“Yes – we did it - !” We, leisure cargo and ABDA Airline Services – had a joint stand at the recent TIACA forum in the Malaysian Capital. The global forum and exhibition is taking place every 2nd year and the venue is rotating inside the Triade. The initiative and preparation was primary local Asian; ABDA-management and Karin Rohnstock in Duesseldorf organized an ideal mix of showcase and meeting point.
The forum and exhibition has been criticised in the media – maybe simply because most of the leading airlines of the world and key logistics providers did not show up. Well – this fact gave us at leisure cargo and our partners ABDA an even better platform to communicate, shake hands and - to “network”.
 
42 air carriers had their products on display, 41 airports also from all over the world, 25 brokers or GSA’s offered their respective services and 23 ground handling specialists of all sizes. Further there were 22 airframe- or IT hardware technology companies, 12 express and logistics providers respectively and 14 consulting firms of all sizes and offering a wide range of knowledge or help. Seven stands were presenting political institutions of different fields and continents and seven mayor players showed their success in the development of real estate as well as constructions dedicated to air cargo. Finally – the trade press from the US, Europe and Asia demonstrated its awareness and presence in the international airfreight industry.

The perfect location of stand 312 at the beginning of one of the two exhibition halls, the catchy design with two pretty hostesses handing out information- and advertising material and the people covering the booth made it a meeting point par excellence.

Zainal, Ralf-Rainer, Rajan and Christian were kept busy greeting visitors, exchanging ideas and having a number of high level talks inside the pavilion. The massive presence of the absolutely most international group of ABDA managers from all countries – together with the All American power team of leisure cargo made it a global coverage “The United Nations of ABDA-leisure cargo”.

Zainal met politically important personalities from the country itself and the region while Ralf-Rainer Auslaender met some of the most aggressive GSAs from all over the world. You can’t miss Christian Weidener – as tall as he stands – even during the turbulence at 12:50 h on the 5th of November when Barack Obama was officially presented as incoming US-president. The WFS – stand was crowded all day – no wonder because the global airport handling company flew in oysters, goose-liver and cheese from France every day. And the respective wines of course.

Our managers from The Americas made personal contacts with smaller but effective airlines operating on routes that can be used as suitable feeders for leisure Transatlantic. Eric Ginebra and Erik Fraenkel made contacts with an upcoming carrier promising additional business through-routed on one air waybill between Central America and Southeast Asia. And finally the feedback has to be mentioned that went back and forth by E-mails and fax since everybody returned to Vancouver, Miami, San José, New York, Barcelona and Duesseldorf. Christian discussed operational details with Khun Yuthana in Bangkok on the way back.

The parallel conference and several workshops in the plenary hall upstairs were interesting and one would have loved to attend one or the other completely – but there is an old German saying – “you can only dance at one wedding at a time.”

In our memory Kuala Lumpur will remain the capital of airfreight for a while – and ABDA-management and staff the creators of a great global event. This by the way can also be said about the after duty activities; Asian hospitality in the elegant and modern – absolutely international – atmosphere of a great city – with the most impressive and stylish construction, “The Petronas Twin Towers” -breath taking – compliments and thanks to our hosts.

Guenter F. Mosler

Condor joining - leisure cargo - Alliance

The “Condor”- board has decided to have leisure cargo manage its entire airfreight business from November on. The decision is new – but there have been bilateral conversations for quite some time; Thomas Cook Airline, Belgium is a mandate carrier of leisure cargo since a while already.
The present still service provider of Condor - Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary “cargo counts” - has recently announced to close down by the end of the year. For the time being leisure cargo is managing the entire “airfreight product line” for 19 touristic oriented and low cost carriers, at home mostly in Europe but also in Mexico and Venezuela. The “virtual airline” has carried 27.000 tons of cargo during the first half of 2008 and turned over EUR 28.6 million. With Condor coming on board and the new opportunities – especially on long-haul routes – management conservatively expects some 21.000 additional tons per year.
Knowing the efficiency of the Frankfurt sales-team and the high service quality constantly carried out by Aviapartner one could estimate the total tonnage of leisure cargo in 2009 to be around 83.000 tons.
The Condor decision came at short notice, so recruiting of additional staff in FRA and expanding office space will push the existing lean staff into some overtime for a while.

