RAY SMUTS CHANGING MARKET conditions have opened doors for diversification at Express Air Services (EAS). Thanks to technical developments there’s been a slowdown in traditional same-day express services for the movement of documentation. At the same time the economy airfreight option has continued its shift to road freight, slowing down the growth of the airfreight market, says Western Cape branch manager, Gill Vermaak. “In August last year, EAS entered the overnight market through a partnership with Imperial Air Cargo (IAC), thus strengthening its position and creating a much needed domestic airfreight alternative,” said Vermaak. The company has achieved service delivery levels of 99.75% with hand-out times of 20 to 40 minutes, through a closed loop system where the parcel never leaves EAS’s hands, she added. Vermaak believes the need for time-definite deliveries will always exist and time frames will continue to change. “But EAS has the flexibility to meet the high expectations of the ever-changing market.” Headquartered at Cape Town International Airport with offices in all the major centres in Southern Africa as well as sub-Saharan Africa, the EAS network links the market with Africa, Europe, the Far and Middle East. The Western Cape is one of the largest contributors to the perishable export market. “EAS Cape Town currently handles some 800 tonnes annually of perishable cargo destined for export, and around 500 tonnes per annum for the domestic market, through its daytime network. “In addition the company handles an average of 1 200 tonnes per annum for Qatar Airways directly out of Cape Town into the rest of the world.”
