Freight forwarding A challenging opportunity · 4/4/2015 · S L Sharma President, ACAAI S L...
Transcript of Freight forwarding A challenging opportunity · 4/4/2015 · S L Sharma President, ACAAI S L...
Voice of Indian Air Cargo Industry
Vo l 6 - I ssue 3 | APRIL - JUNE 2015
ww
w.a
caai
new
s.co
m
Freight forwarding
A challengingopportunity
R K Srivastava draws up plans for AAI to boost revenue from cargo
update
09 10 How air freight stations will change the air cargo industry
Special RepoRt
20 Martin Drew of Jet Airways on the launch of freighter operations in India
excluSive
EVENTS
PublicaTioNS
The STAT Media Group was formed in 1986 to cater to the logistics industry in India and worldwide.
www.statmediagroup.com
Dear Friends,
It is indeed a matter of great significance that the government of India has started
taking tremendous interest in uplifting the air cargo and logistics industries through
positive measures such as improvement of infrastructure, simplification of rules and
regulations, identifying systemic bottlenecks etc. The positive steps being taken by
the government since it assumed office in May 2014 indicate that it is very serious
and keen that India’s manufacturing and export sectors should be improved, and
that India should become a major player globally in these sectors. The Ministry
of Civil Aviation under the visionary leadership of Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati
is playing a major role in this direction. The minister is personally visiting various
airports to acquaint himself with the problems of the stakeholders of the industry.
Not only this, he is very keen on improving the infrastructure, developing airport
hubs of world class standards, focussing on skill development in the industry. These
issues are the critical need of the hour, and it is therefore heartening that they are
being taken up seriously. Economic advisor for the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Renu
Singh Parmar, is also taking keen interest in the issues of the air cargo industry. She
has recently visited Mumbai for an on the spot study of the Air Cargo Complex in
the Mumbai Airport, which is major cargo
hub in the country. She held meetings
with the stakeholders to find solutions to
the various issues of this airport.
Ease of doing business will definitely
play a very positive role to make India a
major player in the manufacturing and
export industries. Growth in these areas
will increase the GDP and foreign exchange earnings for our country. It is indeed
encouraging that the government is paying close attention to these focus areas,
and we can expect bright prospects in the future. The global perception is changing
fast and tremendously. I am quite confident that the days are not far off when
Indian air cargo Industry will reach to its height and have bright future.
Emphasis must be laid on the creation of a common platform for the entire cargo
industry in order to jointly represent the common issues and problems of our
industry. This is also desired by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Towards this end,
several meetings and seminars have taken place recently with the stakeholders, at
which issues of common interest have been discussed and deliberated at length.
This is a step in the right direction, and such endeavours must be continued. I am
confident that if the issues of all the stakeholders are taken up jointly, our Industry
will grow and its infrastructure will improve at par with the global standards.
Ministry of Commerce has recently announced the country’s trade policy, which, it
is hoped, will be beneficial to the cargo industry and will boost our Exim activities. I
am sure that with the growth of our economy and GDP there will ultimately be great
improvement and enhancement in our business which will ultimately create more
employment opportunities for the young generation.
S L Sharma President, ACAAI
S L SharmaPresident, Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI)
FRoM tHe PReSIDent'S DeSK
Government on board to support air cargo industry
Contents
Cover StoryLogistics at the centre of changing times
previewPoPuLar air cargo show returns to Johannesburg
SpeCial reportnew trends suPPorting indian air cargo
With the rapid pace of change happening around the world in trade, commerce and everything else, India’s air cargo fraternity gathered in Shanghai for its annual convention to discuss debate, ideate and network around the convention theme of “Indian logistics in changing times”.
The city of Johannesburg will host AIR CARGO AFRICA, the most popular air cargo exhibition cum conference of the continent, again in February this year bolstering the African continent’s potential in the air freight industry.
2014 saw a new government at the centre with development as its core agenda. Make in India programme and the spread of e-commerce are seen as major trends pushing trade and these are bound to support India’s air cargo industry as well.
04
1410
VOL 6 - ISSUE 2 • APRIL- JUNE 2015
SpeCial Featureair cargo yet to taP india’s fLower exPort
NEWS
Like pharma, there is a need to give impetus to flower transport by air. The air cargo fraternity needs to explore the untapped potential in the Indian floriculture industry which is likely to cross the INR 8,000-crore mark by 2015.
20
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OFAIR CARGO AGENTS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA
(ACAAI)
aCaaI OFFICE BEarErS
PRESIDENTS L Sharma
VICE PRESIDENThemant Bhatia
SECRETaRy gENERalSunil arora
HON.TREaSURERT a Varghese
EDITORreji John
SPECIal CORRESPONDENTSCandice martins
Jasleen Kaur [email protected]
MaRKETINgVikas Khadtale
[email protected] Mobile: +91 9820397514
DESIgN CONSUlTaNTPrasad mohite
gRaPHIC DESIgNERrajesh Natrajan
DISCLaImErViews expressed in the magazine
are not of aCaaI
EDITOrIaL & aDmIN. OFFICE710, Vindhya Commercial Complex,
Sector 11, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai - 400 614 INDIa
Email: editorial@ acaainews.com [email protected]
www.acaainews.com
Printed by lingam Fine arts C-221, ghatkopar Industrial Estate
Behind R City Mall, ghatkopar (West) Mumbai – 400086 – INDIa
Published by Priyo Patra on behalf of STaT MEDIa gROUP
from 710, Vindya Commercial Complex Sector – 11, CBD Belapur
Navi Mumbai – 400614 – India
Ph No: 022 27578891 / 022 27570550
Editor: rEJI JOhN
a STAT MEDIA GROUP venture
23 NEW DGCA AppoiNtEDGovernment of India appointed M Sathiyavathy as the new Director General of Civil Aviation.
25 Air CANADA to rESumE SErviCE to iNDiAAir Canada will resume non stop service from Toronto to New Delhi starting in November this year.
23 viStArA rEADy to tAkE offSingapore Airlines’ Indian joint venture with Tata,Vistara, will start flying from January 9, 2015.
28 AAi GEtS A NEW ChAirmANRavindra Kumar Srivastava is appointed the new chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI).
airport FoCuSsouth india’s cargo gateway
Positioning itself to be South India’s cargo gateway port, Bangalore International Airport is making substantial investment to develop a world class cargo infrastructure.
16 airline FoCuSgoing where customers are
Saudi Airlines Cargo operates 15 freighters and sells the belly-capacity on 145 passenger aircraft. The airline is now bullish on strengthening its presence in the Indian air cargo industry.
18
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com4
CoVeR StoRY | Freight Forwarding
To match up with the growing bilateral ties and fluctuating EXIM trade, the freight forwarder’s job is not any easy task. Though, they have been working hard to match international standards, they are habituated to fighting infrastructure bottlenecks and honouring commitments to customers. But now with better government intervention and technology adaption opportunities are on the rise.
JASLeen KAur
A challengingopportunity
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 5
The emphasis
placed by the new
government in India
on development
and good governance has
created a new opportunity
to reinvigorate bilateral ties
and enhance cooperation.
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s visit to different
nations from Asian countries
to the US to now planned
visit to Europe and the new
initiatives like ‘Make in India’,
‘Clean India’, etc., have
opened up new avenues.
However, unfortunately, as
of now, according to the
ministry of commerce and
industry, the trade deficit for
April-February, 2014-15 was
estimated at USD 125220.94
million which was higher
than the deficit of USD
124844.53 million during
April-February, 2013-14. The
reasons could be economic
meltdown and pending free
trade agreements and some
other economic and political
disturbances.
To match up with the
changing trends in the
bilateral ties and fluctuat-
ing EXIM trade, the freight
forwarder’s job is not any
easy task as it used to be,
simply moving cargo on time
from A to B. However, there is
an immense scope. Recently
a report named ‘freight for-
warding market in India 2015’
stated that India is expected
to witness considerable
growth in freight market
provided freight companies
diversify their business to
other logistic segments. The
Indian freight market is rap-
idly being aided by improved
warehousing infrastructure
and growth in containerized
cargo, which necessitates
a robust freight network.
Amongst the segments, air
and sea freight together
contribute maximum to the
market in terms of value.
Manish Saigal, Managing
Director at Alvarez & Mar-
sal - Leader for Strategy and
M&A/ PE consulting, said, “In
today’s fast-moving business
environment, many shippers
rely on forwarders as key
building blocks in creating
and implementing a logistics
programme pertaining to
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com6
their ‘special’ demands. In a
global scenario, customers
benchmark the services in
India against the best play-
ers in the world. Today, the
customer expects delivery
on the same day the cargo
is offloaded from a ship or
aircraft. They are looking for
scheduled hinterland connec-
tivity from ports and airports
matching with the arrival
time of a vessel or aircraft.
They demand state-of-the-art
warehousing and distribution
through bonded warehouse,”
adding, “Time being a critical
factor; they demand IT-en-
abled real time information
systems. Freight forwarders
have to match the best global
standards to retain their busi-
ness in India.”
During a trade show,
Shantanu Bhadkamkar, im-
mediate past chairman of the
Federation of Freight Forward-
ers Association said that the
growing Indian marketplace
has a huge demand for
technological inputs in the lo-
gistics sector which represents
a runway to India’s USD385
billion EXIM trade by 2015.
With new security regula-
tions, technology tools, and
infrastructure improvements,
forwarders today need to pull
up their socks to meet a full
range of logistics needs with
an innovative approach.