Condor started flying in March of 1956 “Pilgrim flights to Jerusalem” with two Vickers Viscount. The brand got commonly known like did LTU in the vacation orientated market. Both airlines somehow always did the same thing at the same time – also looking at Cargo with growing belly space on the new and bigger aircraft. Still “freight“ has remained kind of a stepchild until the early nineties. Condor was under the wings of Lufthansa for many years and Condor Cargo became one of these by-products – nobody really took notice of. The airline went through an ownership merry-go-round for a long time and ended up in Europe´s most prominent tourist conglomerate, Thomas Cook.

Today the popular and highly regarded carrier flies to approx. 90 destinations with a mixed fleet of some 35 aircraft. Africa, 15 locations are on the map between the Canary Islands and Mauritius, in the Americas Condor flies to 20 places from Alaska to Venezuela. And in Asia the airline touches ground frequently at four airports between Dubai and Phuket. Of course remains Europe and the Mediterranean key destinations the most important market. leisure cargo will book and carry freight of all kind to and from approx. 50 cities between Oslo and Larnaca.

Of course are many of the mentioned places in the four continents already served by one or the other of the 19 airlines under the umbrella of leisure cargo. But this upcoming add-on densifies the network and allows a number of new opportunities for the extremely flexible and innovative sales & service team. Bookings for all Condor flights after November 01, 2008 can be placed through the leisure cargo network since the 1st of October.
After the takeover of LTU and leisure cargo by air berlin intercontinental  business was concentrated at three hubs – i.e. Berlin, Duesseldorf and Munich – now its Frankfurt’s turn. Many long-haul flights are added to the local portfolio.  The station is a re-known spotter of opportunities and their respective realization - simply in creating airfreight where there actually is none.
All members of the global organization of leisure cargo are giving the new brand a warm welcome and are ready to integrate the numerous flights into the existing successful network.

leisure cargo will be in Kuala Lumpur in early November – stronger than ever before – and management members from Duesseldorf and of ABDA Aviation, the successful representative of the product line in a number of key markets will be pleased to welcome business friends and news-readers on stand 312.

Frankfurt is going to be upgraded after November 1st – new and additional routes will be available again. Ralf Riksen, right, who is going to get more freight into the warehouse is preparing our handling partners for additional work.

… and that is exactly what was done on a beautiful summer-evening in house and garden of our boss´s family in Mettmann – near Duesseldorf. It is a tradition in Germany to have a party when turning fourty, fifty or sixty and so on – we call them “round” birthdays – and that´s what they turn out to be.
We talk about 80 guests; more Auslaender family members, private friends, neighbours and the entire leisure cargo Management and staff from Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Duesseldorf including Finance and Administration. Plus – what made the beautiful event a global one – RRA´s closest business partners from the Americas, Asia and several European countries. They had come to congratulate. Unbelievable - ! This private party almost had the standing and magnitude of the annual sales meetings of the organization that will take place again in December of 2009.

But business was kept at low key – although there were some interesting news circulating among the insiders on that 30th of August of 2008.

Sabine Auslaender and Ralf-Rainer are outstanding hosts. Absolutely mandatory also to mention, that their kids, Michelle and Marc – as well as his friend Frederik did an excellent job at the bar, in coordinating many things and performing logistics – on several floors, the house and the garden – quick.
Nobody fell into the pool, many were a little tipsy after one and the other visit at the bar – local cabbies rubbed their hands – they liked the event and site that night.

Management Secretary Karin Rohnstock and FRA Sales Manager Ralf Riksen had a secret in common before the party; Sabine and Ralf Auslaender were invited to take a hot air balloon ride one of these days – as a surprise present from leisure cargo staff – “Up Up and away”.

