Emirates’ Durban flights are good news for cargo

October 1 sees the launch by Emirates Airline of direct flights to Durban – and SA cargo manager Kum Naicker is bullish about prospects on the route. The airline already flies triple daily on the Johannesburg route and daily to Cape Town – the Durban flight closes the loop on all major SA destinations. The development is all part of Emirates’ 2010 Fifa World Cup commitment – as the official sponsor of the event. “Shippers and consignees have for some time been eager to see a foreign carrier on the Durban route while the agents are keen to have their own exposure in the region – our direct service will satisfy all parties,” Naicker told FTW. On the inbound leg the airline has moved fair volumes of electronics, textiles, footwear and other high tech equipment like laptops and PCs to Durban. “On the export leg we’ve seen decoders, automotive equipment, textiles and perishables that originate from that area transhipping via Johannesburg.” But Naicker believes that apart from carrying the volumes currently hubbed in Johannesburg, the flights will stimulate trade to and from the region. “Durban is an extremely mature market with a lot of expertise from the customers. “We’ve already had a lot of positive response from the market,” he told FTW. And business for the airline – which has consistently outperformed many of its competitors – has been brisk, until the past three months. December figures were lower than expected, January is a traditionally slow month because of factory closures and the Chinese New Year, and February is beginning to reflect the impact of the global recession, says Naicker. But Emirates Cargo in South Africa recorded growth in 2008 of 12-13% – and that’s a conservative estimate, says Naicker. “We had consistent loads and even now our base loads are fairly stable.” And he’s not expecting a significant fall-off – thanks largely to the airline’s service proposition. The UK and Western Europe are prime export markets for the airline. “Our UK traffic reaches that market before the international carriers and direct flights – if it leaves on our 2pm flight, it’s in the UK before 06.30.” And it’s the network that makes the difference, says Naicker. “We fly widebody aircraft into all our destinations, which means there’s no need for trucking – four points in Germany, three in Italy and five in the UK, for example. The network advantage is equally strong in its other main transhipment destinations – mainland China, the Indian subcontinent and Australasia, he says. “We service nine points in India, four points in China and four in Australia,” says Naicker, “and so far rates have remained fairly stable. “We are one of the only airlines that work seven days a week, from 8am till the last flight that departs. “For the value for money on Emirates and the price you are paying the service is phenomenal.”