Impact of eXIM tradeCorresponding to the
recently announced economic
survey 2014-15, it has been
stated that India's export-
import trade has been slightly
affected due to weakened
demand in key developed
markets of Europe and the US.
However, if handled with a
positive attitude, this oppor-
tunity can herald a scope for
value creation.
Samir J Shah, owner, JBS
Group of Companies, said,
“Economic challenges in
the European Union, po-
“Economic challenges in the European Union, political instability and unrest across multiple areas of the globe, and a series of natural disasters have highlighted the often fragile nature of the freight forwarding and logistics business and the industry’s customer environment.”
“The overall global economic scenario has been grim and that surely has had an effect on the overall trade."
Samir J ShahJBS Group of Companies
BiJu ThomaSSevenseas Global Express Logistics
CoVeR StoRY | Freight Forwarding
litical instability and unrest
across multiple areas of the
globe, and a series of natural
disasters have highlighted
the often fragile nature of the
freight forwarding and logis-
tics business and the indus-
try’s customer environment.
However, on the positive side,
rising demand is being expe-
rienced for advanced logistics
capabilities and industry-
specific solutions, especially
in emerging markets. The
increasing number of assem-
bly plants in several markets,
including Turkey, Mexico
and Thailand has positively
pushed up the dynamics of
the logistics industry.”
Yashpal Sharma, Director,
Skyways, says, “Freight for-
warding is directly impacted
by the global business sce-
nario. The current slowdown
is negatively affecting most
of the forwarding companies
across the world, including
India. The companies who ac-
tually stay with their strengths
and do value additions will
continue to be outperform-
ers and the rest will have to
work harder to keep their
head above water.” Another
veteran freight forwarder,
Cyrus Katgara, Partner, Jeena
& Co is of the opinion that the
freight forwarding industry
will survive only through
value creation. “We must all
realise that the present and
the future is for the intelligent
only. Deep pockets and rela-
tionship management would
take a back seat once thinking
freight forwarders increase in
number. Value creation will
happen in finding innova-
tive solutions which are time
bound, cost reducing, tech-
nology intensive and result
finding through detailing.”
Biju Thomas, Managing
Director, Sevenseas Global
Express Logistics, shared,
“The overall global economic
scenario has been grim and
that surely has had an effect
on the overall trade. There is a
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 7
marginal improvement lately
and there is still a lot of hope
based on predictions being
made by the industry experts.
During such a trend, the ideal
solution for an organization to
sustain itself is through diver-
sification and value addition
to the existing product.”
Customs & excise policiesImprovements in the cus-
toms and excise policies ben-
efits importers and exporters
and consequently, smoothens
the working of freight forward-
ing agents. Exports from and
imports into India, need a lot
of regulatory requirements to
be complied with at various
stages. Yet if properly planned,
exports and imports can utilize
a lot of benefits that are avail-
able under various provisions
of the policy. Self-Assessment,
introduced in April 2011, is
expected to usher in a new era
of trust based customs-trade
partnership, leading to greater
facilitation of compliant trad-
ers. Therefore, it is important
that the trade take its respon-
sibility for making correct
self-assessment seriously.
Pertaining to this, Shah averred,
“EDI and self assessment are
great initiatives and can result
in wonderful streamlining of
the cargo movement through
customs and excise. However,
implementation of the same
remains the biggest roadblock.
The ground reality is very dif-
ferent than what is said. Capac-
ity building and a change of
mindset is what the depart-
ments need to work on fast.”
The Customs department
as facilitator has emerged in
India and they have facilitated
the growth of EXIM Trade by
the timely introduction of Cus-
toms EDI System, Ice gate and
RMS System. “The Customs
EDI System has negated the
effect of various constraints
of infrastructure. The trade
facilitation meet of Customs
to co-ordinate with all players
has brought the players in
“We must all realise that the present and the future is for the intelligent only. Deep pockets and relationship management would take a back seat once thinking freight forwarders increase in number."
CyruS KaTgaraJeena & Co
the Industry to resolve issues
amicably. The proactive issue
of trade facilitation circulars
by customs has increased
the confidence level of EXIM
Trade and Freight Forward-
ing Industry with regard to
Customs Policy and Proce-
dures. The major road blocks
faced by the Industry are
due to the fragmented and
disintegrated structure of the
logistic Industry. There is need
for an integral approach of all
players to work for the EXIM
Industry to whom they serve,”
Sharma remarked.
Infrastructure concernsThough a lot of initiatives
have been taken for infra-
structure, the major concern
of the freight forwarding
community is connectivity to
the terminals, airports, freight
stations, etc. The freight for-
warding industry has to face
the challenge of inadequacy
of infrastructure when their
customers demand a commit-
ted delivery time for cargo.
The impediments of infra-
structure are the root cause
of bottlenecks, delays, high
cargo dwell time, increased
transaction costs, and overall
escalation of logistics costs.
Connectivity to terminals,
airports, container freight
stations, etc., according to
Thomas, “is surely a concern
which seems to be growing
rather than getting corrected.
A good case in review was
the congestion at Chennai
and Mumbai ports which
remained an eyesore for the
global industry with fancy
photographs of the mayhem
being published. At a point
when India is being projected
as a market which is looked
at and predicted to overturn
China, such bottlenecks dis-
suade business transactions to
a great extent.” On the other
hand, Shah feels that freight
forwarding issues can be re-
solved by an all round involve-
“The major road blocks faced by the Industry are due to the fragmented and disintegrated structure of the logistic Industry. There is need for an integral approach of all players to work for the EXIM Industry to whom they serve"
yaShpal SharmaSkyways
CoVeR StoRY | Freight Forwarding
ment. “All stakeholders need
to be continually involved and
work harmonically with each
other. Users are always in the
best position to ascertain and
judge roadblocks as well as
anticipate future problems. A
continual dialogue amongst
all stakeholders backed with
immediate changes in all pos-
sible functions is the need of
the day.”
Sharma is of a clear opinion
that sheer implementation
of infrastructure is not good
enough. It is the people who
will run these that will make
a big difference. “We can see
even with better infrastruc-
ture the processes at these
terminals are not in sync and
thus the trade is not benefit-
ting from the improvement in
infrastructure. There is also a
need to address infrastructure
issues at some of the ports and
airports of the country. Even
the road connectivity is not
adequate. The last mile move-
ment always happens through
road, so this aspect must be
addressed and improved by
the relevant authorities.”
Technology adoptionSeveral freight forwarding
companies invest in latest
software solutions so as to en-
hance their freight operations.
The IT industry has made
a lot of advancements and
is adopting latest software
solutions that are beneficial
for businesses across different
industry verticals. The freight
forwarder software essen-
tially provides the best and
lucrative solutions for supply
chain and logistic opera-
tions. Small, medium or large
freight forwarding companies
can ideally use the software
with web tracking feature to
obtain better visibility of ship-
ment and orders.
Sharma mentions that
there are only two things
that separate the company’s
growth after a level and they
are its team and IT systems.
“Companies who constantly
invest in them will outperform
their peers in the market.
Just to repeat, the key word
is ‘constantly’. Just invest-
ing once will not be enough.
Technology and intelligence
change every day now.”
“In today’s fast-moving business environment, many shippers rely on forwarders as key building blocks in creating and implementing a logistics programme pertaining to their ‘special’ demands. They benchmark the services in India against the best players in the world.”
maniSh SaigalAlvarez & Marsal
Technology is a proven
way to improve performance
and efficiency. It meets with
most requirements of quick
solutions, believes Shah,
adding, “However, software
cannot replace human be-
ings. While I welcome all the
investments and innovation
in software solutions, I feel
equal importance, if not more,
in terms of time and money
should be spent on the people
who run the systems. There
are a number of installations
where the software is not
used as proposed and only to
finish routine jobs. Replicating
manual processes through the
computer needs to be im-
mediately dropped.” Thomas
comments, “Major companies
are investing large sums of
money in customizing and
upgrading their IT capability.
Many others have in house
software development teams.
It is all about tracking, docu-
ment uploading, real time
status and everything that
makes the system replace the
individual. For the logistics
service provider it becomes a
tool that gives them real time
information at the click of a
mouse and enables tracking
status and information.”
Opportunities aheadThe silver lining is that the
freight forwarding industry,
especially related to the EXIM
trade, is extensively affected
due to poor infrastructure and
other issues. However, once an
integrated approach is adopted,
the streamlining of the supply
chain process, in terms of cost,
route and customs, will become
effective. Freight forwarding
companies are diversifying into
the fast-growing logistics
business and are diverging from
their traditional activities to
adapt into a new avatar.
Opportunities are galore and it’s
time to make the most of being
the “travel agents” of the cargo
industry.
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com8
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 9
UPDAte | airport authority oF india
In order to cater to the
growth of air cargo
industry, the Airports
Authority of India (AAI)
has taken up extension of
the existing cargo terminals
with the state-of-the-art
technology apart from
introducing automation at
its airports. R K Srivastava,
who took over the seat
merely three months back,
believes that there has been
tremendous growth of air
cargo at metro/non-metro
airports with considerable
scope for improvement
in the basic infrastructure
to tap the potential. This
provides an opportunity for
India to be a major cargo
transshipment centre.
Owning and maintain-
ing 125 airports compris-
ing 68 operational airports
and 26 civil enclaves, the
authority has been making
profits since its inception
and posted net profits of Rs
735 crore and Rs 796 crore
during 2012-13 and 2013-14,
respectively. With more and
more high-density traffic air-
ports going into the hands
of private players, AAI is
now looking at focusing on
the cargo segment to boost
its revenues.
