ACF2010Review Maximus: expanding services and fleet


Abu Dhabi-based Maximus Air Cargo was at ACF keen to roll out its new service offerings – ‘ACMI Select’, which offers a suite of pre- mium leasing services, and ‘Charter Select’, a new suite of innovative premium ser- vices. Maximus president and


CEO Fathi Buhazza was in Amsterdam to emphasise: “The airline is now ready to lead the way and move to the next stage of growth, and this ultimately means expansion in terms of fleet and services.” He noted that “one of our strengths has


always been our high level of customer service and we will


leverage on this


together with our enhanced services and fleet”. Buhazza maintains this


will differentiate the airline by setting benchmarks in the Middle East and North Africa region and beyond. With a team in place able


Buhazza – notes “our high level of customer service”


to provide a service that can launch a charter flight in as little as six hours, he said that plans are already afoot to add more medium to heavy-lift freighters to the Maximus fleet of eight fully-


owned all-cargo aircraft. SkyTeamCargo –10 years


The SkyTeam Cargo alliance used ACF 2010 as a venue to host a party to celebrate its 10th anniversary. And there was another good


reason for celebration as the alliance of AeroMexico Cargo, Air France Cargo-KLMCargo, Czech Airlines Cargo, Delta Cargo and Korean Air Cargo officially added China Southern Airlines to its ranks during the event. Leo van Wijk, chairman of


SkyTeam Alliance, took to the platform at the event to note: “An important new milestone has been reached as SkyTeam Cargomembers connectwith the biggest airline in China.” He went on to remark: “Our customers


can enjoy the same SkyTeam Cargo standardised product line and services...


It creates ample


opportunities for a close co- operation with China.” An official signing ceremony


admitting the carrier to the al- liance took place at a press conference that was held after a traditional Chinese lion dance had


beenperformedto ensuregoodluckandprosper- ity for the companies involved. Chen Gang, executive vice president of the


Guangzhou-headquartered carrier, said: “China Southern Airlines is implementingadevel- opment strategywhichwill transformit into an international, network-ori- ented airline.” The carrier’s strong domestic


network and coverage of central and north-east Asia and the Middle East are expected to greatly enhance the SkyTeam Cargonetwork, a spokesmanfor the


alliance added. Decmar promotes ‘Cloud’ control


Decmar, an IT systems provider based in the UK, launched its e-Cargoware Cloud Plat- format Air Cargo Forum2010. Designed for airlines, ground handling agents, GSAs and freight forwarders, it pro-


vides “complete end-to-end control over the sale, operation andmanagement of cargo”, a Decmar spokesman remarked, adding: “Using ‘Cloud’ computing to gain com- petitive advantage will be one of the key differentiators amongst the air freight operators of the future.” Decmar said that the launch went very successfully and that the e-Cargoware Cloud Platformhad generated significant interest among the industry leaders present.


Having decided to launch its first training courses for freight for- warders in Africa, the Education and Research Committee of The International Air Transport Association (TIACA)


is to


expand its presence in this field intoNigeria and China. TIACA said in September


that it would be conducting a training programme, in associa- tion with the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders’ Association, for its members in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The first part of the training


TIACA committee plans to extend training provision Having commissionedHong


Kong-based Strategic Aviation Solutions International to create the course, JimEdgar, regional marketing director at Boeing Commercial Airplanes and chair ofTIACA’s Education and Research Committee,


said:


“We are fully on track to commence training in February. “We are now in the process


of looking at where we want to go next in terms of extending our education footprint. “TIACA is working with the


programme – a five-day course for between 20 and 30 cargo agents – is expected to take place in February.


Edgar: “we are fully on track to commence training ”


Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria regarding a further deployment


of the course later in 2011 aswell as another location like China,” Edgar concluded.





Page 18


29 November 2010


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28