Struggling to keep it together Overall, the mood in France’s air freight industry seems gloomy, with it all leading back to the financial woes of the majority of Western European nations A


spokesman for joint carrier Air France-KLM Cargo & Martinair Cargo says: “No surprise if we tell you that globally business is not at the


level we would expect or wish; it is even realistic to say that it is altogether bleak and that there are no clear signs, for the moment, of improvement in the short term. Not even the traditional ‘Q4 peak’ is likely to occur this winter.” Beatrice Delpuech, director of


France market Air France, notes: “Amid a market in poor condition, we can at least say we are just about maintaining our market share. “However, in line with the industry as a


Cause for concern at French flag carrier as the traditional Q4 peak shows little sign of emerging


As part of its ongoing search for cost-effec-


whole, we have noticed a global average decrease of approximately four percent of activ- ity for the first eight months of 2012 compared to the same period of 2011. “The sharpest growth up to now has


probably been seen around Central America, a region towards which we have noticed encour- aging results, both in terms of growth and market share.” Traditionally the largest generator of business


for Air France, Asia has proved more problematic for the company and witnessed a decline - especially on routes going in and out of China - with the company consequently hav- ing to reshuffle its full-freighter network.


tiveness, Air France is only looking to add full freighters when it makes economic sense to do so, preferring to utilise bellyholds on long-haul widebody passenger aircraft. “However in the frame of what we call at AF-


KL-MP Cargo ‘the agility loop’ we remain very present and reactive in being able to provide quick, adequate and flexible full freighter, rout- ing solutions, to ‘spot’ demands from the market. This capacity to adapt is a plus for our air cargo business. It is even also an asset,” added Delpuech. Air France-KLM Cargo is focusing its efforts


on, what it calls, ‘capacity discipline’, with a view to avoiding flying freighters if they are not


MAP eyes early e-freight implementation


The International Air Transport Association has set 2015 as the year by which all companies will have converted their systems to con- ducting only paperless efreight shipping. “But we want to integrate it into


our entire structure before this date,” says Christophe Parois, com- mercial and development manager at France-based handling agent MAP Handling. At MAP Handling, efreight is a


serious issue and as such the company has taken on five new staff to concentrate on the design and implementation of various efreight and IT solutions.


well loaded on a regular basis. “AF-KL-MP Cargo does not manage its


cargo business in terms of ‘market share’ but gives its priority to the ‘quality of the yield’ and priority also to the ‘quality of service’. “The French economy has slowed. Needs


for air cargo capacity have decreased amid a weak market, itself faced with harsh competition. That definitely does not help our industry,


but the end of the tunnel will come,” concluded a spokesman for the company.


➤


15 October 2012


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