EU airports open as air cargo world struggles with backlogs

AIR carriers and forwarders the world over have been struggling to cope with massive cargo back logs after Europe had been turned into a no-fly zone for the better part of a week.

There have even been reports of profiteering in the crisis, said London's International Freighting Weekly (IWF). "One firm said it had been quoted US$1.2 million for a charter from Singapore into Europe which, at three or four times the usual rate," said the report.

Explained Volker Dunkake, of Lufthansa Cargo Charter: "Everybody is chasing capacity and some companies are taking advantage. Even if the ash cleared now, we're talking two or three weeks before this all clears."

Air carriers told forwarders that it would take three to five days at Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris and London to set things right. "The backlog of freight is going faster than expected," said a Rhenus Logistics company spokesman. "A number of airlines are already accepting new bookings."

Kuehne + Nagel warned that backlogs of cargo had built up in China and Asia and said airlines had increased rates for some shipments. "With European airlines focusing on bringing stranded passengers back home first.

"Substantial backlogs have piled up, especially in Asia and China, where estimates go as high as 15,000 tonnes of air freight around airports of Shanghai and Hong Kong alone," said a company spokesman.

Panalpina said it had managed to secure extra air capacity for cargo heading out of the Far East. But the extra capacity was only available to existing customers and would only be used to help clear the backlog.

TNT was again operating from Hong Kong, Shanghai, as well as New York JFK and flights within Europe itself. It said it was hoping to return to a normal schedule by the end of this week, if no further air traffic restrictions emerged.

UPS said it was again flying between Europe and the US, but there were still cargo disruptions and was much shifting of air shipments to ground networks.

FedEx said it has restarted air operations at Paris Charles de Gaulle with one flight leaving for Memphis, and seven heading to Paris. Shipments from Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are also being flown there too, but like UPS, FedEx is deploying trucks to cover the whole distance.

(Source: www.schednet.com)