Airlink brings on freighters to serve growing Africa market

Africa’s poor road
infrastructure bodes well
for airfreight that can
transport cargo quickly and
efficiently to any destination,
said Alwyn Rautenbach, CEO of
Airlink Cargo.
“Africa is set to continue
expanding at a high pace,
contributing to higher freight
growth than the rest of the
world,” Rautenbach told FTW.
“Increased production of
natural resources contributes
to an increase in traffic flow
and therefore an increase in
airfreight.”
According to Rautenbach, this
growth has led Airlink Cargo
to provide a freighter aircraft
specifically targeted at servicing
Africa’s diverse needs – from the
express to the perishable market.
“We are in the process of
converting a second aircraft into
a freighter and that will be ready
shortly. The plan is to convert
a number of freighter aircraft
to service the expansion of
airfreight into Africa.”
Airlink Cargo is also working
towards the Iata e-freight
strategy of going paperless, he
said. By having an electronic air
waybill and a total warehouse
solution in place the plan is to go
paperless in the very near future.
The company has identified
Mozambique, Zambia and
Madagascar as immediate
growth markets but is also
targeting Botswana, Namibia and
Lesotho.
According to Rautenbach
they are set to expand to
Namibia with the introduction
of a Windhoek route from
Johannesburg set to commence
soon.
“The African market has
grown to be extremely important
and attractive to investors due
to a number of development
opportunities and current
developments under way in the
mining and industrial industries.
This has positive spin-offs for
airfreight transport, as delivery
of supplies is a key factor for
the successful operation of these
companies.”
He said it was important that
the airfreight industry addressed
challenges around aero-political
issues which can make expansion
of route networks difficult. “The
challenge arises from resistance
to the adoption of the open
skies principles as agreed in the
Yamoussoukro agreement.”