War fails to dent Dubai-bound volumes

Leonard Neill IT’S BUSINESS as usual on the Emirates Skycargo route between Johannesburg and Dubai with no slackening off of bookings as a result of the Iraqi war, says South African cargo manager Kum Naicker. “There have been no changes in our schedules, and we are still one of the few airlines flying from Dubai into Kuwait as well,” he says. “Loads from Johannesburg northbound remain good. Our two flights a day leaving Johannesburg are in steady demand and there is a real mix and match of perishables and general cargo flying out daily.” Even deliveries to the Palm Island development in the Gulf have continued, with building materials in all forms heading for that destination. “We find that new hotels and palaces in the region all seem to source their building needs from South Africa, and with many of them in progress we take steady loads to them.” The carrier recently loaded a new cargo record of 30 tons into the belly of a Boeing 777 operating from London Heathrow to Dubai, and a few days later followed with an uplift of 35 tons on another triple seven from London Gatwick to Dubai. The shipments contained a general mix of cargo including electronics, machinery, general post and diplomatic mail as well as perishables.