New ramp handlers get the thumbs up

With a year having passed since the handover of ramp handling duties at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg from Equity Aviation to Bidair and Menzies, FTW has been investigating just how well the two new faces have been doing. The SA cargo community is certainly very happy about how cargo handling is now conducted, according to Alwyn Rautenbach, MD of Airlink Cargo and chairman of the Air Cargo Operators’ Committee (Acoc). “I think things on the cargo handling side at the airport are definitely working a lot better,” he said. “Everything is now settled down, and is working well.” With the two companies, he added, everything is happening that should, and they have all the right equipment in place. “Even better,” Rautenbach said, “Swissport also now has a licence. “That gives the airlines a lot more of a choice in who handles all the movement of cargo in-and-out of their aircraft, and its transfer to-and-from the storage/ distribution facilities at the airport. “Also, cargo interests can go out and get three competitive bids.”