Christa Soltau becomes Vice President of Cargo and Logistics at Budapest Airport, effective January 2010

“Budapest is the perfect location and has huge potential for being the cargo hub for Eastern Europe” states Christa. “We will develop the cargo division and logistics infrastructure with a view to handling flights especially from Asia and the Americas. Distribution facilities throughout the region will also play an important role.”

Since staring her career in 1988, Christa has held top level management posts in airport and cargo development with Munich Airport, project management at Hochtief airport company, Düsseldorf Cargo Logistics, and Dubai World Central.

29 January 2010

As has been well reported throughtout the air cargo media, the industry has responded magnificently as always.

Whenever there is a disaster, natural or man made, this hard pressed and often maligned sector of the transport industry invariably puts its neck on the line to save lives.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone who is supporting this action, and hope that 2010 will be a more positive year.

This has been a tough year for the air cargo industry, but at least pallets, ULDs and packages get to sit down! In the name of progress, Spring Airlines, the Chinese low-cost carrier has been urging other budget airlines to follow their lead and do away with unnecessary luxuries such as seats! The idea is to fly over 200 passengers strapped in a near-upright position and to arrange passengers by height, the shortest by the window and tallest by the aisle. Of course, the plan must first gain regulatory approval, aircraft manufacturers will have to change their entire productions to system to create a suitable aircraft. Neither Boeing nor Airbus has so far accepted the suggestion. Short haul passengers would be strapped to vertical boards which are tilted backwards slightly. Colleagues in the air cargo business might well consider checking themselves in as parcel class.

 Based at Paris CDG, SODEXI, the express handling division of Air France Cargo, introduces, Harmony, an innovative concept to reduce waste and improve efficiency on the airport. The primary initiative is to maximize the under-used capacity of mobile equipment throughout airport operations. So often Airlines and handlers continue to expand their fleets of vehicles, including tractors, loaders, mobile stairs etc . The harmony concept pools all equipment capacity so that operators can ensure the right equipment is in place on time with no waste or duplication but an increase in profitability.

Jean-Francois Bouilhaguet, Managing Director of Sodexi, briefly explains the two initiatives which have the potential to revolutionise airport handling operations in the Paris airports, but also at all airports and indeed other industrial sites involving fleets of mobile units.

“The key to both of these initiatives is “Harmony,” which encapsulates our vision of a corporate world where industry sectors and company branches work in unison thus avoiding wasteful competition and duplication of resources. Harmony is at the core of Sodexi’s current Express Freight operation, an efficient, computer-controlled and completely paperless operation which forms a substantial part of the Air France cargo network at Charles De Gaulle. The Harmony system will focus on utilising existing capacity and equipment rather than investing in new;

“After some seven years of development, XOPS is Sodexi’s software solution for real time control of mobile equipment in the warehouse and on the ramp. XOPS, meaning OPERATIONS ON SCREEN, functions in a number of areas. From a central monitor, it keeps visual control of vehicles and is able to instruct drivers with real time data such as an aircraft’s late arrival or change of gate or the positioning of ramp handling equipment. The system can also be applied to tasks such as fuel distribution and the positioning of maintenance equipment. It can also accurately calculate charges and invoicing and at the same time perform vital security supervision.

“It’s simple in theory: the operation relies on a tight network of communication between the airlines, ground handlers, cargo forwarders and other players on the airport. The system is paperless, accessed through an internet portal or local network and allows handlers to make the best possible use of their existing equipment as “pooling” It is now possible, to track all movements by GPS, and monitor them on camera.”

XOPS has been jointly developed by Crispico BS RNET together with Nashtec, the French branch of ASTUS, a Canadian specialist in GPS and electronic vehicle systems.

Sodexi, part of the Air France cargo network, provides fast, efficient handling of Express cargo at its computer controlled airside facility at Paris CDG airport. Apart from traffic from the Air France network, the company handles the Equation service for all Skyteam members as well as handling many other airlines plus FedEx, TNT, DHL, Chronopost and various specialist express forwarders. Another feature is the unique Express supermarket where customers and partners work within the Sodexi building, often sharing staff. The company, under the direction of Jean-Francois Bouilhaguet, has been a leader in innovation a willingness to introduce new ideas and technology for improving speed and efficiency.

2 July 2009

For further information contact: Jean-Francois Bouilhaguet
Email: jfbouilhaguet@sodexi.fr
Or Michael.sales@ imccreations.com