Steven Polmans, former Director Cargo & Logistics at Brussels Airport and current TIACA Chairman, is joining data sharing and connected cargo community specialist Nallian. As Chief Customer Officer, Polmans will be responsible for accelerating the expansion of Nallian’s global network of cargo communities that operate the Nallian Cargo Cloud. With his cargo expertise and impressive track record in digital cargo transformation and building cargo communities, Polmans perfectly fits Nallian’s global ambition and mission ‘to make the world operate as one’.
Steven Polmans has more than 20 years of expertise in the cargo sector and was the mastermind behind various game changing projects in the sector. As the founding father of BRUcloud, Brussels Airport’s Cargo Cloud, he was the first in the industry to get the different stakeholders at a cargo hub to work in a connected and integrated way by sharing data in their cross-company processes. A model that since then has been adopted by numerous other airports and took away several industry awards. Polmans was also the founder of Air Cargo Belgium, the (again award-winning) industry association that groups all stakeholders at Brussels Airport and fuels the continuous expansion of BRUcloud.
Steven Polmans, Chief Customer Officer at Nallian, comments: “When I decided to leave Brussels Airport, it has always been my intention to stay in the sector and build further on what I have created together with my cargo colleagues and peers. Air cargo is more than a job for me, it’s a passion and it was very important for me to find a place where I can share, cultivate and act upon this passion. I feel Nallian is the best place for me to do so. We share the ambition to drive efficiency and transparency in the air cargo industry by making cargo communities operate in a connected, collaborative way. It is what initially brought us together on the BRUcloud project, and what we have been developing at Brussels Airport over the past years. I now look forward to assist other cargo actors – airports, ground handlers, freight forwarders, trucking companies, shippers, … – with their digital cargo transformation and their journey to connected, collaborative work.”
Jean Verheyen, CEO of Nallian, adds: “Following the signing of several new contracts in 2020 and the recent opening of our office in Singapore, having Steven on board is yet again another important step for Nallian. We have worked closely together in the past and are fully aligned on our vision for the cargo industry. Steven brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team, which together with his drive and collaborative mindset will help us accelerate and support more airports better on their journey to connected, collaborative work. We are very excited to shape the future of air cargo together.”
Alex Driesen, Co-Entrepreneur, who is moving on from Nallian, states: “Getting Steven on board is a major leap for Nallian. In my career, I have not often met people with the same combination of vision, energy and empathy. I look very much forward to seeing Steven write the next chapter of Nallian’s journey to make the world operate as one.”
PayCargo has appointed Michael White to its Board as the leading payments network for the global supply chain industry continues to grow and reach new markets.
Michael brings more than 25 years of experience in the airfreight sector, having held senior positions at Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, Cargo Service Center, the Air Transport Association, SkyLink USA, Cargo Network Services, and most recently as the Founder and President of Trade Network Consultants LLC.
He has also served on several key government and industry committees and working groups including the Gore Commission TWA 800 working group on air cargo security, and as a member of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)’s Aviation Security Advisory Committee Air Cargo Working Group and the Canadian Cross Border Harmonization Task Force.
He is serving his second term as a member of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) after appointment by the Secretaries of the US Department of Homeland Security and US Treasury.
“Michael has been described by many as the ‘e’vangelist for the movement to move to full electronic documents in air transport, he shares PayCargo’s digital vision and will bring invaluable experience to our Board,” said Eduardo Del Riego, Global Chief Executive Officer of PayCargo.
“We continue to strengthen our management team as we look to further growth and development over the coming months.”
December 2020 saw PayCargo appoint two new Vice Presidents, Marta E Ramirez, and Ken Nieze.
“I am looking forward to being a board member of PayCargo, a company that has improved the efficiencies of companies in the logistics sector,” said Michael White, the newest member of the PayCargo Board.
“During the past few years there has been a move towards digital solutions by the transport industry and PayCargo is a leader in interfacing digital financial capabilities that are needed by many companies.
“My goal as a member of the board is to bring my 40+ years’ experience in aviation, logistics and government to help guide the company to be able to expand and look for other opportunities in the future.”
In addition to his focus on digitization, Michael also has a focus on security in air cargo.
