SA Airlink to handle Olympic

WITH THE ground handling for its eleventh international carrier coming on-line in early May, SA Airlink Cargo has joined the big league amongst the SA cargo handling community, according to m.d. John Dickson.
For some years we have handled the cargo for the domestic services of SA Airlink - now some 60 flights-a-day through Johannesburg, he said. But we identified a niche market - amongst international airlines needing a more hands-on service than the larger handlers can offer - some 18-months ago, and have expanded this rapidly since then.
The initial client list soon saw Air Malawi join Air Botswana in the customer fold - and has quickly grown since then, with the inclusion of Zimbabwe Express Airlines, Air Gabon, Kenya Airways, Air Madagascar, Air Seychelles, Air Tanzania, Caledonian Airways and Das Air Cargo.
The newest addition in May will be Olympic Airways - flying its Airbus A300-600 twice a week between Athens and Johannesburg International Airport (JIA).
This expansion trail has seen cargo volumes handled rise from some 30 tons-a-week eighteen months ago, to a high point of 400 tons-a-week in December last year. Currently, with import demand decreasing, the present tonnage has settled at around 300 to 320 tons-a-week, said Dickson.
This growth saw SA Airlink Cargo move from a single to a double warehouse at the International Cargo Centre last year - with extension now underway to add a further 30% covered and secure space. Other facilities include a six-ton capacity cool room; secure cages for sensitive goods; and 24-hour security, using closed-circuit TV and armed-response linked to an alarm system.
The company's IT (information technology) currently has a website on Internet -
offering an interactive tracking and tracing service for all in-bound cargo, and with the facility due to be extended to outbound cargo movement in the near future, according to Dickson.
We have now formed a sound foundation for further expansion, he said. All our manuals and procedures are on-track for an ISO 9002
rating this year. And, with all of our airlines being IATA (International Air Transport Association) members, we have applied for membership of the IATA Ground Handling Council in Geneva..