airplane models under glass.
   From that small beginning NASM, the National Air & Space Museum was born.
REG Davies and Geoffrey Arend

   Today NASM is a top Washington attraction in a town of many museums, eclipsing even the original Smithsonian in attendance numbers.
   And when they moved the historic aircraft to a place of pride in the main display area of NASM, so too came the models of all the aircraft.
   I used to see those models like old friends and spend time gazing at them in their case upstairs on the same floor as the NASM research library, whilst researching projects or visiting my friend NASM Curator of Air Transport, the late, great, REG Davies (pictured here with me).
   Look forward to the time when once again can wonder as I wander NASM aircraft like Frank Hawks HM-1 aerial speedster “Time Flies”. Advancing age and COVID-19 has taught me, it sure do!
Geoffrey

If You Missed Any Of The Previous 3 Issues Of FlyingTypers Access complete issue by clicking on issue icon or Access specific articles by clicking on article title
Vol 20 No. 31 Get Off Your Duff & Sell The Stuff Can We Releye On New Envirotainer? Chuckles for August 11, 2021 High Flying Air Canada Pumping Traffic for August 11, 2021 Report From the Chairman	Vol. 20 No. 32 The Butler Did It Amazing Inception Needs Mediation Chuckles for August 16, 2021 Closer Encounters Puts ATC Ahead PumpingTraffic for August 16, 2021	Vol. 20 No. 33 Questions for Willie Walsh Chuckles for August 30, 2021 Pumping Traffic CNS Partnership @ 30 Steve Prince a Gentle Giant

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