NEWS FROM FREIGHT
HANDLERS GLOBALLY CARGO SHORTS
Ground handlers at JFK are optimistic
about 2021. According to Mike
Duffy of WFS, “ Air cargo was good
in 2020 for us and we expect 2021 to be
even better. Tonnages improved over
2019 by 3% and the express side is truly
booming with all the e-commerce. Of
course the cargo on passenger flights
has been down significantly due to reduction
of flights but the charter side
has more than made up for this.So we
are optimistic that flight capacity will
improve, especially with the roll out of
the vaccine. WFS is truly ready to accommodate
the handling and transportation
of as we have drastically
improved and invested in our infrastructure
and training.
Another handler is very poised
through the year with the extension
of contracts and a new large contract.
One other handler with a large Asian
clientele expects to sees more mail after
an unexpectedly drop in the traditional
period leading to the holidays.
This handler thinks that cargo volumes
always drop just before a Presidential
election.
Chinese New Year is expected to
boost up cargo shipments as well. One
handler sees a bit of a slow down in the
non-contract cargo but then expects
volume to go up with support of new
vaccines expected during the mid first
quarter. Overall, most cargo people,
brokers and freight forwarders ,that
have survived the Covid crisis , expect
a decent 2021.
Cargo-In-Cabin/CIC
Cargo-in-cabin or CIC was virtually
unused in large cargo airports
such as JFK or EWR prior to Covid.
However as the number of passenger
flights plummeted by 70% during the
early part of the pandemic, manufacturers
and brokers needed another
way to ship the goods normally moved
in the belly of passenger aircraft .So
they transformed passenger aircraft
into mini-freighters with the cargo in
the passenger cabin and the belly.
Since April more and more companies
are chartering smaller aircraft
like Airbus 330’s and older 737’s and
filling both passenger and cargo section
AIRPORT V 24 OICE, JANUARY 2021
with goods. This is a much less expensive
than chartering a huge 747. In
some cases the passenger airlines have
converted their own planes into CIC.
This enables them to keep flying, save
slots, and earn money in cargo while
they wait for passenger volume to pick
up. Today, there are many CIC flights
in and out of the larger airports bringing
in more higher end merchandise
that may not require a 747 freighter
but gets the expensive goods to the U.S.
in faster and more secure means.
According to one airline operator
they are having several CIC or minifreighters
come in from Europe. These
planes are normally operating as passenger
planes but are now being used
for cargo both below and above wing.
The above wing passenger area is
stripped of seating partitions except
for 1st class areas, and instead are outfitted
with special fasteners and mechanisms
similar to passenger seats to
hold down cargo. Some of these flights
from different carriers carry higher
end retail goods which might normally
shipped by air. But perhaps due to over
capacity in the ocean freighters, thee
goods are now being shipped by air. It
gets the goods faster and minimizes
the handling and possible theft by
other means. Another benefit to good
by air cargo is keeping the aircraft flying.
Many planes are either leased or
bought over time which necessitates
both maintenance and interest costs.
So, better the have them productive
and making money while the low passenger
volume continues.
The CIC requires a little more specialization
that easy-on easy-off rolled
ULD’s. It does take a bit more manpower
utilizing roller systems with
some handlers carrying boxes around
the cabin to exit doors. Sometimes the
plane has not removed its seats and
there is more close quarters and aisles
making it more diflcult for the bags
and boxes to be moved off the plane.
CIC planes without seats are much easier
to handle. According to ASAK, CIC
Handling is a little easier because they
use custom ULD’s created to speed up
the offloading process.
Lufthansa vaccine cargo
Lufthansa Cargo has launched a
new service specifically designed for
the transport of Covid-19 vaccines. It
is called “Covid-19 Temp Premium”
and it was specially developed to the
need of transporting vaccines fast
and under cool temperatures. With its
current freighter fleet of 18 aircraft,
Lufthansa Cargo is able to respond
flexibly to shifts in demand. If necessary,
the provision of additional belly
capacity can also be use for transportation.
Turkish vaccine aid
Providing services to 127 countries
of the world, Turkish Cargo carried
the Kovid19 vaccines produced
in China to Brazil, which is about 17
thousand kilometers away. Loaded in
7 containers with special cooling systems,
Kovid19 vaccines were transported
from Beijing to Sao Paulo, the
largest city of South America, through
Istanbul.
By carrying medicines to important
and certified destinations such
as Mumbai, Brussels, Istanbul, Singapore,
Dubai, Basel, London and Amsterdam,
it has created a global drug
corridor among more than 400 destinations,
and continues its determination
to deliver Kovid19 vaccines, which are
produced and in the process of being
produced, to the whole world.
Having the IATA CEIV (Center
of Excellence for Independent Validators)
pharma certificate, Turkish
Cargo maintains the cold chain under
ideal conditions with its ‘TK Pharma’
product, which it designed for pharmaceutical
transportation and meets
global standards.
Atlanta cargo build
Atlanta Airport is growing! According
to a Linkedin post, “We are
seeking a proponent to partner with
the Airport to design, plan, finance,
construct, maintain, market, operate
and lease a Modern Air Cargo Terminal
facility, located in ATL’s South
Cargo area. In alignment with Atlanta’s
Airport pioneering advancements
in the trade and air cargo space, the
key component of this project will be
digital and technological innovations
that will make Atlanta Airport an
even greater natural attraction to air
freight movements!”
For more information, please visit
https://bit.ly/31L1Lrx
Flexport.org
Currently, Flexport.org is focusing
all our resources on getting critical
supplies to frontline responders combating
COVID-19.
If you would like to contribute to
this world effort: https://www.gofundme.
com/f/frontlinerespondersfund
Currently Flexport.org has raised
over $8 million dollars for purchasing
PPE for medical professionals in hospitals
around the world.
747 Freighters
The Boeing 747 has become the
backbone of air cargo freighters
around the world. Atlas Air is one of
the largest freighter company flying
daily in and out of JFK Airport. According
to Boeing Atlas has purchased
the last of theses
huge freighters as more companies
are using 777s and even passenger aircraft
these days to fly goods around the
globe.
Eastern Airlines
U.S. Transportation Command has
awarded Eastern Airlines a spot on a
$284.9M firm-fixed-price contract vehicle
for heavy government package delivery
services to domestic and international
locations.
Transcom awarded initial positions
on the Global Heavyweight Service
program in April 2019 and expects
work to conclude by Sept. 30, 2022, the
Department of Defense said Monday.
Previously, The Federal Express
Team that secured a $1.6B charter airlift
support contract from Transcom
in October last year includes Eastern
Airlines as a member.
An example of Cargo In cabin/CIC
/frontlineresponders-fundCurrently
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/31L1Lrx
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/Flexport.org
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