Cargo capacity expected to grow 10% in 2001
Leonard Neill
FEBRUARY 1 saw the introduction by Air France of its new equation product worldwide, providing for express parcel handling in four versions.
These include airport to airport, door to door, airport to door and door to airport. Parcels are accepted without prior reservations up to 90 minutes before take-off, with 180 minutes required for shipments needing special handling. Incoming parcels are ready for collection 90 minutes after arrival and
a money-back guarantee applies under certain
conditions. South African clients are assured of rapid transhipment in Paris to other destinations.
Equation is one of four products introduced by Air France Cargo, the others being dimension for groupage cargo, cohesion which meets the needs of firms making regular just-in-time shipments, and variation for transport goods requiring specialised expertise such as perishables, animals, valuables and hazardous materials.
Faced with the creation of powerful groupings - postal, express parcels, logistics and air transport activities - airlines and freight forwarders will be forced to forge closer ties in order to meet the needs of major customers and shippers in terms of quality of service, availability and shipment tracking.
This, says Air France Cargo, was the background to the signing of an agreement between themselves, as the world's fourth biggest cargo carrier, and Kuehne & Nagel, the world's fourth biggest freight forwarder and supply-chain manager.
New terminals worldwide are essential to meet
the growing needs of
air freight, and Air France Cargo will move into Korean's new terminal in New York on May 1, 2001 as part of its development programme in this direction.
Its cargo capacity in both freighters and combi holds is forecast to grow 10% in 2001.
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