CAA rejects Cape's 'free skies' plea

International conventions preclude global carriers on the route, writes Alan Peat Albert Schuitmaker . . . a freighter (SAA or another airline's) would be great THE PLEA by the Cape cargo community for fifth freedom rights on the Cape Town-Johannesburg airway has been rejected by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority). The request was made by the Cargo Committee of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI). This because the current fleet of Boeing 737-800s used by SAA on the route are very cargo-unfriendly, according to committee chairman, Colin Schultz, distribution manager of SANS Fibres, one of the Cape's major exporters. These narrow-bodied aircraft, he added, are not designed to carry large unit cargoes and many consignments also have to be hand-loaded into the planes' cargo bays. "It was a very short-sighted purchase by former SAA m.d. Coleman Andrews," said Schultz. "They might be termed passenger-friendly aircraft, but they are effectively closing the air route to Johannesburg for large numbers of cargo consignments. The only alternative then is the time-consuming procedure of road hauling export cargo to Johannesburg International Airport (JIA) for onward international flights." The 5th freedom application was made with the intention of using the Boeing 747s and the Airbus A340s that the foreign airlines fly on the Johannesburg-Cape Town route as part of their international flight schedules. This would include the likes of KLM, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines. "But, said Albert Schuitmaker, c.e.o. of the Cape chamber, "the CAA refused on the grounds that the international conventions would have to be changed. "Under these bi-lateral agreements, none of the carriers are allowed to transport cargoes from third party centres outside their own hub airports. "We shall have to take other steps to get wide-bodied aircraft on the route." These alternatives are currently under investigation, Schuitmaker added. "A freighter (SAA or another airline's) would be great," he said. "Another airline serving the route on a scheduled basis would be even better. "Also, the CAA indicated that SAA Cargo had spare capacity, and might put a wide-body on the route. So we're looking at that as well." But the present task is for the chamber to speak to the producers and exporters in the Cape and see what they need, Schuitmaker added. "Our immediate next step is to contact the local industry, and to assemble a full break-down of cargo volumes on the route," he told FTW. "Once we have these figures in place, we can then approach the various carriers and the CAA again and see what can be done."