Airlink scores paperless first

As everyone in the SA airfreight industry rushes to link up to the SA Revenue Service’s (Sars) new electronic data interchange (EDI) system for customs’ cargo releases, Airlink is the proud bearer of the title of being the first airline to be up-andconnected. Airlink and its cargohandling sister company, Airlink International Cargo (AIC) – which also acts for Air France/ KLM cargo subsidiary, Martinair – have both linked in to the Sars set-up via the Compu-Clearing freight system, according to AIC MD and chairman of the Air Cargo Operators’ Committee, Alwyn Rautenbach. “It’s an historic number one for us,” he told FTW, “and it’s working well. We can now arrange customs releases directly with Sars, and enjoy all the benefits of this instantaneous connection.” And the big bonus, Rautenbach added, is the sheer speed of clearance using this Compu-Clearing facilitated link-up. “It now takes us about an hour to get a release,” he said, “as opposed to anything up to a day under the old manual system.” And Compu-Clearing chairman Arnold Garber described the difference between the new EDI system and the old paper-laden routine as “magical”. “With the old manual system, Sars used to do the release and put the document for each into its airport pigeon-hole. With hundreds of items released each day, the agent had to dig through a mountain of paper to find the appropriate documentation for his consignment(s). “This all took time, and time is money. But, with the new electronic release, customs immediately notifies the release agent (usually the airline) and the forwarder together, and the agent can print out the appropriate release document on his own PC at his own premises before he goes to collect his goods. FTW also talked to the two big cargo handlers, Swissport and Express Air Services – who both have numbers of airlines on their books – and some of the air cargo carriers. Everyone told us they were keenly complying with the Sars demands, and going through the procedure of becoming approved release agents, but gave FTW the impression that the paperwork process was a bit cumbersome and slowing down the process. According to Rautenbach, the date to be ready for is August this year. “I expect the EDI system to become mandatory from that date,” he said.