Customers get cargo six hours after touchdown

Cargo handlers are investing in staff, systems and equipment to keep ahead of the competition. Airfreight Express casts the spotlight on some of the industry innovatorsÉ SAA Cargo’s import manager Gideon Horn discusses incoming loads with cargo reservations manager Brita Blignaut, watched by export manager Chris Viljoen. CLEARING IMPORTS through customs at Johannesburg International Airport has become far easier since South African Airways linked to an electronic data message interchange system with them, says SAA import manager Gideon Horn. “It works so well with our new Zebra system,” he says. “Documents are now released at a far more satisfactory rate. Units can now be delivered within 90 minutes of the aircraft’s touchdown, and we have shown during the months of May and June that 92% of all flights had cargo available to customers within six hours of touchdown.” With 54 forklifts in operation at JIA, Horn is satisfied that the prompt service now being offered to clients will improve, especially with new training programmes which have been introduced for handling staff. “We have also introduced a system where our top, regular customers get special attention from appointed supervisors in a dedicated handling area, which applies to both imports and exports,” he says. Exports manager Chris Viljoen is delighted with these measures. The improved electronic documentation system has resulted in shorter queues, he says. “We are beating the pants off of our competition with our facility efficiency these days. “Our customers are far happier now that their representatives don’t stand in queues that long.” Both Horn and Viljoen accept that the introduction by SAA of the new Airbus fleet will require new handling equipment and revised training programmes for the staff, but both foresee that it will open up vast possibilities. “These aircraft are ideal for freight purposes, allowing us both space and flexibility in the type of cargo to be carried. It will also spin off dramatically for the domestic market which has been somewhat hampered by space restrictions on existing aircraft,” they say. Both are also satisfied with the vastly improved security at South Africa’s airports, with the introduction of more surveillance cameras everywhere and installation of upgraded digital equipment. “We sub-contract to a security company, but keep a very close watch on movements at all airports,” says Horn. “There are 276 cameras positioned in our warehouses here at JIA and in excess of 1 000 in the network throughout all of our stations nationwide. We were recently awarded a two-star rating on the National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA) assessment for health and safety requirements, which shows the extent of our efforts to ensure quality in this area.” Recent figures reveal that SAA Cargo transported 131 747 tons during the 2001-2 financial year, which equates to 360 tons of cargo being moved per day. Of this 64% was international, 28% domestic and 8% regional.