Media
Media
GROUND handing tests are showing that it takes almost 45 minutes less to unload 100 tons of China cargo from a packed 747 at Rockford International Airport (RFD) than it does at the giant Chicago O'Hare airport 70 miles south east.
After running tests, Rockford boosters say cargo landed at its airport can be trucked into Chicago in almost the same time it takes to unload it at O'Hare because of congestion at the big airport and its highway links and virtually none at the small airport or on its nearby roadways.
Tests were carried out for Atlas Air, bringing in about 100 tons of cargo aboard 747s from China per flight, reported the Register Star of Rockford, Illinois.
Airport officials also said that a 747 can operate here for US$10,000 to $15,000 less per flight than at O'Hare, because of lower fees and no delays that burn expensive jet fuel.
Atlas flies shipments for a variety of organisations - from UPS and other freight forwarders to the US military - around the world, and its interested in bringing at least some of its Chicago flights to Rockford to save time and money, said the Register Star report.
The airline and its subsidiary, Polar Air Cargo, now operate 14 to 20 flights a week to O'Hare.
"We're even more convinced now that we can do it better than we're saying, we find that it's all very doable. It's all panning out the way we said it would," said airport executive director Bob O'Brien.
Said Atlas Chicago operational chief Hector Cortez: "If [our customers] see how successful this operation is going, you'll see more forwarders, when they're leasing from Atlas, come here. If it looks strong enough, they'll be here."
Rockford's goal is to get several international cargo airlines to use its 72,000-square foot cargo facility on the west side of the airport, funnelling revenue for the airport and related businesses.
Mr O'Brien said the Atlas tests are well known in the in the industry, so "others are watching".
(Source:www.schednet.com)
qq.com