He was a leader in the development of the TSA’s Known Shipper Program and Indirect Air Carrier (IAC) Program.
He has worked closely with US Customs on the development of the Custom Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program to ensure a secure supply chain.
Michael has been recognized over the years for his work, including being awarded the Airforwarders Association’s Jim Foster Award for Excellence, the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s Six Star Award nominee, the Air Transport Association Bravo Zulu Award for dedication, the United Airlines Cargo Safety Award and recognition for his work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In 2020 PayCargo received a USD35 million investment from global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners to expand global adoption of its electronic payments network and accelerate investments in its market-leading technology.
Bahrain International Airport’s (BIA) newly opened Passenger Terminal is better prepared to respond to the changing demands of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic due to SITA technology.
The ultra-modern facility positions BIA as the most advanced boutique airport in the Gulf, increasing its capacity to 14 million passengers per year.
A key focus for Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the airport’s operator and managing body, was to optimize the passenger experience and operations to quickly recover from the pandemic through 2021 and beyond.
Using SITA’s Operations at Airports portfolio, the airport benefits from real-time insights, improved stakeholder collaboration, and increased agility to optimize operations. The solution includes SITA’s Flight Info Displays Systems (FIDS), providing a dynamic platform for communicating important information and managing the passenger flow.
SITA is also providing Flex, its advanced cloud-based passenger processing solution. Flex allows airlines and the airport to develop new cloud-native applications for passengers and airport workers that transform the passenger experience and create new revenue opportunities. Flex will be delivered with SITA Smart Path kiosks enabling a low-touch mobile and biometric-enabled check-in experience that combats COVID-19 by reducing the passengers’ and staff’s risk of contracting the virus.
The SITA solution also includes a baggage reconciliation system to help manage the delivery of passengers’ bags end to end.
Roger Nakouzi, vice president sales, SITA, said: “We’re excited to reach this important milestone with Bahrain International Airport, despite the challenges of COVID-19. Thanks to new SITA technology, Bahrain International Airport can leap forward and make operations resilient, agile, and safer for all passengers. The implementation allows for deeper integration of Smart Path throughout the airport and further installation of automated systems, future-proofing the airport for decades to come.”
The Airport Modernization Program (AMP) is the largest investment in Bahrain’s aviation sector for more than 20 years and will usher in a new era for air transport in the kingdom.
Mohawk College’s aviation training programs have been brought together in one location at Hamilton International Airport.
The college has provided a virtual tour of its newly opened Centre for Aviation Technology, a 75,000 square foot complex featuring labs and classrooms, and built in cooperation with KF Aerospace.
The training center features a 25,000 square foot maintenance hangar with 16 aircraft.
Grant Stevens of KF Aerospace says the hands-on training is critical to industry partners, since “we expect those students to be able to come into our facilities, and be able to interpret blueprints and technical drawings, technical instructions and then be able to execute their job.”
Stevens adds that “you just can’t do that with theoretical learning.”
Mohawk College President Ron McKerlie says their aviation programs, previously capped at 175 students and offered through four different locations, can now double their capacity to 350 students.
McKerlie notes that they had reached their enrollment capacity “based on available space, and students were spread across the city.”
He describes their new facility as “the newest and most innovative aviation training facility in the country.”
While passenger traffic has plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamilton International Airport President Cathie Puckering says the amount of cargo moving through Hamilton’s airport surged last year by 24 percent.
Puckering says Mohawk College’s Centre for Aviation Technology will support the city’s post-pandemic recovery by “further strengthening of the strategic advantages that Hamilton has, and will continue to create jobs in this region.”
Emirates’ self-check-in and bag drop kiosks at Dubai International (DXB), which made its debut in September last year, have now gone touchless further enhancing the smart contactless journey for passengers travelling from Dubai.
The 32 self-service bag drop machines and 16 check-in kiosks can be controlled completely by personal mobile devices without touching the screens; providing a safe and convenient airport experience. The kiosks allow customers to check-in, receive their boarding pass, choose seats on board, and drop off their bags. New services have also been added to allow passengers to make payments for ancillary purchases, such as additional baggage allowance, directly at the kiosks.
