adaptability, and I am proud
of the Intradco Global team
for adjusting our usual offering
to assist in the PPE supply
chain efforts. As live animal
movements became very
restricted, we switched our
resources to seeking out new
air charter capacity while
there was a surge in demand
for PPE. I am glad our efforts
played a small part in the
global effort, and allowed our
clients to import quickly, and
at more cost-effective solutions
than we saw the market was
offering.”
He adds of the Russian
freighter: “Chartering the
magnifi cent An-225 is a
rare occurrence for even the
most seasoned of air freight
professionals, so the whole
team will enjoy seeing this bird
fl ying for Intradco Global.”
Tom Lamb, Intradco
Global’s Regional Manager –
North America, was equally
enthused.
“It was a fantastic team
effort and a great early
achievement for our New
Canadian offi ce Intradco North
America and our partner GSM/
GTA. We are very proud to be
assisting in the fi ght against
COVID-19 by delivering this
essential PPE equipment to the
people who need it most.”
Later this year Intradco
Global is set to announce
a newly formed wing of its
organisation, that of Intradco
Projects. Intradco Projects
will focus on unique missions
just like these, utilising its
worldwide charter network and
expertise to offer specialised
services for niche air cargo
products.
Preaching to the converted
Innovation in the area of the
cabin has led to the adoption
Singapore and China, Europe
and the US. From what I’ve
picked up, it seems that most,
but not all, charter companies
have been equally busy: some
exceptionally so, others less.
But generally, nearly all those
in the sector have had a good
three months’ work. We’ve
operated in all the major trade
lanes and have had plenty of
US business, both in and out.
“We’ve been able to
respond to virtually all
requests since the pandemic
struck and indeed, it’s part of
our philosophy to be able to
add value for the customer. If
the customer cannot fi nd what
he wants, then he turns to us
– so it’s important that we can
come up with solutions. But
it has been hard to fi nd that
capacity at times – there has
been very little spare.
“Initially, we were very
much preoccupied with
medical supplies and PPE but
by mid-year that has been
of some passenger aircraft for
cargo haulage.
As an example, the
DACHSER Air & Sea Logistics
team organised an Airbus
A340-600 passenger aircraft
(that had been converted
to a cargo charter) to transport
medical products from
Asia to Europe. At the fi rst
stage, fi ve trucks brought
the goods from Beijing to
DACHSER in Shanghai, where
DACHSER staff handled all
the operational and customs
formalities for the export
order.
From there, the goods went
to Hangzhou airport in China,
where the charter aircraft was
already waiting to depart for
Madrid. While 13 air freight
pallets went into the aircraft’s
cargo hold, the remaining
material was placed on to
the cabin seats and secured,
making maximum use of the
aircraft’s capacity. The goods
arrived in Spain on schedule,
and within the planned transit
time.
“Having our own
air freight charters
meant we could react
quickly and fl exibly to
the changing situation
in the air freight
market right from
the start to help our
customers maintain
their supply chains,”
explained Timo Stroh,
Head of Global Air
Freight at DACHSER.
“It’s so nice to see that
our charter activities
are now bearing fruit
in Spain, too. This is
primarily thanks to
the commitment and
tireless efforts of our
local colleagues, who
successfully organised
this project.”
The specialist
The Chapman Freeborn group
business isn’t solely focused on
charter fl ight arrangement: it
has various affi liate companies
that between them offer a
range of services. According to
the company’s Reto Hunziker,
who is Group Cargo Director
and based in Frankfurt, it’s
this spectrum of services that
has enabled the company to
successfully weather the storm
caused by the pandemic.
“These strands are our
strengths in times of crisis,” he
told ALI, in a recent interview.
“There are too many variables
in the marketplace at present,
so we have to be prepared to
react.”
Looking back over the
spring and early summer
period of 2020, Hunziker
affi rms that the company has
been extremely active. “It has
been a very busy time for us –
we’ve arranged fl ights literally
all over the world, including
DACHSER has been able to adapt its air freight charter operations to the changing market
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