As part of this, AAI plans
to optimally utilise its old
and un-utilised domestic
passenger terminals by
converting them into cargo
facilities after carrying out
the necessary modifica-
tions. “AAI is venturing into
the new area of domestic
cargo operations with an
objective to create the basic
infrastructure at its airports
which have potential for air
cargo growth,” Srivastava
said.
There has been tremen-
dous growth of air cargo at
metro/non-metro airports
with considerable scope for
improvement in the basic
infrastructure to tap the
potential, he said, adding
that "domestic cargo grew
by 10 per cent and interna-
tional by five per cent last
year". The chairman believes
that the potential growth in
air cargo movement across
the country can be tapped
if basic cargo facilities are
created at second tier cities
which can also work on hub
and spoke model
AAI has identified 24
domestic airports across
five regions, including three
civil enclaves, to develop
integrated facilities.
Such facilities have al-
ready commenced at three
airports - Jaipur, Lucknow
and Coimbatore. It would
be started within a couple
of years at the remain-
ing 21 airports. There are
plans to replicate the same
model at other airports as
well besides the 24 which
have been identified going
forward. At present, AAI
manages international air
cargo terminals at the Chen-
nai, Kolkata, Coimbatore,
Amritsar, Guwahati, Luc-
know, Trichy and Mangalore
airports.
Srivastava also held a
meeting with the cargo/
express industry stakehold-
ers. "There are many issues
relating to different sectors.
We have identified them
and discussed them in our
efforts to resolve these
issues. Our role is to provide
infrastructure and facilitate
business," he said. The
chairman finds opportuni-
ties in growth of e-com-
merce, infrastructure,
development of smart cities
and ‘Make in India’ project.
“Projections indicate that
Indian carriers will double
their fleet size by 2020. This
will result in significant
growth of cargo traffic. AAI
is gearing up to meet this
demand,” Srivastava
concluded.
AAI leaps ahead in air cargoIn his zeal to fulfill his dream of creating the best airport infrastructure in India, R K Srivastava, the new chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI), has been working towards bringing a perceivable change in the ‘skyline’ of Indian civil aviation. With the support of Ministry of Civil Aviation, AAI has taken initiatives to boost air cargo operations which hog headlines from time to time.
JASLeen KAur
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com10
SPeCIAl RePoRt | aFs
Cynosure of all eyesAir Freight stations
The intervention of the new government to improve the air cargo infrastructure by bringing new policy guidelines to set up air freight stations (AFS) has brought a reason for air cargo stakeholders to smile. They are affirmative that once it is fully implemented, AFS will substantially improve the air cargo infrastructure in India.
JASLeen KAur
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 11
In December 2014, an
announcement was made by
Hyderabad Menzies Air Cargo,
a joint venture company
between GMR Hyderabad
International Airport Limited
and London-based Menzies
Aviation Plc, to start an air
freight station (AFS) in Chennai.
The AFS for which the idea
was conceptualised sometime
seven years ago, came into
effect when it was planned
in association with Central
Warehousing Corporation
(CWC), which was one of the
first companies to get an AFS
licence. The Hyderabad airport
will extend services to its airline
customers by expanding their
hinterland to Chennai, enabling
local trade members to route
their shipment through the
Hyderabad airport. Chennai is
second location after Nagpur
for Hyderabad Menzies to
start the AFS service. This
partnership has set an example
that this is the only way to go
forward. ICDs/CFSs or off airport
locations should be flexible
with no restriction to bonded
truckers.
By the time, this news in the
industry showed a window of
opportunity to strengthen the
airport infrastructure; the new
government led by Prime Min-
ister Narendra Modi brought
a New Year gift for air cargo
fraternity, when in January
2015, Ministry of Civil Aviation
came up with guidelines to set
up AFS across the country. “The
initiative of AFS will create an
enabling environment for pro-
moting international air cargo
operations by reaching out to
hinterland regions of the coun-
try besides de-congesting the
congested air cargo terminals
in some gateway international
airports that face high dwell
time,” according to MoCA.
ACAAI’s firm beliefS L Sharma, President, Air
Cargo Agents Association of
India, said, “With the emphasis
on development of cargo infra-
structure, air cargo stakehold-
ers are optimistic. As a part of
infrastructure development,
the government has taken a
decision to set up AFS in 10
cities. These AFSs, to be built
by CWC will ease the supply
of foodgrain.” Today, CWC is
responsible for three air cargo
complexes at international
airports besides the manage-
ment of the cargo warehouse
at Indira Gandhi International
Airport in New Delhi. “However,
it remains to be seen whether
these CWC AFSs are completed
and commissioned in time,”
he stated. Earlier attempts at
starting AFSs have failed or at
best remained half-hearted at-
tempts. In fact, air cargo stake-
holders have been demanding
AFSs at international airports for
quite some time.
ACAAI is confident that the
air cargo and logistics industries
will derive tremendous benefits
when more number of AFSs
become operational, Sharma
added confidently. AFSs will
enable exporters, importers
and the logistics and air cargo
industries to function in greater
harmony with one another. The
customs, security and other
regulators’ formalities can be
completed at the AFS, and the
cleared goods can be speedily
transported to the airport in
the case of export goods, and
to the consignee’s premises in
the case of import goods. It is
expected that the facility will
be able to cope with the high
degree of vehicular move-
ments, thereby, facilitating the
speedy offloading and loading
of export and import goods.
Coordinated initiative - finally arrived
Venkata Reddy, CEO,
Menzies Bobba Bangalore, said,
“The air freight industry has
largely been neglected vis-vis
the focus on the new terminals
and airport facilities on the
passenger front. The most sig-
“The most important thing for success of air freight stations would be seamless co-ordination among all its stakeholders such as airlines, con-sol agent, customs brokers.”
amBer DuBeyKPMG
“By virtue of their strategic location, AFS will become a median between the hinterland and the airports/seaports. Thus, exporters and importers will be able to derive the dual benefits of speed and ease of access to such facilities.”
S l SharmaACAAI President
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com12
nificant hurdle to growth and
efficiency, however, remains
our perennially inadequate
and inefficient airport infra-
structure as also the absence
of any coordinated initiative to
effect the required changes,
improvements, streamlining,
rationalisation and productiv-
ity enhancements so critically
required. Working group with
representation from the air
freight industry has been set up
by the Ministry of Civil Aviation
to look into the various aspects
of the industry. There is an
urgent need to develop more
air freight stations and cargo
villages across India.”
Holistic approach key to world-class infra
Thinking about the future,
one of the veteran freight for-
warders Cyrus Katgara, Partner,
Jeena & Company, said, “To
create a world-class infrastruc-
ture, there is a need for holistic
approach. Railways focus was
on passenger movement while
the National Highways Author-
ity of India (NHAI is responsible
for major highways in the
country) and the ports do not
enter into pre-planning con-
sultations. Therefore, there is a
need to create a new ministry.
A dedicated ministry can en-
sure a world class infrastructure
across all modes and this will
also bring in a seamless supply
chain.”
AFS - key to all problems“Indian air cargo industry has
not matured to world standards
and cargo unitisation happens
only at airports. Only loose
cargo is shifted to airports. In
fact, Indian airports stand out in
the number of loose packages
handled when compared to the
major cargo hubs in Asia and
other parts of the world. In such
a situation, airports must remain
only as throughput areas if
they are to function efficiently,”
averred Amber Dubey, Partner,
KPMG. Suggesting AFS as a solu-
"The most significant hurdle to growth and efficiency, however, remains our perennially inadequate and inefficient airport infrastructure as also the absence of any coordinated initiative to effect the required changes.”
VenKaTa reDDyMenzies Bobba Bangalore
“There is a need to create a new min-istry. A dedicated ministry can ensure a world class infra-structure across all modes and this will also bring in a seam-less supply chain.”
CyruS KaTgaraJeena & Company
tion, he said, “the ideal solution
for all this would be AFS where
loose cargo is processed, uni-
tised, and delivered to airports
for uplift, and in the reverse flow
unitised imports are shifted to
AFS, devanned and delivered.”
ease in cargo clearanceAt present, the infrastructure
and approach roads at several
major airports and sea ports
are grossly inadequate, causing
extensive delays. Consequently,
the dwell time at these ports is
very high, which causes delays
in the prompt dispatch of ex-
port goods, and timely receipt
of import goods by the end
users. The transaction costs also
increase due to such delays,
thereby making exports from
India uncompetitive vis-à-vis
exports from other countries.
AFSs have the scope and
a unique opportunity to con-
tribute meaningfully towards
enhancing and improving
this situation. It would defi-
nitely decongest the saturated
facilities and infrastructure at
various airports. As per the new
policy guidelines all export and
import cargo clearance includ-
ing customs related activities
like assessment, examination,
payment of duties etc. would
be provided at the AFS, as is
done in any other custom
station. Besides the customs
authorities, other cross-border
regulatory agencies such as
plant quarantine office, drug
controller’s office, etc would
also be accommodated by the
respective AFS enterprise in
the same premises. This may
include for example, space for
establishment of laboratory for
immediate inspection and the
area should be well lit.
“This is an urgent require-
ment, as the air cargo and
logistics industries are currently
undergoing unbearable stress
and strain due to these factors.
