The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) is high on our list of associations which we think has been making good progress during the past twelve months in trying to give the air cargo community a stronger voice. Also, the association has initiated new projects aimed at getting more interest from members and non-members alike.
Looking back on Q1 2019
It’s been a busy first three months at TIACA as the cargo association steps up the pace of its organisational and project planning moves. New members have been welcomed on board as well as TIACA
having relocated their headquarters to a new office in Miami. The move, they say, will enable the TIACA team to work closer together on the various projects and the new premises offer an open
conference room for the free use of members who may be transiting through Miami at any given time.
During the first quarter of this year, TIACA’s Cargo Service Quality (CSQ) programme has attracted quite some attention from its members. Many of them have already signed up for this special
online tool developed by TIACA with the aim of raising the profile of air cargo by pushing for better global standards.
In comparison to a few years ago, TIACA now has a strong training programme which is geared towards motivating and training the new generation of air freight managers across the globe. Various
training sessions have taken place with the cooperation and guidance of Strategic Aviation Solutions International (SASI) - and others are in the pipeline. The latest - a Masterclass in
Partnership with Air Cargo Belgium - attracted much attention and positive feedback from those who attended.
Boosting air cargo liberalisation
TIACA Secretary General, Vladimir Zubkov recently published a paper on the what he terms as the importance of the industry boosting air cargo liberalisation as a whole. He states therein that:
“the overall success of the air cargo industry depends on many aspects; however, the decisive factor is the flexibility of the airlines in offering cargo capacity, frequency of operations and the
range of destinations which they can serve.”
Mr Zubkov has closely followed the ICAO Air Transport Regulation Panel (ATRP) and their subsequent draft of a “Supplemental Agreement on the Liberalisation of Air Cargo Services in International
Air Transport.” In his paper he lists some of the aspects of the draft agreement with the aim of keeping TIACA members up-to-date and to gain their support and ideas on the liberalisation
issue.
The above is just one of the many new TIACA moves over the past two years,
Scholte goes, Polmans comes
Once seen by many as a stodgy and non-decisive organisation, TIACA has positioned itself as a real voice for the air cargo industry. Under the leadership of Sebastiaan Scholte, Steven Polmans and
Vladimir Zubkov and with increased input from its members, the cargo association is ‘stepping up the pace.’
Scholte who for business reasons steps down as Chairman this year, will hand over the reins into the capable hands of Steven Polmans who has been very active for TIACA during the past years. New
members have joined up and the TIACA Board of Directors has recently gained three new members - Neel Jones Shah of Flexport, Dr Khalfan Al Shueli, CEO of Oman Aviation Services and ECS Group
Chairman, Bertrand Schmoll. The latest addition to the cargo association’s list is Miami International Airport which is represented on the TIACA Board by Emir Pineda, the airport’s Trade &
Logistics Manager.
New members, new board members and interesting projects - all of which can only lead to enhancing TIACA’s future and support for its members.
John Mc Donagh