CONFERENCE agendas sometimes tend towards what used to known as navel-gazing with rather too much focus on what has already happened or the inequities of new regulatory regimes. So it is heartening that freight forwarder and customs agent get-togethers in Australia, New Zealand, China and elsewhere have begun to look constructively at the new world beyond the present economic maelstrom, writes Kelvin King.
In New Zealand, for instance, CBAFF chose ‘A New Dawn’ for its annual conference theme and there has been a forward-looking focus at CBFCA state conventions. Preparing for the future was also evident at the recent Sino-International Freight Forwarders Conference in Hong Kong.
On a broader horizon, IATA’s Kuala Lumpur conference also looked forwards while dealing with today’s operational difficulties. IATA’s e-freight initiative is being joined by Secure Freight in a bid to extend global standards. Preparing for the new era isn’t easy, of course.
Politicians and business boosters call for investment now to meet the future, a call that no-one would disagree with in theory But many companies, especially the cash-strapped airlines with their mega operational costs, are hard-pressed to invest in new equipment or systems when they are having problems paying staff today.
For every airline that’s been willing to go ahead in recent months with new aircraft orders - Vietnam Airlines, for instance, with its plans to become a major player in the new era - there’s another, such as British Airways with its rather plaintive call for management and staff to work without pay for a period.
The BA idea brought a lot of derision but it is an option worth considering. As Tony Nothman of British Airways World Cargo explained in our last issue, BAWC is doing pretty well in juggling the needs of the present and future.
Other carriers have also come up with ways to retain that invaluable asset - trained and experienced staff - through leave without pay schemes, shortened work periods, job sharing and study leave.
Within the constraints of economic reality, we need to recruit and train now for the new era which might be closer than the present gloom would have us believe.
We also need to encourage our respective governments to continue the regulatory reforms blossoming on both sides of the Tasman and elsewhere in the region, such as Singapore.
Preparation for the new era need not be prohibitively expensive, either, such as acceptance of electronic systems and helping develop them further by inputting accurately.
AWARD-winning Korean Air is seeing increasing interest in its Uzbekistan operations, particularly from the mining and resource sector.
Gary Jones, cargo manager Australia for Korean Air said the airline now provided a direct, efficient conduit to the burgeoning Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.
"We now operate six freighters a week into Navoi from Incheon and are looking to develop a lot of interest in Australia in these new markets. We are targeting main deck freight ex Australia such as drilling equipment and dangerous goods."
Korean Air operates daily A330-300 passenger flights ex Australia in addition to two B747-400 freighters a week.
Meanwhile, Korean Air recently announced that it swung to a net profit in the second quarter of 2009 on lower fuel prices and a stronger won against the dollar. It posted net profit of 78.5 billion won ($63 million) for the three month period.
NO-ONE can fault the carrier’s management for getting the marketing message across, even if V Australia stepped a little outside protocol by announcing its new B773-ER services to Phuket, Thailand, before it had actually gained an official capacity allocation for the route.
Phuket is one of a raft of developments that will see the airline hauling cargo as well as passengers to a number of new destinations.
Some of these already were anticipated.
V Australia’s Melbourne to Johannesburg flights, now confirmed as starting on March 13 next year, utilise capacity allocated by the International Air Services Commission in August 2008.
At the time of its application, V Australia was planning to make its South African debut with a Sydney/Johannesburg link, with the first flight planned for December last year. But the allocation of five services weekly refers to “services between Australia and Johannesburg, Cape Town and/or Durban”.
The Phuket services will start on November 22 from Brisbane (twice-weekly) and December 3 from Melbourne (weekly). V Australia has asked IASC for seven flights weekly “between points in Australia and points in Thailand”. The application was still in the system at our deadline but approval was certain, given the availability of capacity on the Thailand route.
Tony Wheelens, Virgin Blue Group’s manager government relations, told the IASC that capacity would be fully utilised from April 1 next year.
On December 1, V Australia will launch twice-weekly flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles. The carrier had earlier intended to start this in mid September but delayed it slightly so its aircraft fleet could be more efficiently utilised, especially the fourth B773-ER.
V Australia also has asked IASC to give it the green light for daily flights between Sydney and Nadi, Fiji, which would replace Pacific Blue’s current 738 services on that route, delivering increased cargo space as well as doubling passenger numbers to 2527 from the current 1260.
Wheelens said that the allocation would be fully utilised from December this year.
Qantas subsequently applied for some of the allocation, requiring the IASC to call for further submissions and to assess the competing bids.
V Australia already flies to Los Angeles from Sydney and Brisbane; services began in February and April respectively. Brisbane Airport has indicated its support for the twice-weekly service to Phuket. Julieanne Alroe, BAC’s chief executive and managing director, said the airport “always welcomes new services that open Queensland to the world”.