What else - ? Well; excellent food, prepared “en face”, a very good draft beer and wines handpicked by RRA. Four or five charming and efficient young ladies performed a service under these not always easy “geographical circumstances” in the dark; this team deserves a special compliment.

Two musicians – the chronicler could not find out so far who had spotted them before – played and sang very nice on a soft background cushion. The number and variety of instruments was remarkable – Latin Drums, S alto Sax, Square flute, Dujeridoo and the rare Soprano Sax of Sidney Bechet – looking rather like a Clarinet. Very nice performance, a good voice and fine selection of pieces.

What else could “The Chronicler” tell about an evening to remember for a long time. A private party with the welcome side effect to tie the leisure cargo world even closer together and to keep interhuman relations at a level where they should be and where management wants them. No electronic digital conversation there in Mettmann - but “look into my eyes” baby.

Guenter F. Mosler

A bar is a bar and whatever you see is – what takes place in a bar when people are celebrating. There was reason enough for that and as you can see – it was hilarious, good drinks, a lot of fun and “familiarization” pure. Team Spirit at its finest - !

Here they come. Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg and the entire DUS staff. Amazing, how personal, family-like this company is run. Maybe this is one of the key elements “that make the difference”.

Hard to believe; J.J. Ong and Zainal from Kuala Lumpur, Rajan from Vancouver made it to personally express their appreciation to RRA at his 50th. The number of photos showing the friend from Latin America, the USA, a number of European countries and Sri Lanka by far exceeds the possibilities here. A truly international, a global event on a private occasion. Just Great - !

Management Secretary Karin presents the surprise gift to Sabine and Ralf accompanied by soft elegant music. Nor Franky´s “Fly me to the Moon” – simply because the time it takes. But “Beautiful Balloon”. A great idea and graciously accepted present

Together with ABDA Aviation Sdn Bhd  leisure cargois going to show flag at the 24th International Air Cargo Forum and Exhibition. A well planned and perfectly designed stand in an outstanding location in the exhibition hall is going to provide ideal conditions for “networking” and competent information. Management members of both partner-companies are going to be present during most of the time on 4th, 5th and  6th of November, 2008 in the Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Air Cargo Forum was created as a bi-annual summit of the entire airfreight industry by the American Association of Automotive Engineers in 1960. After TIACA – The International Air Cargo Association – was established as the real mouthpiece of all concerned along the transportation chain – “cargo by air” – and the organization took the forum over. One of the rules created early already is that the venue rotates around the world hopping from continent to continent. High calibre actors in our industry are speaking during the conference, expert workshops are held with panel discussions and also among the attendees are always numerous top executives of airlines, logistics providers, airports and handling companies. Of course do government institutions participate as well as the aircraft and IT industry. IATA will come up with news; security will be a major subject as will the fuel hype and e-freight. No doubt; the Forum is the summit of the airfreight-industry.

We will talk to customers like global freight forwarders who regularly delegate their head office management to the event. But we will also see top-executives of the established and start-up carriers. Since this time the forum is taking place in KUL where one of our strongest partners and associates has its home office – it is an outstanding opportunity to close ranks and present the unique “virtual airline” to demonstrate strength as well as success and to seek ways jointly to master the endless number of problems the airfreight industry is confronted with these days.
We look forward to welcoming you at the leisure cargo – ABDA booth number   312 in the Exhibition hall 1 & 2; be it just for a cup of coffee or to discuss one or the other matter of mutual interest. See you then !

Guenter F. Mosler

A warm welcome in the leisure cargo family to a young dynamic airline based in Monterey, northern Mexico. Aladia Aviacion is the flying wing of a major travel organization offering budget flights throughout Mexico itself and some international routes into the US. The start-up carrier is positioned in the low cost segment of the Mexican tourist market and its fleet presently consists of three Boeing B 757 200 with a cargo capacity of three to five tons – depending on pax-load factor and weather conditions.

Our Managing Director, Ralf-Rainer Auslaender and the Regional Director Erik Fraenkel based in San José/Costa Rica finalized negotiations with ALADIA CEO Andres Engels earlier this year; meanwhile the operation is in full swing.

