THE NEED to strengthen multi-modal partnerships between air carriers and road transport operators is a crucial issue for airlines today, says Ram Menen, Emirates senior vice-president cargo. Companies that expect to grow in the ever-changing global economy will not only have to work closely with their partners but need to bring their back offices into the 21st century, he says. Menen was addressing a forum of top air cargo executives at the Air Cargo Americas International Congress in Miami recently, where he received the ‘Achievement Award for Excellence in Promoting East-West Trade.’ “Conditions that have harassed worldwide cargo, including the decelerated US economy, have exposed the vulnerability of companies with deep inefficiencies and weak business cases,” he said. “The business models best suited to adjust distribution capacity and frequencies swiftly in the face of shifting world markets are those with built-in agility. This requires a distribution network made up of a diverse range of partners, linking air, sea, rail and trucking entities.”