By virtue of their strategic loca-
tion, AFS will become a median
between the hinterland, where
many manufacturing hubs are
located, and the airports/sea-
ports. Thus, the exporters and
importers will be able to derive
the dual benefits of speed and
SPeCIAl RePoRt | aFs
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 13
ease of access to such facilities,”
added Sharma.
“To keep pace with the
fast changing pattern of cargo
handling in air cargo industry,
the essence is speedy delivery.
However, the importance of
setting up of AFS throughout
the country has long been felt
intensely and we in Air Cargo
Forum of India (ACFI) have sug-
gested our views in this regard
to the Government in formation
of AFS,” said Katgara, who is
also secretary at ACFI.
The prime object of setting
up AFS is to de-congest the air
cargo terminal at the gateway
airports. This will facilitate expe-
ditious handling of export and
import cargo and will improve
efficiency of cargo handling in
decongesting the customs and
forwarding activities. Thus the
cargo will be brought to the air
cargo terminal in a ‘Ready for
Cargo’ condition. According
to Dubey from KPMG, based
on the faster clearance, the
dispatch of cargo from AFS to
air cargo terminal at the airport
can be planned in advance
and space can accordingly
be booked with the airlines
well in advance. “This will also
help the airlines to plan their
space allotment in time and
cargo can be loaded promptly
on arrival at the loading bays
without any further loss of time.
The most important thing for
success of AFS would be seam-
less co-ordination among all its
stakeholders such as airlines,
consol agent, customs brokers,
etc,” he suggested.
Moving on, Pradeep Panick-
er, President, Air Cargo Forum
of India and Chief Commercial
Officer, Delhi International Air-
port Ltd (DIAL) suggested few
recommendations in the policy
that are important to make AFS
a business viable product:
Ó Only airport operator
should be allowed to operate
an AFS as a first preference to
ensure last mile connectivity
and consistent service levels.
Ó The security screening of
cargo should happen at airport
only and not at the AFS to
secure freight at last port.
Ó Existing ICD/CFS to accom-
up an AFS and ICD/CFS may
not have readily this much area
available initially.
Ó Cargo handling equipment
deployment should be based
on operational requirements.
Ó In the case of airport opera-
tor setting up AFS, approvals
can be waived in view of their
existing air cargo experience.
Echoing similar concerns
and presenting airlines’ view-
point, Vipan Jain, Regional
Manager Logistics, South
Asia & Middle East, Lufthansa
Cargo considers AFS move as
a welcome step and can be a
turning point for the industry,
if implemented in full. “In India,
we have very strong regulatory
requirements which may not
encourage new AFS set-up.
As number of manual pro-
cesses and allied agencies are
involved in the whole export
and import process, I feel it will
be quite difficult to manage
the facility within limited area
which will ultimately cost huge
investment for instance land,
building, equipment, security,
electricity, running cost etc. As a
first step, the existing ICD or CFS
should be promoted to have
AFS facility and later new inde-
pendent facility of AFS should
be considered.”
Success story has begunIndia seemingly has all the
ingredients to be one of the
world’s great air cargo centers.
Rapid growth of international
trade, a huge manufacturing
engine and a population of
more than 1.2 billion all bode
well for the industry. It was
government support and a
healthy communication
between government and air
cargo stakeholders was absent.
With the interest shown by the
new government towards devel-
opment of air freight infrastruc-
ture and a smile on the face of
air cargo fraternity, will set a
bright future for air cargo
industry in India in the way of air
freight stations. Indeed!
“Only airport operator should be allowed to operate an AFS as a first preference to ensure last mile connectivity and consistent service levels."
praDeep paniCKerDIAL & ACFI
"As a first step, the existing ICDs and CFSs should be promoted to have AFS facility and later new independent facility of AFS should be considered”
Vipan JainLufthansa Cargo
modate AFS on request from
airport operator
Ó Area for AFS should be
decided based on market forces
and business requirement. 1000
sq m for export and import
would add to the cost of setting
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com14
ReVIew | air cargo africa 2015
The third iteration of Air Cargo Africa impelled the African continents ambition to be a leader in the global economy where the air freight industry would set the stage towards achieving this goal.
Investing in theAfrica advantage
Arecord number of
visitors attended
the third biennial
international air
logistics conference and
exhibition, AIR CARGO AFRICA
2015, held in Johannesburg,
South Africa from 25 to 27
February. The event in the
course of its three day duration
attracted 527 delegates and 2,915
trade visitors. The exhibition
featured 80 exhibitors, with 29
from across Africa and 32 from
further afield internationally.
The event garnered a great
degree of interest from local and
international visitors.
The executive mayor of
the City of Ekurhuleni, Mondli
Gungubele, opened the
event, stating that the City
of Ekurhuleni region had
become the aviation, logistics
and manufacturing hub of
Africa while adding that OR
Tambo International Airport
was strategically positioned as
a gateway to Africa. This was
keeping in line with the theme
of, ‘Air Cargo à Africa’s path to
sustainable growth’.
Making a strong point
on the continent’s growth,
Nico Bezuidenhout, acting
CEO, South African Airways
said, “As for Africa, growth is
imminent and opportunities
are inevitable. Intra-Africa trade
is a huge opportunity. There is
ample scope to increase trade.”
Key topics raised during
panel discussions and debates
highlighted that trade within
Africa itself must be addressed
to garner better growth
opportunities; an open trade
environment within Africa
would allow air cargo to act as
a catalyst of growth throughout
the continent. There was also
a pertinent need for greater
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 15
transparency and cohesion
across the entire air cargo supply
chain.“With an expected six
percent increase in GDP growth
by 2020, there is a lot of potential
for growth in the continent,”
said Fitsum Abady, Managing
Director, Ethiopian Cargo Services
on a confident note. On the
other hand, Abady pointed out
to a number of hurdles which
come in the way of Africa’s rise.
Being critical on the political
situation, Markus Muecke, head
of airfreight, Panalpina strongly
affirmed that “red tape has to
go from Africa.” Dealing with
red tape within African countries
presents a large issue, which
strangles growth.
Barry Nassberg, Group COO,
Worldwide Flight Services
said, “We see growth in Asia-
Africa trade and investments
are dominated by countries
like China and India.” While
Africa is a somewhat closed
continent as far as investment
is concerned, Nassberg believes
there is a desire for growth and
the opportunity exists there.
How far are we from the near
perfect supply chain when it
comes to moving perishables by
air? That was the central question
in a round table discussion
organised by Amsterdam Airport
Schiphol on the inaugural
day of the event. Different
stakeholders of the air cargo
value chain raised the challenges
and shortfalls in the perishable
transportation particularly with
reference to flowers shipped
from African markets to European
destinations.
The second day of the
event saw some lively debates
featuring panel members
representing Emirates, South
African Airways (SAA), the
National Air Cargo Group,
DHL Global Forwarding, OR
Tambo International Airport and
the United Nations, focused
on beating infrastructure
challenges within air cargo and
strengthening the supply chain.
The intra-African cargo market
is one of the fastest growing
markets currently, with increasing
demand for perishables and
consumer goods like smart
phones in particular.
A second shipper-centric
panel discussion was on oil and
gas industry which is crucial
to many African economies.
With the oil fields, mines
and plants moving to more
remote locations, the demand
to deliver material is getting
more complex for those in the
oil and gas supply chain. A
growing business for air freight,
the industry is trying to play
catch up with sea freight, a
preferred mode of transport
for oil and gas equipment. The
panel discussion on oil and gas
shippers hosted by Liege Airport
focussed on key concerns of
shippers and what airports and
airlines have to offer.
Moderating the last panel
discussion of the three-day
event Boeing Commercial
Airplanes’ regional director for
market analysis, Tom Crabtree,
explained that the rapidly
expanding shares of these
markets are presently gauged
at 14.4 percent for the Middle
East and 12.9 percent market
share for Asia.
In recent years, Africa has
seen major interests from India
in terms of investments and
also air cargo growth. “There is
growth for specialised products
such as pharmaceuticals into
Africa. But the challenge lies
in carriers with less direct
connections into Africa,” said
Manoj Singh, vice president
and head, cargo, Mumbai
International Airport.
Panelists agreed that Asian
imports to the continent will be
the principle driver for growth
of African trade with Asia, and
that e-commerce and the rising
demand for consumer goods,
particularly in India and China,
will boost air trade growth in
the Asia-to-Africa direction.
A major highlight of the
event was the award night on
the second day. The awards
were given away to industry
players for their excellence in
various sectors of the air cargo
industry in style amidst an
evening of fun, entertainment
and African culture.
The STAT Trade Times
Lifetime Achievement Award
went to Desmond Vertannes,
the much-liked and well-
respected previous global head
of cargo at IATA. “A life time
achievement award is given to
someone because the person
has made an impact in the
industry that he or she
represents and the person has a
substantial number of years of
experience. And in this case Des
has both these,” said Glyn
Hughes, Glyn Hughes, global
head of cargo, IATA, who
joined R K Patra, editor-in-chief,
STAT Media Group, publisher of
Indian Transport and Logistics
News, on stage to honour
Vertannes.
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com16
FoCUS | airport
Sharjah airport
Middle East region
is the most impor-
tant region when
it comes to the air
cargo fraternity. Be it airports of
the region or airlines, they serve
a dominant role in the air cargo
sector. One such airport that has
scripted a success story in the
cargo world is the Sharjah Inter-
national airport. Serving the emir-
ate of Sharjah in the United Arab
Emirates, the airport is considered
as a key cargo hub in the Middle
East region with five cargo
terminals, catering to freight
demand not only of the region
but from around the world. It
serves around 100 destinations in
the Middle East, North Africa, the
Indian sub-continent, Central Asia
and Europe.