Air cargo connections between “the world” so to say and the north of Mexico greatly depended on US-hubs and Mexico City – but with the economical development and increased demand the volume grew steeply and led to congestions and delays.

Again – like in several other markets – leisure cargo created a practical system, combining domestic with long haul European flights – plus a refined road feeder network inside the country remarkably improving cargo service levels for the mentioned region. Key intercontinental airport is Cancun on the Caribbean peninsula of Yucatan where air berlin and several other leisure cargo carriers offer high frequency transatlantic connections.

Eric Ginebra, President of Caribe Cargo - our GSA in Mexico and the Dominican Republic was the driving force in the innovative trade lane. He is proud that in close cooperation with Aladia, with the executives of OMA – the airport organization running 13 north central airports, a selected handful of truckers and the airfreight agents the system is very useful to shippers and consignees. And that the capacities offered are in high demand and close to 100 % utilization already.

Guenter F. Mosler

One of the three B 577s presently operating under the new logo in our colorful kaleidoscope – ALADIA based in Monterey/Mexico. The fleet operates between several of the Mexican economic clusters and the United States. ALADIA-leisure cargo key connecting point is Cancun.

These two gentlemen fixed the agreement to the benefit of both parties – and the foreign trade community in major parts of Mexico; Andres Engels CEO of ALADIA, right and our Managing Director Ralf-Rainer Auslaender. Best possible mutual understanding through personal meetings. This scenery is high above Monterey.

The simple fact that the recent press conference in Monterey was so well visited documents how important international air cargo connections are for the Mexican trade and industry – not only in the capital. The picture shows the three teams offering the innovative “airlift”; OMA, the port authority, leisure cargo and Caribe Cargo of Mexico.

“Showing Flag in Izmir” – leisure cargo invited Agents

Turkey is changing its priorities since a number of years already. Several different industries have developed faster than in other countries in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The nations economy and foreign trade are booming. Roads, railroad-routes, ports and airports are busy and even congested once in a while; it is perfect timing now to show flag and speak-up for leisure cargo. Area-Sales Manager Zeki Gueler and his crew carefully planned and organized an agents promotion recently and all 32 airfreight agencies around attended the function – either the owners themselves or the respective aircargo product management.

The program was well composed and the location ideally selected – the prestigious Izmir Moevenpick Hotel. A professionally composed power point presentation of an acceptable half an hour length followed a welcome cocktail. After a question and answer session the guests stayed for an international several courses dinner in an outstanding ambience and with tasteful decor in a separate room on the banquet floor of the hotel.

“We have not only presented our product line, as well as the people being active in several hubs of leisure cargo; I am convinced that we were able to also create a new kind of personal and friendly level of understanding and confidence between the customers and our own people. And last but not least we could feel that the cargo-family of Izmir was enjoying the event also as a forum to exchange business and private opinion – as can be seen on the pictures.” – resumes Zeki Gueler. “We will do it again; maybe also in other parts of our extensive market.”

leisure cargo – management was represented by Operations Director, Christian Weidener, who had several opportunities to comment new details of ownership of our virtual airline and the scope of mandate carriers under the umbrella - in private conversations with some of the prominent guests.

Guenter F. Mosler

leisure cargo extending scope of services

After thorough research and feasibility studies a cooperation agreement has been signed these days to add an “express – service” to the leisure cargo product line. The partner is “time:matters” a subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo AG with headoffice in Neu Isenburg near the airport in Frankfurt.

Air-Berlin flights and a number of key airports have been selected for the starting period; the service will gradually be extended to the entire network of the Air-Berlin family – so to say – to finally cover the world of leisure cargo.

Time:matters is undoubtly “high end” in the express market offering same day, emergency deliveries – always ready to take the fire-brigade part in cases when a certain supply chain had a weak or slow link. The customers of time:matters are shippers and consignees in high valued or otherwise extremely time-conscious fields of global trade, manufacturing or scientific research for example. Airlines are regular clients with their aircraft on ground shipments, freight forwarders – and other courier- and express labels.

time:matters is top in every respect – and the partnership with leisure cargo is confirming the high quality standards the “virtual airline” is offering the market – on one hand and the 19 airlines being managed under the umbrella.

