Koos du Plessis . . .’88% satisfaction with Zebra linkup.’
SOUTH AFRICAN Airways Cargo is satisfied with the success of its Zebra IT system which links it with customs, but there is a sense of despair when it comes to ideas of a suitable electronic link with forwarding agents throughout the country.
“The industry does not have a mechanism in place which links forwarders with airlines in this country,” says SAA Cargo senior information officer Koos du Plessis. “For many years we have tried to establish a suitable system to meet this requirement but it hasn’t been a success story.
“We started up the Cargo Community System (CSS) which was run jointly by ourselves, First Net and seven freight forwarders some years ago. It ended up with us incurring massive investment expenditure which
didn’t succeed.
“Only two forwarders sent us messages which accounted for less than 2% of airport movements, and even then 90% of these messages were rejected because of errors in air waybills or because they were late.
“Freight forwarders should come forward and work together in some way to link up with us. It’s up to them as agents to work it out.”
Du Plessis’ section has been offered an international service, Tracson, which could be a solution, but he doubts if it will be financially viable. It will link 10 countries at a cost of
R500 000 annually, leaving doubts about its eventual profitability.
The current Zebra linkup with customs has reached a state of ‘88% satisfaction’. With ongoing planning in progress, Du Plessis is satisfied that this will assist, once airwaybill / house airwaybill information received is 100% accurate, in the rapid throughput of both imports and exports at Johannesburg International Airport.
A suitable electronic solution linking the airline with forwarders? That, says Du Plessis, is the dream of all concerned but it hasn’t transpired yet.