Growth with hiccupsThough the Sharjah airport
is an important airfreight
handler, bad days have
adverse effects on everyone
and the airport is no
exception. The Head of cargo
from the Sharjah airport, who
prefers to remain anonymous,
said, “With the worldly trend,
Sharjah is also experiencing
a drop of tonnage volume
to a tune of six to seven per
cent month on month. This
could be for many reasons of
which the economic down
trend experienced from
November 2014 are yet to be
seen picking up. Air cargo
volumes in our view have
been suffering since the last
year.”
Envisages largest freight share
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 17
The largest freight airport in UAE, Sharjah airport has faced a drop in air cargo volumes due to an economic downtrend. However, hopes are high and head of cargo division strongly feels that the airport has a capacity to manage over 700,000 tonnes a year. He talks about plans for 2015, destinations, commodities, competition and much more.
JASLeen KAur
Sharjah has a capacity to
manage over 700,000 tonnes
a year. The airport handled
314,424 tonnes of cargo in
2012, 262,671 tonnes in 2013
and 237,250 in 2014. This is
surely a positive sign, he said,
“while we accommodate our
growth and new customers
who are wanting to use
Sharjah.”
expanding destinations, eyeing Africa
Though the air cargo volumes
have suffered, the airport’s
optimism has not been affected
and they are quite upbeat with
their expansion plans. “Sharjah
actively serves Europe, Africa,
Indian subcontinents and Middle
East wherein the majority of the
volumes are moved to airports
within these countries. Africa
has been witnessing some
tremendous growth and we are
happy to be part of the African
business serving our customers
through Sharjah operations,
opening new destinations within
Africa,” the senior official said.
India extended to South
Asia always played an active
role promoting traffic over
Middle East both by Air to Air
and Sea-Air. “We as Sharjah do
share a part of this through
the hub and spoke operation
of Air Arabia and few charters
who actively promote this
concept. This in our view
will continue through the
passenger flight capacity from
Indian Subcontinent to Middle
East serving as transhipment to
other destinations.”
Proud to handle all commodities
Sharjah Airport prides itself
in managing all commodity
through its facility of which
perishable for the local market
consumption through its hub
carrier Air Arabia plays a major
role. Pharma is a growing
market for many airports,
Sharjah being one of them.
“Our present facility do cater
to the requirement of our
customers while an in depth
study is being conducted
aligning both our process
and facility to its extended
demand,” he added.
Infrastructure development
Infrastructure is a key to
growth of any airport and Shar-
jah airport has invested a lot for
infrastructural development. In
the recent past, it has invested
in different modern cargo
equipment’s and infrastructure
e.g. ULD X-ray machine, Truck
Dock, Freezers / Chillers, special
dangerous goods location
and RA3 warehouse among
others. “We have a fleet of over
2,000 modern technology GSE
equipment’s including a fleet of
Trepel Champ 350 main deck
hi-loaders, with 35 tonne lifting
capacity adding value while we
serve our customers,” shared
the head from cargo division.
Smart strategy in the competitive environment
According to IATA, the
Middle East is forecast to be the
fastest growing region in air
cargo market. To enhance its
competitiveness, Sharjah airport
is aiming to improve quality
and widen the services it
offers. “Middle East has always
been a Transhipment business
projected market while local
consumptions and demand are
less when compared. With the
Expat working crowd almost
at each of the Middle East
locations or most of all of them
served through the national
carrier do have a good level of
cargo capacity promoting local
terminating and transhipment
cargo,” the senior official stated.
In March 2014, the airport
started e-AWB and e-Clearance
which is a part of the global
initiative to modernize its
processes and keep abreast in
today’s ever changing business
world. “We always aim to give
the best quality of service
to our customers. Speed,
efficiency, safety, reliability and
cost effectiveness are Sharjah’s
USP’s that our customers enjoys.
We are flexible and responsive
to their needs and we make
every effort to exceed their
expectations,” he said.
Plans for 2015The year 2015 seems to be
challenging and economic
downtrend is expected to be
continue, which will affect the
business. However, the hopes
are highs. “2015 will be a
challenging year for all with
the downtrend expected while
we are hoping our processes
and service will attract
customers while they choose
preferred airport,” he
concluded.
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com18
FoCUS | airline
India is an opportunities hub
JASLeen KAur
Lufthansa Cargo has had
a very long association
with customers in the
Indian air cargo industry
ever since its launch in 1959.
The airline further grew with
its first freighter operations in
the 1970s. Lufthansa Cargo
is today offering 59 weekly
flights between India and
Europe including the services
of Lufthansa Passenger Airlines
and Austrian Airlines.
German all cargo carrier,
Lufthansa Cargo, posted an
operating profit of EUR 100
million in 2014, a significant
improvement over the EUR
79 million in 2013. The 2014
result stood out from the
competition and was achieved
in a challenging market
environment. The airline is
continuing to systematically
implement its Lufthansa Cargo
2020 future programme and
expects to raise earnings even
higher in the current year.
The latest success story
of Lufthansa Cargo in India
was scripted when the carrier
greeted India with ‘Namaste’.
The MD-11F with registration
D-ALCJ was the star of the
show at Indira Gandhi Airport
in Delhi recently, when the
freighter was launched. It was
named, ‘Namaste India’ as part
of a lavish ceremony attended
by Alexis von Hoensbroech,
For Lufthansa Cargo,
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 19
Could you highlight Lufthansa Cargo’s
operational profile in India? How many
freighters have you in service to and
out of India? What is the total capacity
that you lift?
We are quite committed to the Indian market
and have a very high focus. Our presence
at all the six major airports in India which
covers nearly 90 per cent of the international
freight clearly indicates our interest. We
operate on a weekly basis, 13 cargo flights
out of India beside freighter services from
our joint venture partner flights of Aerologic.
These flights are turnaround as well as shared
between two stations. Our current freighter
fleet covers Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad
and Chennai. Our total export uplift from India
is approx 55,000 tonnes per annum on all
passenger and cargo flights.
recently, the airline launched A380 in
India. Have you increased the belly cargo?
A380 has the highest load factor for passengers;
however, the same space in the belly is also
needed to accommodate passenger baggage.
We were already operating 747-800 before A380
operations out of Delhi, which is close to the
cargo load available on A380 with full load, so
there has been no major difference in the cargo
load factor.
What is your strategy to consolidate
your position in the Indian market?
Any connectivity plans? What is the
competitive advantage that Lufthansa
Cargo will have?
Lufthansa’s presence in India has been
for over 50 years which itself proves our
position in Indian market. It will not be out
of place to say that we brought the concept
of freighter services in India. Our flexibility
to operate flights on short notice is our
main strength and this gives us a
competitive advantage. We are
trying to develop and participate
in the road feeder service as this
can be a key support towards
connecting the smaller airports and air freight
stations as well.
What sectors you are looking at?
We see tremendous scope for the courier and
express industries to develop in India due to
the high value goods that are now getting
momentum. With the ‘Make in India’ initiative
started by India’s Prime Minister and more
global recognition, we feel that we will get a
boost due to various industries.
Are you worried about competition
from Middle east carriers?
Middle East carriers are developing at a fast
pace and we have developed steadily. We
are not worried about any competition but
are developing and strengthening our high
reliability without comprising on quality and
safety.
What are the future plans of Lufthansa
Cargo in India?
We have a company strategy until 2020 which
covers all the important segments, i.e., new IT
platform (iCAP), new cargo centre at Frankfurt
airport, developing more hubs at Munich and
Vienna airport, new fleet development (777),
e-Cargo, which will certainly support us in
every market, including India. We have plans
to develop a mini hub in India, if our own as
well as government policies allow for it. We
are also planning to develop and provide
regional connectivity from SAARC counties in
near future. We would also like to develop with
the strong Indian economy and feel a sense of
pride to be part of this development that has
had a direct impact on GDP growth.
What are your expectations from the air
cargo sector in India for the year 2015?
We expect 2015 to be slightly better than
2014 and especially more growth for
pharmaceutical products. India is likely to
touch 30 per cent share in the US by pharma
due to its total exports to the country. It is also
likely to further grow by 10 per cent next year.
Board Member Products & Sales
of Lufthansa Cargo, and Ashok
Gajapathi Raju Pusapati, union
minister of civil aviation.
“Trade and commerce are
the new parameters through
which relations between two
countries are now judged. India
and Germany share a strong
trade and commercial link,”
said Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Civil
Aviation Minister. Believing this,
Lufthansa has been committed
to the Indian market.
Considering the growth and
focus of Lufthansa Cargo in
the Indian market and sharing
a moment that is filled with
pride in ‘Namaste India’, Veli
Polat, regional Director,
South Asia and Middle
east, Lufthansa Cargo in an
interview with Jasleen Kaur
talks about Lufthansa Cargo’s
operations in India, expansion
plans, focused sectors,
competition and company’s
2020 strategy.
