newstodate.aero
NOV 03, 2004 (newstodate): -The Danish air cargo business seems to be at a crossroads where we must decide either to uphold the IATA regulations or define which rules are then to apply, says a leading representative of the Danish airfreight forwarding industry.
-Last month the Danish Freight Forwarders Association issued a circular to heighten its members' awareness of cases where discrepancies were documented between the AWB info on "airport of departure" and actual practice when export airfreight shipments are trucked directly from shippers or road hauliers' terminals to European airline hubs for onward flights, says John Sorensen, DHL DAnzas and chairman of the air cargo committe under the Danish Freight Forwarders Association.
-As these documented cases referred to Billund Airport this was stated in the circular, but we must expect a similar situation to exist concerning shipments stated by AWBs to have Copenhagen Airport as "airport of departure", he says.
-As security is clearly at risk, we felt obliged to issue the circular to inform our members of the situation. We must either follow IATA prescribed procedures, or admit that the industry is acting in a grey zone without generally acknowledged rules, he says.
-If the latter should be the case we must set up new rules as this is the only way to ensure a unified code of business including rules of fair play to all, and a valid security policy.
-I am certainly not advocating the latter alternative, but action must now be taken to clarify the situation. The circular is, therefore, a starting point for a thorough discussion between all parties including the authorities to find a valid solution binding on the industry, he says.
-Last month the Danish Freight Forwarders Association issued a circular to heighten its members' awareness of cases where discrepancies were documented between the AWB info on "airport of departure" and actual practice when export airfreight shipments are trucked directly from shippers or road hauliers' terminals to European airline hubs for onward flights, says John Sorensen, DHL DAnzas and chairman of the air cargo committe under the Danish Freight Forwarders Association.
-As these documented cases referred to Billund Airport this was stated in the circular, but we must expect a similar situation to exist concerning shipments stated by AWBs to have Copenhagen Airport as "airport of departure", he says.
-As security is clearly at risk, we felt obliged to issue the circular to inform our members of the situation. We must either follow IATA prescribed procedures, or admit that the industry is acting in a grey zone without generally acknowledged rules, he says.
-If the latter should be the case we must set up new rules as this is the only way to ensure a unified code of business including rules of fair play to all, and a valid security policy.
-I am certainly not advocating the latter alternative, but action must now be taken to clarify the situation. The circular is, therefore, a starting point for a thorough discussion between all parties including the authorities to find a valid solution binding on the industry, he says.