Call to lift restrictive bilateral clauses for cargo

Agreements hamper speedy transhipments in Africa Leonard Neill A DEPARTMENT of Transport-led stakeholder committee is looking into the possibility of lifting restrictions in bilateral agreements controlling scheduled airlines operating in Southern Africa in order to speed up cargo delivery. Currently airfreight flowing from South Africa into Africa is restricted by these bilaterals, and organised business is calling for change that will allow transhipments to be made between airlines. The matter is under consideration by a committee established by the Department of Transport, including representatives of the freight forwarding sector, chambers of industry, Civil Aviation Authority and other concerned business organisations. At the quarterly review meeting earlier this month, the cargo fraternity voiced its support for the removal of cargo from bilateral agreements governing South African-based airlines. If not in entirety, it has been suggested that certain sections of bilateral agreements that restrict cargo handling, such as royalties to be paid in some countries, should be removed. The matter is now likely to be passed on to international hearings such as NEPAD. Earlier this year the South African government announced plans to undertake a sweeping review of the aviation control regulations in a bid to accommodate global trends and calls for open skies. It has been pointed out that cargo is a uni-directional item, unlike passengers who more often than not are served by return tickets. A committee spokesman for the business sector told Airfreight Express that the existing situation placed restrictions on cargo movements with subsequent delays that were unnecessary and time-consuming. These could be eliminated if transhipments were allowed freely between airlines serving different countries on the continent, and included the co-operative use of charter aircraft with passenger airlines using belly space for cargo. “There has been a thorough debate on the issue, and in particular the matter of royalties having to be paid in some operations,” said the spokesman. “What we as a unified body have brought to the attention of government is that they do not need to protect the scheduled operator when it comes to dealing with freight. Their restrictions can remain on passenger services but would be beneficial to the country’s economy, and the ideal that Johannesburg becomes a cargo hub for the continent, if cargo was to be removed from these sectors of the bilateral agreements.”