Type of Cargo2015-16 (In MMT)
2020-21 (In MMT)
2025-26 ( In MMT)
2030-31 (In MMT)
Domestic Cargo 1.63 2.8 4.54 6.9
International Cargo
2.29 4.18 7.12 11.29
Total Cargo 3.92 6.98 11.66 18.19
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com20
extensive network
Creating value through
InteRVIew | Martin drew
With over two decades of experience in the air cargo industry in multiple roles at leading airlines, Martin Drew comes into India to head the cargo division of India’s popular airline Jet Airways. Before joining Jet Airways, Drew was with Etihad Airways for nine years where he was head of freighters and business partnership. In April2014, he was chosen to head Jet Airways cargo division. As the vice president for cargo, Drew will report to the Chief Commercial Officer and has been entrusted with the responsibility of substantially increasing the airline’s cargo business taking advantage of the airline’s strategic partnership with Etihad. Martin Drew speaks to Reji John about the launch of freighter operations
in India and what it means to head cargo operations for Jet Airways in India.
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 21
What is the brief to you when you joined Jet
Airways to head its cargo division in India?
The mandate has been to enhance revenue,
leverage the strong Jet Airways brand and
strengthen the position of Jet Airways Cargo. A
particular focus area is to improve Cargo revenues
from the domestic market. Jet Airways’ domestic
network is vast, serving 50 Indian cities with around
400 flights each day. The overall capacity per day
is huge at around 650 tonnes. So the main focus is
to better optimize this capacity and enhance the
revenue this generates. Another key part of my
mandate is to work on the strategic partnership with
Etihad, and other interline partners by identifying
opportunities to work together and capitalize on the
synergies.
Please comment on the significance of the
launch of freighter operations in India by
Jet Airways and how do you personally
evaluate this event since you were given
this mandate less than a year ago?
Jet Airways will be the first privately owned Indian
passenger airline to operate a freighter, so this is a
huge milestone. Induction of the freighter is further
evidence that Cargo is a serious growth priority
at Jet Airways. The ability to offer main deck
capability complementing our extensive passenger
network will raise our profile making us even more
relevant to our customers. This development is not
only a major fillip for the Indian air cargo market,
but it also fully backs the Indian Government’s
“Make in India” strategy.
From a personal perspective, the last year with
Jet Airways has been incredibly enjoyable, we
have achieved a lot and launching the freighter
operations is certainly a high point. A lot of hard
work and effort has gone into making this happen
and it really was a team effort. I have to say the
Indian regulatory authorities have been very
helpful.
Where do you see the growth and revenue
coming from for Jet Airways Cargo?
We are certainly benefitting from the huge
demand increase in the domestic market. This is
primarily being driven by the thriving e-commerce
sector in the country. Year on year, we have seen
double digit growth in revenue on our domestic
network. Many of the major agents are key
customers and we have focused on how we can
do more with them as well as trying to capitalize
as much as we can on the growing e-commerce
sector. Another key area where we see improved
performance in the domestic market is in the
movement of valuables and in life sciences
products, which require specialized transportation.
We have also grown our business through
broader distribution and increased customer
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com22
engagement. We have launched a Global
Key Account programme increasing our
engagement with the largest global
forwarders and continue to build on our
strong relationships with the independent
forwarders. Furthermore, we have increased
revenues through the development of high
yield products, greatly increased focus on
partnership, a critical area in enabling us to
expand our network reach.
The launch of our freighter operations
will enhance our network offering, expand
the scope of services we offer, and inject
significant capacity helping us to further
boost our revenues and market presence.
What is your strategy and value
proposition for your Indian
customers?
With our extensive domestic network and
frequency we serve multiple segments
such as the express and courier industry,
auto parts, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals,
consumer goods, life science products,
valuables and perishables. We aim to
deliver greater value to customers of these
market segments by providing customized
solutions to transport their goods swiftly
and reliably. We continue to evaluate
opportunities to broaden our market scope
especially with flights where we compete
with other modes of transport.
As one of India’s major international
airlines with non-stop services to key
destinations, we are extremely well placed
to serve India’s growing economy and
support its trade and commerce within the
country and with international partners. We
are delighted to help facilitate the growth
of India’s pharmaceutical trade and work
closely with key customers
in this industry. Linking
India’s horticulture, and
agriculture industry’s
exports to major
markets, we take
pride in delivering
value to this vital part
of India’s economy.
We support the express
industry and its
customers providing timely, reliable and
consistent services. Similarly we bring
tangible value to multiple segments such
as garments, manufacturing, fashion and
valuables,
To further enhance the value we offer
our customers, we are soon launching
branded products to bolster our offering
in the express, valuables, life sciences,
and pharmaceuticals industries. We will
continue to strive to improve our services,
products and aspire to be the premier
cargo carrier in India.
What is your current assessment of
your operations in India?
We have steadily grown our business
in both the domestic and international
services with growth in tonnage, sizeable
increase in load factor, and strong yield.
Our distribution has expanded as has
our market segmentation. While we
have made much progress, we continue
to seek opportunities to improve not
only the quality of our revenue but also
the services and products we offer our
customers. We are working on ways to
boost performance on domestic flights.
As our business continues to grow,
we are working on ways to overcome
infrastructure challenges, and resource
constraints. We are making significant
investment to strengthen our operations
with additional manpower, equipment,
processes, etc. Our team of committed
and talented people has been
augmented with specific skill-sets
and more defined roles. Testifying
to our commitment to the Indian
market, our freighter operation
adds significant opportunity to expand
relationships with key customers as also
boost our contribution to India’s economy.
How do you remain competitive in
this market without undercutting
your margins?
From the yield perspective we are top-
end. We are very conscious about our cost,
very conscious about maximizing yield. I
think that is something we do very well and
we have improved further. Our product
offering, customer relationships, and
responsiveness allow us to be competitive
and offer excellent value to customers.
Providing services that offer strong value to
customers, focusing on those flights which
offer greatest potential to maximize yield,
as also on market segments that offer yield
premium, enables us to strengthen our yield.
What are the challenges in operating
in India?
India offers tremendous opportunities
and has massive potential. In certain
aspects infrastructure needs improvement.
At times the complexities of doing business
in India adds cost and reduces speed. It
is very encouraging to see the initiatives
the government is taking to address these
challenges... The Honorable Minister for
Civil Aviation has clearly expressed intent to
develop the air cargo sector.
How do you plan to build your
strategy on the back of the etihad
relationship?
Leveraging Etihad’s relationship with
the major multinational forwarders,
we have implemented our Global Key
Accounts programme. Combining with
Etihad, our network is very complimentary
and it is a very powerful proposition. We
have also worked closely to develop a
common product portfolio to better serve
our customers e.g. Fasttrack our express
offering. Products to be soon launched
include Safeguard for our valuables
customers, a life sciences product, and
pharmaceutical product.
Leasing the freighter from Etihad has
allowed us to bring this path-breaking
initiative to fruition relatively quicker and
with greater commercial solidity. Both
airlines have been able to feed into each
other’s networks to offer their customers
broader network reach, expanded
transport solutions, increased access to
hitherto untapped markets thus widening
customer choice. Our partnership benefits
and adds value to our customers as also
both partners.
InteRVIew | Martin drew
Vipan JainLufthansa Cargo
"The launch of our freight-er operations will enhance our network offering, ex-pand the scope of services we offer, and inject signifi-cant capacity helping us to further boost our revenues and market presence."
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 23
eVent | air Cargo ForuM india
Air Cargo Forum India
(ACFI) on comple-
tion of its successful
two years, organised
a full day seminar recently
in Delhi on the theme of
“transforming Indian airports
into international cargo
hubs”. Union Minister of Civil
Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi
Raju was the chief guest
and released ‘The Air Cargo
Forum India Yearbook’, which
contains articles written by
prominent names in the air
cargo industry.
ACFI has been actively
taking up various industry-re-
lated issues at various indus-
try forums and government
agencies. The symposium had
speakers from ministries to in-
dustry players; from corporate
shippers to research bodies;
who from different areas ad-
dressed issues related to the
future outlook of the air cargo
business, current challenges
being faced by the air cargo
supply chain and available
opportunities. However, the
focus of the seminar was on
the transformation of Indian
airports into international
cargo hubs with the adoption
of a more systematic ap-
proach, observing international
standards adopted at airports
worldwide and this can only
happen when the government
and industry work together.
Showing interest in devel-
opment of airports along with
the industry, the minister of
civil aviation said in his key
note address: “The future is
bright for the air cargo sector.
Infrastructure and airlines
have great role to play for
developing cargo hubs. Now
it is the right time to translate
ideas into actions. We (the
government) are eagerly look-
ing for ideas from the industry
players to work together. Let’s
work together to turn our
dreams into a reality.”
Pradeep Panicker, Presi-
dent, ACFI, said, “We welcome
the government’s intervention
into the airport developments.
We welcome the policies and
strategies streamlined by the
new government and the new
minister. The government is
taking up many issues related
to rules, regulations, proce-
dures, infrastructure, etc., for
review and change to make
them contemporary and in
tune with the requirements
of business and industry. This
will definitely enable India to
become a major player in the
global economy.”
The first panel discussion
on ‘government support for
developing air cargo hubs’
brought an air of optimism
in the convention hall, when
government representative
Renu Singh Parmar, Eco-
nomic Advisor, Ministry of Civil
Aviation, welcomed three key
issues from the air cargo fra-
ternity to be presented to the
government and for which
both the industry and govern-
ment will work together.
In another session moder-
ated by Sanjiv Edward, head,
cargo business, DIAL, Parmar
said, “Things need to be
streamlined and the govern-
ment is taking initiatives
for good infrastructure and
multimodal connectivity. We
are trying to solve hindranc-
es.” She announced that the
logistics board will meet the
finance minister Arun Jaitley
soon to launch a single win-
dow clearance soon.
