Industry has adapted to Security 108

The express cargo industry is expanding faster than the rest of the economy and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, says Airlink Cargo MD, Alwyn Rautenbach. “The market for electronic goods is continuing to grow – as is the risk of transporting them by any other mode than airfreight,” says Rautenbach, who has seen particular growth on the Zimbabwe route. Dollarisation of the economy has provided a more stable trading environment, and service providers like Airlink Cargo are reaping the benefits. Lesotho, Swaziland and Zambia are also big growth markets for express freight, he said. And while speed in the air is of the essence, equally important is speed on the ground – and that’s where Rautenbach believes Airlink has the edge. “Cargo is accepted just two hours before flight departure. “Screening and fixing the paperwork as well as the physical constraints between the cargo and Charlie apron where our aircraft are parked are all time consuming, and two hours gives us enough time to ensure that flight schedules are not compromised.” The additional demands of Security 108 – which calls for screening of all cargo prior to departure – has added an extra dimension for express operators. “But because a lot of the courier companies have registered as regulated agents, it works well because they screen the cargo and provide us with screened cargo and we don’t have to do it again. “But then there’s another portion of cargo that is passed on to us for screening and which tends to take a bit of time and paperwork.” But on the whole, says Rautenbach, there has been minimal impact on business. “The industry has adapted to the different time frames and the system is working.”