IN BRIEF, THE LATEST AIRLINE INDUSTRY NEWS.
Chinese airports handle over 15 million tonnes in 2016
Cargo volumes handled at China’s airports during 2016 rose further over 2015 by 7.2% states the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority.
The increase in cargo volumes continues unabated with domestic tonnage rising to almost 10 million tonnes (+6.1%) and international cargo rising by just over 9% to almost 5.4 million
tonnes.
Almost half of the total tonnage handled passed through the country’s three largest airports; namely Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The tonnage increases in both Shanghai and Beijing were reached although both airports were not allowed to add extra flight frequencies during 2016 due to on flight departure problems there.
UK Customs Brexit Group is set up
The United Kingdom has set up a Joint Customs Consultive Committee which will be chaired by Peter MacSwiney who is chairman of ASM, a one-stop software solution and representation company for the
UK freight-forwarding industry.
The new Customs Brexit Group (CBG) is a think-tank which is to focus on upcoming Brexit customs issues for the freight forwarding community in the UK.
The main objective of the CBG is to try and provide seamless and friction free experience to the trade once the Brexit process kicks-in.
McSwiney who takes up the position as fast as possible stated that: “any possible reintroduction of customs declaration requirements and frontier controls can cause major disruption at the
border, particularly at the UK’s ferry roll-on / roll-off ports and the Channel Tunnel.”
Fraport wins two Brazil airports and reports good 2016 figures
The German airport operator, Fraport seems happy with the way things are going at the moment.
In a public auction held in Sao Paulo on 16. March, Fraport successfully outbid other competitors to gain the takeover of Fortaleza Airport and Porto Alegre Airport.
The price to be paid is almost €447 million (Fortaleza) and €113.4 million (Porto Alegre). The airport concession runs for 30 years at Fortaleza and 25 years at Porto Alegre. Both concessions
make Fraport the sole owners for this period of both airports.
In other news Fraport AG reported a record financial result for 2016 mainly thanks to a one-time compensation payment for the defunct Manila terminal project. This payment boosted EBITDA by
almost €200 million.
The Group’s net profit went up by almost 35% to €400.3 million. However, this figure would have been considerably smaller (€296 million) without the aforementioned compensation.
LH Supervisory Board extends von Hoensbroech contract
Dr Alexis von Hoensbroech who has worked for the German carrier since 2005 and has been a board member of Lufthansa Cargo since 2015, has had his contract as Board Member Products & Sales of
Lufthansa Cargo extended for a further five year period.
This was confirmed on 21. March by Lufthansa’s Supervisory Board.
Mr von Hoensbroech has been busy these past months in restructuring his department with the aim of increasing efficiency and closer customer relations.
Tigers launches eShop in China
The Tigers supply chain group which was originally founded in South Africa back in 1888 and which has been operating in China since 1969, has launched a new marketplace called eShop which is
aimed at supporting brands of goods which enter into the fast growing e-commerce markets in China and Southeast Asia.
The company offers a so called ‘digital marketplace’ for e-commerce products with a one-stop shop solution which includes marketing, payments and management of the supply chain for its
clients.
Two of the first Tiger eShop clients are Italian designer Gr1ps and OptiShot Golf a golf simulator company. Both have customers in China, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
TIACA announces venue for ACF 2020
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has made it known that its 2020 Air Cargo Forum (ACF) will be held in Miami along with the Multimodal Americas and Supply Chain Americas.
The bi-annual event took place last year in Paris and is planned for Toronto in 2018.
Miami is no stranger to hosting air cargo events. Due to its location at the crossroads to Central and South America, the city is popular with event managers in the aviation industry.
Miami rates itself as the busiest U.S. airport for international air freight as well as claiming to be the first airport in the western hemisphere and the second worldwide to have IATA
recognition as a para freight hub.
Danita Waterfall-Brizzi leaves Delta to headhunt
Dunleavy White a leading Headhunter in the aviation, transport and travel sector has gained Danita Waterfall-Brizzi as a new Partner for their Frankfurt office.
Danita joins Dunleavy White after spending many years with Delta Airlines in the position of Corporate Director Cargo Sales & Service EMEA.
Danita commented on her new challenge by stating that: “moving into executive search is a hugely exciting career step for me, I’ll be working within the heart of the aviation and travel industry
for a brand with a global reputation.”
John Mc Donagh