CONFERENCE agendas sometimes tend towards what used to known as navel-gazing with rather too much focus on what has already happened or the inequities of new regulatory regimes. So it is heartening that freight forwarder and customs agent get-togethers in Australia, New Zealand, China and elsewhere have begun to look constructively at the new world beyond the present economic maelstrom, writes Kelvin King.
In New Zealand, for instance, CBAFF chose ‘A New Dawn’ for its annual conference theme and there has been a forward-looking focus at CBFCA state conventions. Preparing for the future was also evident at the recent Sino-International Freight Forwarders Conference in Hong Kong.
On a broader horizon, IATA’s Kuala Lumpur conference also looked forwards while dealing with today’s operational difficulties. IATA’s e-freight initiative is being joined by Secure Freight in a bid to extend global standards. Preparing for the new era isn’t easy, of course.
Politicians and business boosters call for investment now to meet the future, a call that no-one would disagree with in theory But many companies, especially the cash-strapped airlines with their mega operational costs, are hard-pressed to invest in new equipment or systems when they are having problems paying staff today.
For every airline that’s been willing to go ahead in recent months with new aircraft orders - Vietnam Airlines, for instance, with its plans to become a major player in the new era - there’s another, such as British Airways with its rather plaintive call for management and staff to work without pay for a period.
The BA idea brought a lot of derision but it is an option worth considering. As Tony Nothman of British Airways World Cargo explained in our last issue, BAWC is doing pretty well in juggling the needs of the present and future.
Other carriers have also come up with ways to retain that invaluable asset - trained and experienced staff - through leave without pay schemes, shortened work periods, job sharing and study leave.
Within the constraints of economic reality, we need to recruit and train now for the new era which might be closer than the present gloom would have us believe.
We also need to encourage our respective governments to continue the regulatory reforms blossoming on both sides of the Tasman and elsewhere in the region, such as Singapore.
Preparation for the new era need not be prohibitively expensive, either, such as acceptance of electronic systems and helping develop them further by inputting accurately.
AWARD-winning Korean Air is seeing increasing interest in its Uzbekistan operations, particularly from the mining and resource sector.
Gary Jones, cargo manager Australia for Korean Air said the airline now provided a direct, efficient conduit to the burgeoning Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.
"We now operate six freighters a week into Navoi from Incheon and are looking to develop a lot of interest in Australia in these new markets. We are targeting main deck freight ex Australia such as drilling equipment and dangerous goods."
Korean Air operates daily A330-300 passenger flights ex Australia in addition to two B747-400 freighters a week.
Meanwhile, Korean Air recently announced that it swung to a net profit in the second quarter of 2009 on lower fuel prices and a stronger won against the dollar. It posted net profit of 78.5 billion won ($63 million) for the three month period.
NO-ONE can fault the carrier’s management for getting the marketing message across, even if V Australia stepped a little outside protocol by announcing its new B773-ER services to Phuket, Thailand, before it had actually gained an official capacity allocation for the route.
Phuket is one of a raft of developments that will see the airline hauling cargo as well as passengers to a number of new destinations.
Some of these already were anticipated.
V Australia’s Melbourne to Johannesburg flights, now confirmed as starting on March 13 next year, utilise capacity allocated by the International Air Services Commission in August 2008.
At the time of its application, V Australia was planning to make its South African debut with a Sydney/Johannesburg link, with the first flight planned for December last year. But the allocation of five services weekly refers to “services between Australia and Johannesburg, Cape Town and/or Durban”.
The Phuket services will start on November 22 from Brisbane (twice-weekly) and December 3 from Melbourne (weekly). V Australia has asked IASC for seven flights weekly “between points in Australia and points in Thailand”. The application was still in the system at our deadline but approval was certain, given the availability of capacity on the Thailand route.
Tony Wheelens, Virgin Blue Group’s manager government relations, told the IASC that capacity would be fully utilised from April 1 next year.
On December 1, V Australia will launch twice-weekly flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles. The carrier had earlier intended to start this in mid September but delayed it slightly so its aircraft fleet could be more efficiently utilised, especially the fourth B773-ER.
V Australia also has asked IASC to give it the green light for daily flights between Sydney and Nadi, Fiji, which would replace Pacific Blue’s current 738 services on that route, delivering increased cargo space as well as doubling passenger numbers to 2527 from the current 1260.
Wheelens said that the allocation would be fully utilised from December this year.
Qantas subsequently applied for some of the allocation, requiring the IASC to call for further submissions and to assess the competing bids.
V Australia already flies to Los Angeles from Sydney and Brisbane; services began in February and April respectively. Brisbane Airport has indicated its support for the twice-weekly service to Phuket. Julieanne Alroe, BAC’s chief executive and managing director, said the airport “always welcomes new services that open Queensland to the world”.
