Industry has not yet hit bottom: IATA Continued falling cargo demand has led the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to urge the cargo supply chain to improve security and efficiency to deliver a more enticing product. In remarks delivered by video to IATA's World Cargo Symposium in Bangkok, CEO Giovanni Bisignani said: "The industry is in crisis and nobody knows that better than our cargo colleagues. Cargo demand has fallen off a cliff." ¡°After a shocking 22.6 per cent decrease in … [Read more...] about Industry has not yet hit bottom~ IATA
Carriers
Cargo exec says industry kidding itself
Air cargo management must "strip the veils of illusion from their eyes" in combating the worst recession since the industry began 60 years ago, according to industry stalwart Julian Keeling. Keeling said these illusions included the near obsession with China as the primary engine of growth. They also included offering complicated, expensive supply chain "solutions" to the shipper rather than concentrating on fast, reliable transportation of cargo. "Let's stop adding layers of outside management … [Read more...] about Cargo exec says industry kidding itself
Altimeter at fault in air crash
A faulty altimeter played a part in the Turkish crash last week near Amsterdam's Schipol airport which killed nine people, according to investigators. They said similar shutdowns had occurred twice before on the same plane and were overruled by the pilots, and warned its maker Boeing and any airlines using 737 models to be vigilant. When flying at about 1950 feet (594 metres) the plane's left radio altimeter indicated the Boeing 737-800 was flying at minus 8 feet, prompting the automatic pilot … [Read more...] about Altimeter at fault in air crash
No pay leave extended at Singapore Air
No-pay leave extended at Singapore Air Faced with ongoing drop in load factors, excess capacity and falling yeilds, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has started preliminary talks to get its passenger plane pilots to take voluntary no-pay leave. This follows the recent agreement with 25 of its cargo pilots who voluntarily will go on no-pay leave for up to 30 months, with up to 25 more cargo pilots expected to be asked to also opt for the scheme. This comes as the airline prepares to slash up to 11 per … [Read more...] about No pay leave extended at Singapore Air
China air cargo down 28% in February
China's air cargo volume fell 28 per cent in February from a year earlier because of the global financial crisis, according to the head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Li Jiaxiang. However, domestic passenger traffic in February rose 13.47 per cent from a year earlier, he told Chinese media. China's air passenger traffic will likely grow more quickly this year than Beijing's economic growth target of around eight per cent, he said. In the past, China's air passenger traffic growth … [Read more...] about China air cargo down 28% in February
Oman Air focuses on lagging freight ratios
Oman Air said it aims to improve cargo performance to increase its contribution the carrier's total revenue. As part its ongoing expansion plan, Oman Air will boost its cargo business to account for at least 12 per cent of total airline revenues over the next five years, CEO Peter Hill said. The current ratio has freight accounting for only 2 per cent of total revenues, a poor figure by comparison with other regional carriers. Emirates¡¯ cargo division accounted for 19 per cent of total … [Read more...] about Oman Air focuses on lagging freight ratios