Page 22 - The STAT Trade Times September 2022 Issue

industryreport

"Once the vaccination programmes were
rolled out, restrictions were lifted and a
sense of normality started to return to the
world and the PPE charter flights slowed
down. But online shopping had become
integrated into our lives and e-commerce
boomed. We then started to see container
shortages with sea freight, and an increase
with customers using airfreight more and
more as their only solution to distribute
their products.
"Operators started to focus more on
increasing the frequency of their scheduled
flights to provide additional cargo space for
their clients due to high rates and capacity
shortages on air charters.
"After this period, while the market was required, are there sufficient drivers? What is
recovering from the effects of the pandemic, the risk of lockdown? Would a secondary or
sanctions were placed against Russia which alternate airport provide a better solution,
have caused the rise in fuel prices, which has given those human factors at play?"
directly increased the costs on flights."
"The past few years have been somewhat Business challenges, tough
of a roller coaster in the air charter busi- assignments
ness: during the height of the pandemic, Aircraft availability and price escalation are
there was a big push to source any available the key factors affecting charter business,
aircraft to distribute not only PPE and vac- says Ozdabak. "In any normal year, pre-
cines but also consumer goods, including pandemic, carriers and charter providers like
items that would ordinarily move by sea," At one point, Air Partner could plan for low/high season
says Liana Coyne, Director and COO, Coyne operators could traffic. It seems right now, that it’s hard to
Airways. "Certain older aircraft came out of distinguish between the traditional freight
retirement and passenger planes were used name their price seasons affecting all traffic lanes."
as preighters. At one point, operators could Coyne agrees and adds that the key
name their price and some felt little shame and some felt little challenges for charters are finding the
in setting aside contracts if they could com- shame in setting aside right aircraft for the load, securing the best
mand more money in spite of longstanding economics by finding two-way freight,
business relationships or multiple flights. contracts if they could making sure all the correct permissions and
“That operator heyday waned a bit as traffic rights are in place.. "There is also quite
supply deadlines were met, the appetite or command more a lot of coordination involved to ensure that
ability to pay premium rates reduced and money in spite of everything arrives and is loaded in time,
because periodic restrictions in China be- particularly when a charter is a one-off
gan to bite. However, it is still a good time to longstanding business flight and there may be limited options for
be a cargo operator: clients are interested in recovery in the event of hiccups."
contracting capacity for multiple flights, and relationships or Ozdabak listed out a project executed
there is now less competition from belly multiple flights. by the Dubai team of transporting oil & gas
space, preighters and Russian fleets. equipment from Shanghai to Istanbul. "The
“Before the pandemic, charter was very Liana Coyne cargo was oversized (especially long) and
much a premium bespoke service reserved Coyne Airways all other parties were focused on offering
for the most pressing, high value shipments B747F for this cargo but the Air Partner team
where we and other brokers would bend of a discussion with the client to marry up worked on the packing list very closely with
over backwards to make sure the customer their requirements with the realities on B777F loadmasters for loadability and of-
got exactly what they wanted. The major the ground: we have to look more closely fered the best solution to the client.
considerations on the ground were prob- at human factors - how will the crew be "After confirmation, the client requested a
ably runway length and the serviceability affected? What requirements are there for date change on the flight due to a manufac-
of ground handling equipment. Now, some them? Will there be sufficient manpower turing delay. Shanghai airport permits and
charters are more ‘standard’ with cargo for loading and unloading? If something slots are very hard to get and change due
that would previously have gone with is not loaded through human error, what to Covid-19 restrictions. Besides, availability
scheduled lift, and we have to have more recovery options are available? If trucking is is very tight on such widebody freighters
20 | SEPTEMBER 2022 www.stattimes.com