The global trade press has positively reported about the recently commenced cooperation and the fact - one more time - that leisure cargo is widely considered respectfully as a dedicated cargo carrier – although doing the job without an own fleet.

Both partners have begun to coordinate the respective IT-solutions to even improve speed and reliability of the service. Christian Weidener Director Operations in leisure cargo is confident that this prime cooperation product is

going to soon be an integrated part of the groups´ scheme of dedicated – “ sharp on time” services.

Guenter F. Mosler


time:matters packages are typically of small size and weight – they are mostly bulk-loaded because of the critical time-frame and they do require continuous special attention throughout their life time and under custody of leisure cargo.

In general most of the airfreight moved by leisure cargo is time critical anyway because the 19 airlines – either in the low cost or holiday segment of the business – are extremely conscious about the ground- and turnaround time of the operating fleet. Most of the short- and medium haul routes are bulk-loaded like this Skyeurope flight in Amsterdam.

Last minute action in an aircraft to aircraft ramp operation typical for Air-Berlin. Service quality check on the tarmac. Here – Christian Weidener, center, looking after certain procedure details together with local handling management.
Time is money indeed.

Aviapartner

It is commonly known that Frankfurt is a key station in the leisure cargo network when it comes to the handling of perishables. This includes tons of luxury gourmet commodities to many destinations in Europe as well as in Asia, imports of flowers as well as fruits and vegetables. But probably the most urgent export cargo from this key airport is a variety of newspaper, magazines and journals to serve German speaking vacationers somewhere in the sun. Who wants to read outdated newspapers - ?

This alone demands an extremely accurate ground handling job – and there are many more commodities coming in or going out to or from the big ten or so among the global logistics providers as well as numerous top agencies - smaller but not easy going at all. This is an extremely competitive market with far over a hundred carriers right in the middle of the European air cargo cake.

leisure cargo with its 19 airlines and a total tonnage of 45.000 tons last year is not among the high weight airlines of the world – so an ideal partner for the ground handling at a place like Frankfurt must not be the biggest one either.

But the best one.

After thorough studies, evaluations and negotiations Aviapartner Cargo was selected by leisure cargo, the respective long term contract was signed in late 2007 by Christian Weidener, Director Operations, starting January 01, 2008.

At the same time Ralf Riksen and the sales- and service team moved from the old promises in a building of the former giant handling company Fraport Cargo Services into the smaller Aviapartner office complex adjacent to the warehouse.

“Short distances, quick communication, personal touch; an outstanding set-up helping to provide an even better overall service quality to our clients. This is exactly what we consider our marketing strategy – and rest assured – we even try harder in the future” – stated Ralf Riksen in his informal table speech.

leisure cargo does not make quick from-the-hip decisions; this one was well planned and it proves the right one economically and service-wise.

Here are a couple of shots of the opening party attended by about 150 agents, interline partners and other business friends. Outstanding barbecue, salads and sweets – but a beer of course as well and nicely served soft drinks. An event one likes to remember.

The successful FRA-sales & service team – from left to right: Michael Barthel, Alexander Schmidt, Patricia Reuter, Sarah Scheibe, Wolf-Ruediger Johl, in charge for the ground operation and Ralf Riksen, Sales Manager for the region.

Not really getting married – but the two partners trust each other and enjoy the combination of leisure cargo and Aviapartner in Frankfurt. Ralf Riksen presenting a bouquet of flowers to Oliver Riedel, Manager Frankfurt, center and Andreas Haeder, his Assistant in running the operational side. Appreciation and the will to jointly do an excellent job marks the momentum during the house warming party.		Keith Purdom, Cargo Manager Central and Southern Europe for Aviapartner welcoming the new partner under his roof. Right, seated, is Ralf-Rainer Auslaender, Managing Director leisure cargo based in Duesseldorf.
Ready to go and even try harder.