air cargo

The sad end of an era

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I think many would agree that when a company with the stature and history of Japan Airlines (JAL) announces it is exiting the maindeck cargo market, the day seems a bit darker, the world a bit harsher. The announcement ends a venerable run in the business that lasted over five decades from its very first DC-4 freighter service from Tokyo Haneda to San Francisco in 1959. While JAL Cargo will technically still exist, it’s presence will be significantly diminished without its … [Read more...] about The sad end of an era

Logistics Supplement in May issue

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How has the global recession of last year impacted supply chain models? Will the crisis of last year result in further merger and acquisition activity in the logistics sector through 2010? Will near-sourcing slow the progress of globalisation? Will companies seek to move to even smaller inventory levels, particularly as product life-cycles get shorter and shorter? How have changes in technology impacted the logistics industry? Will RFID, long touted as a key value-add component for the supply … [Read more...] about Logistics Supplement in May issue

From my cold, dead hands (you won’t prise my latte).

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For this next item, we have a loyal reader to thank for sending us a link to a very interesting newspaper article after reading our ‘guns and airplanes’ item in the last edition of Belly Ache. Since this item also involves guns, we go back to, guess where…the good old US of A. Go figure! So, on with the story. Apparently there is a – not insignificant – group in the US called the ‘Open Carry’ movement. Essentially this group of … [Read more...] about From my cold, dead hands (you won’t prise my latte).

‘Ohh Canada!’

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For anybody that didn’t know this, here is a little factoid that will help you in any dealings with Canadians. Canada is nuts about ice hockey – actually there’s no need to add the ‘ice’ in front because if you ask any Canadian, there is only one kind of ‘hockey’! During the recent Vancouver Winter Olympics, the country came to a virtual standstill whenever their boys in red and white were on the ice. This was taken to … [Read more...] about ‘Ohh Canada!’

Freighter restraint pays off for British Airways

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British Airways has often been accused of being “less serious” about cargo than its European rivals such as Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, mainly because it did not go in for large freighter fleets. But in the past year the carrier has turned the tables somewhat. While its cargo traffic was down 7.2 per cent in 2009, according to the Association of European Airlines’ figures, that was half the fall at KLM (down 14.5 per cent), Lufthansa (down 18.4 per cent) and Air … [Read more...] about Freighter restraint pays off for British Airways

February demand still strong: IATA

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that February 2010 international scheduled air traffic showed continued strengthening of demand. Compared to February 2009, cargo demand grew 26.5 per cent while passenger demand was up 9.5 per cent. Iata noted that cargo traffic, which plunged much further than passenger demand and ultimately hit bottom in December 2008, has a further 3 per cent to recover in order to return to pre-crisis levels. “We are moving in the right … [Read more...] about February demand still strong: IATA