“We are expecting stake-
holders to work on the effect
of developing hubs. Air freight
stations are likely to come
near manufacturing hinter-
land,” Parmar added.
Tulsi Mirchandani, manag-
ing director, Blue Dart Aviation
said: “Effective logistics distri-
bution system is required and
for this, strong connection is
vital. Mobile phones play a
great role in this regard. We
need to change the mind-set
from survival to growth. If
you have an efficient logistics
segment, you can contribute
more to the GDP of a country.”
EP Hareendranathan, ED,
cargo, Airports Authority of
India, said, “Smaller airports are
also required to handle cargo.
Transition is important. Parking
base is a constraint now.
Terminal is another problem. In
addition, there is a need to
reduce dwell time to one day.
For international operations,
international airports are
required.”
Govt and industry join hands to develop air cargo hubs
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com24
NEWS
Development of airports in small cities
DHL Express plans air cargo facility at Mumbai airport
AIrPOrTS AuTHOrITy OF InDIA (AAI) has undertaken
construction of small airports at five locations during 2014-
2015. These five locations are: Hubli and Belgaum in Karnataka,
Kishangarh in Rajasthan, Jharsuguda in Odisha and Tezu in
Arunachal Pradesh. A task force under the chairmanship of Joint
Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation has been constituted for
identification of other locations based on certain broad criteria such
as minimum population of 10 lakhs, tourism potential, commercial
viability details of the flight movements in the past, social
obligations etc.
Government of India is open to private participation in the
process of providing regional and remote area connectivity to
Tier-II and Tier-III cities through construction of small airports across
the country. However, such consideration depends upon various
factors such as willingness of the private players, commercial
viability, socio-economic responsibility of the government, support
from the concerned state governments etc.
DHL eXPreSS is planning to set
up its third air cargo terminal
facility in Mumbai, as it seeks
to increase its market share in
the domestic air cargo business.
The company, which has two
such facilities at Delhi and
Bengaluru airports, currently has
a share of about 50 per cent in
the domestic air cargo market,
handling one million shipments
a month. Its air network
comprises five dedicated
inter-continental freighters,
making 19 flights a week and
six freighters for domestic
connectivity through its group
company Blue Dart. In addition,
it uses belly space of over 60
commercial flights daily.
“We are looking for space
at Mumbai airport for such an
airside terminal. We recently
started a courier clearance
in Ahmedabad, which will
enable us to achieve better
efficiency to facilitate the
growing international trade
from Ahmedabad and Western
India,” R Subramanian, managing
" We will soon be opening a new service centre in Benguluru, which will be the third facility in the city"
R SuBRAMANIANDHL Express India
director, DHL Express India, said.
Its proposed terminal in Mumbai
and at other key locations
are part of the INR 2,097 crore
investment plans in India over
the next few years. “We have
a five-pronged strategy for
India aimed at developing free
trade houses, create specialised
industry verticals, offer products
specific to small enterprises,
cross-sell DHL brands and
invest in talent,” he said. To
strengthen these operations, DHL
is also expanding its network of
service centre facilities, opening
such units in Chandigarh,
Faridabad, Ludhiana, Mysore
and Sriperumbudur in the last 18
months.
“We will soon be opening
a new service centre in
Benguluru, which will be
the third facility in the city,”
Subramanian added. DHL,
which has developed expertise
in fashion logistics by delivering
fashion week events across 11
countries, is supporting the
Lakme Fashion Week that is
currently on. “Fashion logistics
is a complex affair. The dress or
ensemble that one sees on the
ramp passes through so many
hands across countries and
continents, before it takes the
final shape. The entire collection
has not only to arrive in time for
the show, but afterwards has to
be packed again and sent for
the next fashion week in Europe
and Tokyo,” he added.
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 25
NEWS
Oman Air inks pact with Cargolux for India cargo
Cathay Pacific to give Kolkata its second freighter serviceCATHAy PACIFIC AIrWAyS has
introduced freighter service in
Kolkata, boosting the city's trade
opportunities. The freighter
carries goods into Kolkata late
on Wednesday and Saturday
and lift cargo on Thursday and
Sunday. It operates a Boeing
747-400 aircraft with a capacity
of 100 tonne, but Kolkata's share
is likely to be 25 tonne because
it will go to Delhi first. At present,
only Qatar Airways operates a
freighter service on Wednesdays
and Fridays. Other airlines carry
cargo in the belly of passenger
aircraft as does Cathay Pacific
on its 140-plus planes.
Anand Yedery, Airline
regional cargo manager (South
Asia, Middle East and Africa),
said, "The service boosts cargo
not only to and from this
city but entire eastern India,
providing greater connectivity,
flexibility and access to the
world." Cargo James Woodrow,
Cathay Pacific director, said,
"India is a very important
market for us. The new Kolkata
service boosts the flow of
garments and food products
to and from India, taking
advantage of our world-class
facilities in Hong Kong to
connect to our comprehensive
global cargo network."
The cargo situation at
Kolkata airport is not very
bright with the state-of-the-
art facility remaining largely
unutilised. While there are
some exports primarily
leather goods to Europe and
the US and perishables like
fresh vegetables, frozen fish
and live crabs to Singapore,
Taipei, Beijing and Shanghai
the import quantum is poor.
"Kolkata used to import project
material like heavy machinery
and electronic equipment.
But that has gone down
substantially as industrial
activity has slowed down," a
source said.
OMAn AIr has signed a Letter of Intent with Cargolux Airlines
International S.A. to enable the freight specialist to use Oman air's
facilities in Muscat, Salalah and Sohar. The agreement includes the
launch of Cargolux's full freighter services from Luxembourg to India
via Oman on April 15. The formal signing of the pact will take place
when the first Cargolux flight arrives in Muscat on April 16.
The agreement signifies Oman Air's latest step in expanding its
cargo operations. It follows earlier initiatives by the national carrier
of the Sultanate, which includes the launch of the pan-GCC and
pan-European trucking services, and a joint cargo service with DHL
between Oman and Dubai.
Cargolux intends to increase the number of services it operates
to Oman during 2015 to several flights per week, with onward
connections to multiple Indian cities, including Chennai, Mumbai and
Hyderabad. Additional services to cities in India are being considered
and connections to China, Europe, Africa and the United States are also
planned.
In addition, Oman Air will provide Cargolux with access to the freight
capacity of its passenger fleet, which flies to 11 destinations in India and
three in Pakistan, as well as to destinations in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka. This will give the Luxembourg based carrier the opportunity to
feed consolidated freight to Oman from a number of larger markets.
India's first private airport to be operational soonCOunTry'S first private greenfield airport at Durgapur,
christened Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, promoted by Bengal
Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL), is likely to be operational
by April 14. "The final calibration of navigational aids
at the airport by Airport Authority is done. Now, we
expect to get final DGCA licence in a month," Alapan
Bandopadhyay, state transport secretary, said.
The West Bengal government has 1.2 per cent stake in
BAPL, and Singapore's Changi Airport is the single largest
shareholder in the airport. Bandyopadhyay said Pinnacle
Air, a non-scheduled airline, will begin its operations from
here four days a week connecting Bagdogra, Coochbehar,
Durgapur and Kolkata soon after getting license from DGCA.
BAPL managing director Partha Ghosh stated that the
company is in negotiations with IndiGo and GoAir for
scheduled flights for connecting Delhi-Durgapur including
Air India and non-schedule airline Air Coasta for connecting
southern cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore. Air Costa
may connect these two south Indian cities for four days
a week. However, the final agreement will depend on
concessions the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport offers.
The major concessions demanded by the scheduled
airlines are waiver of landing and takeoff fees, underwriting
minimum of seats and 30 per cent surcharge waiver for
ATF for a greater timeframe. State government has already
given a three-year waiver of surcharge on ATF for three
years to Andal, Coochbehar and Bagdogra airports.
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com26
NEWS
AISATS to set up Bengaluru’s first Coolport
InDIA’S PreMIer AIrPOrT SerVICeS
COMPAny, Air India SATS Airport Services
(AISATS), held a ground breaking ceremony
for Bengaluru’s first fully dedicated
perishable cargo handling centre, the
‘AISATS Coolport’, at Kempegowda
International Airport. The event was
inaugurated by Kaushik Mukherjee,
Honorable Chief Secretary, Government
of Karnataka, in line with the vision of
enhancing the State of Karnataka as the
Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and
Perishable hub of India.
A noteworthy distinction of this facility
is the provision of 135 KVA (approx) power
supply for its operations through solar
energy, a first for an air freight terminal
in India. Once completed, this exclusive
40,000 tonnes AISATS Coolport will cater
to a wide range of commodities such as
pharmaceutical products, fruits, vegetables
and flowers. The facility will be equipped
with a drug controller lab testing facility,
separate ripening zone, land-side truck-
docks, warehousing and re-distribution
centers, cold room facilities with different
temperature zones and a testing facility as
per Plant Quarantine requirements for EU
and US bound shipments. In addition, the
state-of-the-art AISATS Coolport will also
have humidity-control and temperature
monitoring facilities.
The event was inaugurated by Kaushik Mukherjee, Honorable Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka
DIAL to sell stake in Delhi Cargo
THe DeLHI InTernATIOnAL
AIrPOrT LIMITeD (DIAL), a
subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure, has
entered into a definitive agreement
to sell its entire stake of 26 per cent
of the equity capital of Delhi Cargo
Service Centre which operates cargo
operations at Delhi Airport, GMR
informed the exchanges. DIAL shall
sell its India Infrastructure Fund-II for
Rs 28.60 crore.
