GSSARoundUp AirPass makes progress against the tide


Flavio Renfer, managing director of Zurich-based GSSA AirPass, notes that it is “an extremely tough environment” in which to operate right now. What is more, for today’s general sales and services agent,


things are very different to how they were as a general sales agent 20 years ago. “The task is totally different,” he considers. “You have to find new ways of making money.” Business for a Swiss general sales and services agent is particu-


larly hard at the moment because of the high value of the Swiss franc, Renfer exclaimed. There has been a notable dip seen in demand for exports as a result of the continuing strength of the currency and life has become very hard for shippers operating in Switzerland. Nevertheless, AirPass continues to work hard and its success is


illustrated by the longevity of its customer base. United, for example, the company’s biggest GSSA customer, is continuing to see good business on its transatlantic services out of Zurich, while AirPass is also trucking significant amounts of freight to Amster- dam to connect with Jade Cargo B747 freighter operations to China. Other cargo carrier clients include Czech Airlines, SriLankan Airlines and Qantas, while Renfer said he is very optimistic of


Biggest AirPass client –United Airlines


signing up a new airline customer in the very near future. Should that turn out to be the case, he observed that plans to


double staff levels will be immediately put into effect to meet the needs of what is bound to be a significant expansion in the com- pany’s business.


Skyline markets BA World Cargo capacity in Benelux


According to Dirk-Jan van Dijk, co-owner of Rotterdam-based GSSA Skyline Cargo: “Business can always be better, but we are growing. There is more and more steady business, especially out of the Netherlands.” Skyline Cargo focuses its energy on selling the cargo capaci-


ty of British Airways World Cargo (BA World Cargo) in the Benelux region. It can sell the main-deck capacity of a weekly BA World Cargo freighter out of Amsterdam and Brussels, as well as bellyhold space in the wide and narrowbody passenger aircraft of the airline’s services between the UK and the Benelux.


Particular areas of attention for Skyline of late have been


moving small parcels on those narrowbody aircraft and the shipping of pharmaceutical goods under the freight carrier’s Constant Climate product. Known under its current name only since 1 April 2010, when


van Dijk and his business partner – Ronald van der Hoeven – assumed control, the company has actually been operating for about 30 years. But the ambition to expand under this management is cer-


tainly there –with van Dijk considering the opening of offices in Brussels or Amsterdam, for example.


Airbridge expands in Europe


London-based Airbridge International Agencies is a professional and flexible GSSA catering to blue-chip carriers, explains Mark Andrew, general manager, Europe. Business has been brisk so far this year and the sales agent is above budget. “We will definitely, bar-


ring catastrophes, finish this year with better figures than the last,” he said. Recent additions to the


GSSA’s portfolio have included Montenegro Air- lines in the UK and Aeroflot subsidiary Rossiya in the UK and Eire. Solar Cargo, a Venezuelan freight carrier, has also become a customer in the same home market of late. Flying out of Miami into the up-and-coming Latin America market, Solar represents a valuable addition. A little further back, in the spring, Airbridge was named


Andrew –business has been good


sales agent for Thomson Airways in the UK and Eire – an addi- tional client that required Airbridge to add significantly to its staff and other resources in Britain. Further growth with existing carriers expanding their net-


works is also expected – for example, Air Europa is opening Cartagena on 1 December. With the UK business performing very satisfactorily, the


emphasis is now on extending the Airbridge brand in conti- nental Europe. Already employing subsidiary GSSA offices on the mainland in a franchise model, the aim now is to open up its own, Airbridge-named branches, with the first target being Germany. A Frankfurt branch is expected to lead the way, while a Munich branch is also being considered, Andrew noted.


Page 18


3 October 2011


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