07-09 19 October 09:09-10 10 July 06 15/10/09 11:15 Page 2
HongKongReview
ABC offers network links Following the customer
Russian all-cargo operator AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) AccordingtoUlrichOgiermann,presidentand “Theoptimisationofcargoloadstakesplace
operates daily B747-400 freighter services through Hong CEOofLuxembourg-basedCargolux,theall- inHongKong…makingsureyouhavethe
Kong and it is prepared to add more capacity “if the cargocarrierfliesintoHongKongonaregular right mode of transportation, combining
market needs and can sustain additional frequencies”, basisbecause:“Wehavetogowherethemarket volume with density, Hong Kong has all the
says Robert Song, the airline’s Shanghai-based vice presi- is, where the infrastructure is on the ground, expertise–that’swhyitissoattractive.”
dent and area director Asia Pacific. wherethereisafeedofcargointoacertainpoint Driven by the recession, Cargolux has cut
He explains that ABC freighters out of Hong Kong can …it’sneverpossibletoserve‘artificalgateways’ back on its schedule of B747-400F flights to
hub through the carrier’s facilities in Krasnoyarsk or inremotelocations.” HongKong,Ogiermannsaid,buttheintention
Moscow, a move that is taking ABC away from the provi- Hewenton:“Thecustomertellsuswherewe istogettheservicesbacktotheirpreviouslevel
sion of point-to-point line services towards operating a go.Airportsarealwayschasingforourbusiness; of14aweekassoonasthemarketrecovers.
network strategy that can move freight worldwide. but they are often miles from
In an area where capacity has until recently outpaced nowhere and, while they offer
demand, Song noted: “The ABCbusiness case is
Song explains ABC’s
24-hour operations and very
favourable when the market is down. We have the lowest
business case
cheaplandingfees,thereareno
operational costs, so a downturn in business does affect us but not as much as the real customers going to these
other carriers ... in fact we have carried 5 percent more tonnage out of Hong Kong in airportsandthereisnoinfras-
the last six months than in the six months previously and that’s with no fleet increase.” tructureontheground.”
He went on: “We have been averaging 100 tonnes on every flight out of Hong Kong Ogiermann observed: “You
this year and I can see that this situation will carry on for at least the next three cannot isolate the operational
months. Now, if a carrier is operating out of Hong Kong with 80 tonnes on every flight aspects of the airline from the
then it’s important for them to have an end-of-year peak.” requirementofthesupplychain
But even if that peak does appear this year with an upturn being driven by the end- and Hong Kong is a prime
of-year holiday season, Song assures his existing customers in Hong Kong:“We will example.Itisstillthecentreof
continue to work with the same small group of freight forwarders and not sell our excellenceinthewholeregion.
capacity outside to the highest bidder.”
AAT still waits for signs of ‘sustainable recovery’
BRIEFS • BRIEFS • BRIEFS • BRIEFS
CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS is to sell 12.45 George Mikhailov, Beijing-based executive
Hong Kong cargo handler Asia Airfreight Terminal (AAT) processed 47,182 tonnes in
percentofitsshareholdinginHongKongAir- director China for global charter broker
September,downby12percentcomparedwiththesamemonthoflastyear.Thevolumehan-
craftEngineeringCo(HAECO)toSwirePacific ChapmanFreeborn.Butheemphasised:“We
dledbetweenJanuaryandSeptemberwas351,725tonnes,ayear-on-yearfallof24.5percent.
for US$245.3 million. are beginning to see changes in China.”
AAT general manager, corporate development Nelson Lee said: “September performance
showedfurthersignsofimprovementwiththelowestyear-on-yeartonnagedeclinein2009.”
HONG KONG IS VERY different to China in THE COMBINED volume of all air cargo
But,hewarned:“Althoughtonnageispickingup,themarketisstillyettoseeasustainable
the way the air charter business works as moving through Hong Kong fell by 4.3 per-
r
a73
ecovery.”
“Western rules apply” as to how airlines are cent in September, the smallest monthly
India’sKingfisherAirlineshasappointedAATashandlingagentforitscargoanddocu-
run and the regulations are applied, says decline seen in a year.
mentationservicesonthedailyA330-200servicesitlaunchedtoHongKongon16September.
Page 8 19 October 2009
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