The self-check-in kiosks, placed at the Economy check-in area in Terminal 3, complement the desks manned by Emirates check-in agents to reduce waiting time for customers during peak periods and improve the experience in Dubai. The service is now available to customers travelling to all destinations except to the US, Canada, China, India and Hong Kong due to additional requirements from these destinations. More kiosks are planned for the First and Business Class check-in area.
Emirates has spared no effort in creating a smart contactless journey for its customers. Travelers can also choose to use its integrated biometric path to breeze through DXB. Utilizing the latest facial biometric technology, Emirates passengers check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates Lounge, and board their flights, simply by strolling through the airport.
The smart contactless experience continues on board with digital menus available on the Emirates app allowing customers to browse the menus on their personal devices both online and offline; as well as on Emirates’ Wi-Fi portal without needing to purchase a Wi-Fi package.
The Emirates app can also be used to create a preferred playlist from over 4,500 channels on inflight entertainment (IFE) on ice and sync it to their personal screens on board. In the coming months, passengers will also be able to control their viewing experience on the IFE screens, with their personal devices.
Emirates has been using smart technology to ensure its customers travel safely and continues to invest in product and service to provide an unmatched travel experience on ground and on board.
Jettainer, the global leader in unit load device (ULD) management, has developed and launched plug&fly, a new basic version of its full-service ULD solution. With plug&fly, Jettainer is breaking new ground: small and mid-sized airlines will now be able to unlock the benefits of outsourced ULD management in a way that is quick and easy. plug&fly helps airlines optimize their ULD fleet by 15 percent while making sure that the ULDs are available anywhere, at any time at transparent fixed prices. plug&fly is seamless to implement and thus the fastest way to positively influence the cost and efficiency of ULDs for an airline.
“Big carriers are not the only ones who get to enjoy optimized ULD fleets and the smart global management services provided by Jettainer’s industry experts. Many other airlines with fleets of up to 2,000 ULDs can now reap the rewards too. To arrive at this destination, we had to take a separate, more streamlined approach that we are now rolling out with plug&fly,” said Thomas Sonntag, Jettainer’s Managing Director.
Jettainer offers all kinds of ways to customize partnerships with airlines: from ULD management to maintenance and repair, from deploying controllers directly at the customer’s premises to many other additional services. Yet, these tailored full-service solutions do not meet the needs of each and every airline.
Leveraging a wealth of possible ULD services, Jettainer has therefore developed a basic product with a fixed pricing model that is guided by the number of ULDs. These assets remain the customer’s property. By optimising the ULD fleet quantity, Jettainer generates direct and immediate cost savings for the customer. These savings come in addition to reduced costs for airlines´ own IT and coordination efforts, which are typically incurred with inhouse solutions. Jettainer uses an integrated IT solution harnessing artificial intelligence, ensuring real time visibility of ULDs and inventories. Jettainer’s customers also benefit from its global network and inherent synergies in ULD positioning: plug&fly offers the premium-quality management services that the global market leader’s customers have come to rely on, guaranteeing that ULDs are available within the network anywhere and at any time. This allows airlines to increase the focus on their core business while experiencing continued flexibility and full cost transparency.
“plug&fly takes the hassle out of ULD management for the customer. By focusing on the core service, it offers customers a quick, easy and transparent way to realize cost advantages,” Sonntag added.
Unisys Corporation recently announced that TravelSky, the leading provider of information technology solutions for China’s air travel and tourism industry, has deepened its longstanding commitment to Unisys ClearPath Forward® technology as a secure, innovative, reliable platform to process the business critical transactions including passenger reservations, cargo bookings and load calculations.
Under the contract, signed in the fourth quarter of 2020, Unisys will upgrade and expand TravelSky’s processing capacity with the addition of advanced technology, powered by ClearPath® OS 2200 software. It also includes application development services to cloud-enable the Unisys Open Message Switching Engine (OMSE) – a communications front end that allows travel agencies, airline reservation offices and external systems to communicate with the mission-critical TravelSky systems.
The new technology will provide TravelSky with expanded processing capacity to support China’s aviation industry as it rapidly recovers from the impact of COVID-19. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) reported that China saw 13.26 million air trips during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday 1-8 October 2020, reaching 91.07% recovery compared to the same period in 20191.