DIAL has agreed to sell its entire
holding of 1.09 crore equity shares
of face value of Rs 10 each, to India
Infrastructure Fund -II (investment
manager - IDFC Alternatives
Limited), for Rs 26.20 per share
aggregating a total consideration
of Rs 28.60 Crore, GMR said. The
consummation of share sale is
subject to fulfillment of certain
conditions precedent, GMR added.
Çelebi opens its newest station at Ahmedabad AirportMAInTAInInG its growth trajectory, Celebi, a global brand
that is embedded in the Turkish aviation sector, has opened
its latest station abroad in India at the Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel International Airport. It already provides services at the
Delhi and Mumbai airports. Celebi began its operations in
Ahmedabad by providing comprehensive services to the
flights of Vistara, the youngest airline in India, on December
10, 2014.
This service of Celebi constituted a significant first in
Indian civil aviation history, stressed a release, as it provided,
‘both ramp and terminal services for a local airline company
as a ground handler’. Celebi now provides comprehensive
services to Vistara in Mumbai as well as Ahmedabad. With
Ahmedabad, Celebi has increased its number of stations,
where it provides ground handling and/or cargo and
warehouse services to 6 abroad, and 37 in total.
APRIL - JUNE 2015| www.acaainews.com 27
NEWS
GVK MIAL meets e-freight compliance standards
FIEO elects new president
Etihad Cargo launches TempCheck
THe InTernATIOnAL AIr TrAnSPOrT
ASSOCIATIOn (IATA) rated the GVK-
Mumbai International Airport (GVK MIAL)
as e-freight compliant for adopting
paperless initiatives at the air cargo
operations in Mumbai. GVK MIAL has been
supporting the e-freight initiative since
the announcement by IATA and has been
actively involved leading the way with the
initiation of e-reception and online carting
order issuance.
In 2014, GVK decided to go ahead with
elimination of hard copy of the Airway
Bill at export cargo acceptance, thus
becoming the first airport operator in India
to achieve this milestone. Subsequently,
paperless air freight handling has been
successfully introduced at various critical
levels of cargo terminal operation both in
BIAL and MIAL. Thereafter, GVK MIAL went
a step further and began implementing
other initiatives such as Advance Shipment
Information in exports; Online Delivery
Order message for Master Airway Bill
and House Airway Bill in imports, and
Automated Vehicle Token generation in
exports to provide real time updates of
cargo vehicles.
eTIHAD CArGO unveiled
TempCheck, its new cargo
solution created to ensure the
integrity of all temperature-
sensitive pharmaceutical and
healthcare products as they
are transported around the
world. All temperature-sensitive
pharmaceutical products,
including blood plasma, tablets,
medicines and anaesthetics,
must be kept within different
temperature ranges in
compliance with industry
and regulatory guidelines, to
ensure the products retain their
integrity and are protected from
degradation due to exposure
to heat and cold during the
transportation process.
Supervised by trained and
experienced service teams
and ground handling staff,
TempCheck incorporates the
latest equipment, processes and
operating procedures that keep
all pharmaceutical products
within a temperature controlled
environment at every stage of
the journey, from the cool room
facility to the ramp, and from
the aircraft to the customer.
said: “Over the last two years
we have seen tremendous
growth in the amount of
pharmaceutical products we
have successfully transported
over our hub in Abu Dhabi as
we continue to expand our
passenger and cargo networks,”
said David Kerr, Etihad Airways
Vice President Cargo.
To meet this increasing
demand, Etihad Cargo has
also upgraded its temperature
controlled storage facilities in
Abu Dhabi, and has refurbished
its existing cool rooms to
meet pharmaceutical-safe
specifications. Extensive new
purpose-built facilities are also
being established and are
scheduled to come online in
2015, prior to the summer period.
Etihad Cargo offers a
combination of belly-hold
capacity and main-deck
freighter services to 111
destinations internationally,
operated by a fleet of 111
passenger and freighter
aircrafts.
S C rALHAn was elected as the new
president of Federation of Indian Export
Organisations (FIEO). He was earlier the
Regional Chairman (Northern Region)
of the federation. Ralhan is one of
the leading exporters of North India
with over four decades of experience
in exports. He represents the hand
tools sector of exports. He was also
the Regional Chairman of Engineering
Export Promotion Council from 1998 to
2011. He has also been the President
of Ludhiana Hand Tools Association,
Ludhiana since 1996.
A widely travelled and experienced
exporter, Ralhan has been associated
with trade and trade bodies to redress
the problems of manufacturer exporters
in general and merchant exporters with
the ministry of commerce, director
general of foreign trade, ministry of
steel and ministry of MSME, various state
governments, Reserve Bank of India and
other banks. He has also represented as
a Member in Zonal Advisory Committee
of Customs and Excise and State Level
Export Promotion Committees.
APRIL - JUNE 2015 | www.acaainews.com28
Vistara launches flights to Guwahati & Bagdogra
Qatar airways to increase capacity to Bengaluru
Cathay Pacific appoints new cargo managers
VISTArA has started flights
to eastern and north-eastern
parts of India, with an intention
to operate daily flights on the
Delhi-Guwahati-Bagdogra-Delhi
route.
“We’ve had lots of
customers asking us to fly
to the Eastern India over
the past month, so we’re
delighted to launch this new
route in response to the
customer demand.
The addition of this
route reaffirms our
commitment to promote
regional connectivity in
India, and contribute to the
government’s efforts to
boost trade and opening
"We’ve had lots of customers asking us to fly to the Eastern India over the past month, so we’re delighted to launch this new route in response to the customer demand"PHEE TEIK YEOHVistara
up development avenues for
people in these regions,” said
Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO, Vistara.
Flying to far-flung areas is
critical for Vistara as the full-
service airline run by Tata SIA
Airlines is looking at flying to
international cities in the next
two years. Reuters recently
reported that Vistara has plans
to expand its fleet size and start
flying to overseas destinations
within two years, citing its chief
executive officer.
Vistara is a joint venture
between Tata Sons and
Singapore Airlines (SIA) with
Tata Sons holding the majority
stake of 51 percent in the
company and SIA holding
the remaining 49 percent.
Vistara now flies from Delhi
to six destinations Mumbai,
Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad,
Guwahati and Bagdogra. It
will soon commence flights to
Pune. With five aircraft already
in operations, Vistara’s fleet will
grow to six this month and nine
by the end of this year.
QATAr AIrWAys is continuing its expansion plans
in India with a significant increase in capacity on
its flights from Doha to Bengaluru from August this
year to meet the increasing passenger demand on
the route.
Currently Qatar Airways operates a Boeing 787 on
the Doha Bengaluru route with 254 seats. Starting
August 1, the Boeing 787 will be replaced by a
Boeing 777, with a capacity of 335 seats, which will
connect to more than 140 destinations worldwide via
the airline’s state-of-the-art hub in Doha.
“The strengthening of the DohaàBengaluru route
reflects increased passenger demand and reaffirms
our continuous expansion strategy for the Indian
market. India is growing as an economic hub and
shows enormous potential, and our growth strategy
has always stressed the significance of the Indian
market where we plan to seek even more capacity
and increase frequency on existing routes,” said Group
chief executive of Qatar Airways Akbar Al Baker.
Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777 has been designed
to ensure that its passengers can fly long distances
while immersed in complete comfort and enjoy the
five-star airline’s legendary hospitality.
TArun SeTHI has been
appointed Cathay Pacific
Airways’ Cargo Manager for
Karnataka, while J Sajeev
Kumar has been appointed
manager for Tamil Nadu
and Kerala regions. They
will oversee cargo sales and
revenue for Cathay Pacific
and will be responsible
for the development and
execution of cargo sales
strategy for their respective regions.
Sethi joined Cathay Pacific as Cargo
Manager for Bengaluru in 2008, before
moving to Mumbai in 2009 to oversee
cargo sales and operations for Western
India. With the launch of twice weekly
freighters to Bengaluru in August
2011, Sethi moved back to Bengaluru
as Cargo Manager for Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh and was instrumental
in setting up Cathay Pacific Cargo in
Hyderabad for Sales and Services. In
2014, he moved to Chennai to oversee
the cargo operations for Tamil Nadu
and Kerala.
Kumar has been in the aviation
Industry since 1993 and has worked
with Srilankan Airlines GSA in Kerala
in various capacities. In 2003 joined
Cathay Pacific GSA overseeing Kerala
region’s business development and
later on moved to Hyderabad as
Regional Manger of Andhra Pradesh
for Cathay Pacific Passenger and Cargo.
In 2007, moved to Chennai and took
over Cathay Pacific Cargo GSA Sales
for the Southern region. He joined
Cathay Pacific Cargo, Chennai as
Account Manger in October 2010. In
2012, Kumar was appointed as Cargo
Manager for Andhra Pradesh to oversee
sales and cargo operations in this
region based in Hyderabad.
TARuN SETHI J SAJEEV KuMAR
NEWS
Organized ByMake sure to be there.
Organized ByMake sure to be there.
Betting Big on
Make in india
FEBRUARY 201623 24 25
INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL NETWORKING CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
[email protected]/[email protected]/ACI2016
CONTACTAVAIL EARLY BIRD RATEbooK NoW
Organized by
Sensing beyond