Airfreight industry has ducks in a row for world cup onslaught

THE FORTHCOMING cricket world cup - and the thousands of people expected to arrive in SA for the contest - should have no impact on airfreight business, according to Aletta Hutton, executive manager for marketing and sales with SAA Cargo. The national carrier has had extensive discussions with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the space requirements expected for the event, she told FTW, “and have planned properly.” On the international airways, Hutton sees no problems at all. “Indeed,” she said, “if Boeing 747s are put on certain routes to cope with the extra passenger volumes, this could actually offer more cargo space.” On the domestic scene, Hutton recognises that there will probably be extra baggage demands on certain flights, but SAA has a contingency plan to overcome any odd problems which might occur here and there. “Any freight capacity shortage can be sorted out by the overnight freighter services,” she said. The extra security measures should also hold no gremlins for freight, according to a spokesman for the Airports Company of SA (ACSA). These have already been in place for the Christmas holiday season passenger boom, FTW was told, and have gone off without any spanners being thrown into either the passenger or freight works. The only problem about the competition, according to our contacts, is whether the SA Proteas are going to be able to hold off the rampant Aussie cricket XI - and bring another world cup to SA.