“TravelSky maintains and operates several critical passenger and cargo solutions used by China’s air travel and tourism industries including the Global Distribution System (GDS), Reservation System (RES), Departure and Cargo systems. As China’s aviation industry continues to rapidly recover after COVD-19, the additional processing capacity within the scalable, secure and flexible ClearPath Forward environment will enable us to process more transactions – such as reservations and load calculations critical to flight safety – quickly and securely,” said TravelSky Senior Vice President, Mr. Li Jingsong.
The solution for TravelSky leverages the unmatched security of the ClearPath Forward operating environment – the only one on the market from which data has never been forcibly extracted.
Andrew Whelan, vice president client management, Unisys Asia Pacific said: “As China leads the global recovery of the aviation sector, Unisys ClearPath Forward technology provides TravelSky with the supporting IT infrastructure that has the flexibility, security and robust capacity to meet changing demands in logistics, passenger services and other mission-critical applications.”
Cathay Pacific Cargo recently launched a new scheduled freighter service between Hong Kong and Riyadh as it looks to capitalize on growing e-commerce demand.
The weekly service launched in January utilizes one of the carrier’s Boeing B747-400 ERF aircraft.
The service will meet “the strong demand for shipments of e-commerce and other general cargo such as garments”, Cathay Pacific said.
The return leg includes a ferry flight to Dubai World Central.
The carrier said it had launched a number of scheduled and charter services recently.
In December, the airline launched a seasonal cargo service between Hong Kong and Hobart in Australia, providing an airfreight lane for the export of fresh produce to various parts of Asia via Hong Kong.
Meanwhile in September last year, the airline launched a temporary service to Pittsburgh in the US to serve the seasonal upsurge in demand.
In addition to operating a full freighter flight schedule, Cathay Pacific has also been operating thousands of pairs of cargo-only passenger flights, some with cargo loaded in the passenger cabins, and chartered hundreds of pairs of flights from its all-cargo subsidiary Air Hong Kong to provide additional airfreight capacity.
Qatar Cargo has selected general sales agents (GSAs) to recommence its cargo sales and bookings in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt following the lifting of a blockade.
ECS Group subsidiary Globe Air Cargo will handle the carrier’s UAE bookings; Yusuf Bin Kanoo co. Ltd will oversee its bookings in Saudi Arabia; and Venus Air Cargo will manage its bookings in Egypt.
Currently, Qatar Cargo operates bellyhold flights to Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE; and Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt.
Guillaume Halleux, Qatar Airways chief officer of cargo, commented: “The resumption of passenger flights to these three countries is great news, allowing us to re-establish trade and support our customers. Along with the flights, we will also be offering trucking services to and from other offline points within these countries.
“We are pleased to appoint these GSAs who have an excellent reputation and share the common values of customer centricity and service excellence. We are certain that they will help promote the Qatar Airways Cargo brand further and grow our footprint.”
The move comes after the airline was able to restart flights into Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt after a blockade on Qatar was lifted in January.
Oman Air, has once again successfully passed the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), with a remarkable result.
In December, 2020, Oman Air was subject to the audit, which was conducted by an accredited organization approved by IATA to perform these tasks.
IOSA is an internationally recognized and accepted evaluation system designed to access the operational management and control systems of an airline, which occurs every two years once the airline successfully completes the first audit.
This certification is a valuable safety validation for Oman Air as it aligns us with global best safety practice. It helps to ensure our continuous operational management and control systems are in accordance to the IATA standards, regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
Amid the challenges of COVID-19, a considerable amount of preparation took place in all operational departments within Oman Air, before and during the audit. Thanks to these efforts.
The Oman Air Operations and Maintenance Quality System teams worked together in unison, guided by Quality Assurance Operations and led by VPQAO, Capt. Salim Ali Al Rashdi, to achieve a successful IOSA Renewal Audit.
Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Air CEO said, “We are delightesd to maintain an excellent track record since 2005. The IOSA is probably the most important examination of our operations and the results are testament to our all-encompassing safety culture. I can say with confidence that Oman Air staff will continue to implement and deliver the most efficient safety procedures in all their operations to ensure we remain industry leaders in all facets of our operations”.
Technology has made the world smaller and faster.Real time communication with people from all over the world at different time zones through phones and gadgets
