newstodate.aero
Nov 26, 2010 (newstodate): Originally envisaged some 10 years ago as an en-route stop for freighter traffic between US, Europe and the Far East, Sweden's Luleaa Kallax Airport re-oriented its business case a few years ago to focus instead on uplift of Norwegian seafood exports to the Far East.
The success is, however, still not secured.
-It has been a long struggle to convince the market of the viability of the business case. But we did succeed in launching a direct freighter service to the Far East via Korea - only to see it grounded again from winter 2009, says Bjorn Ragnebrink, Swedavia.
-In 2009, Korean Air Cargo operated a weekly freighter flight from Luleaa during 28 weeks, and volumes were constantly increasing. Then a temporary change in production at the fish farming sites in Norway lowered the volumes - and eventually Korean Air Cargo withdrew their capacity from the route.
-This was a regrettable development. I am convinced that volumes would have returned, and efforts to attract general cargo to the route were also beginning to manifest themselves.
-Now we are back to square one. And re-starting a project over and over again does not exactly make it easier. Also the image of the business case inevitably fades as more skeptic voices win the day. I am however, convinced that the project is sound, and in some years from now the traffic is long established.
-We have proved that the commitment is there. During 28 weeks, seafood producers in northern Norway gained access by Korean Air Cargo's operations to markets hitherto inaccessible to them. They are yearning for the flights to be resumed.
-On the other hand, there is admittedly a certain inertia in a business where operators have frozen their infrastructure for years and are less prone to sharing risks by opening new venues.
-Right now we are negotiating with 2-3 potentials airline partners, and we are determined to go the extra mile to see this project revitalized, says Mr Ragnebrink.
The success is, however, still not secured.
-It has been a long struggle to convince the market of the viability of the business case. But we did succeed in launching a direct freighter service to the Far East via Korea - only to see it grounded again from winter 2009, says Bjorn Ragnebrink, Swedavia.
-In 2009, Korean Air Cargo operated a weekly freighter flight from Luleaa during 28 weeks, and volumes were constantly increasing. Then a temporary change in production at the fish farming sites in Norway lowered the volumes - and eventually Korean Air Cargo withdrew their capacity from the route.
-This was a regrettable development. I am convinced that volumes would have returned, and efforts to attract general cargo to the route were also beginning to manifest themselves.
-Now we are back to square one. And re-starting a project over and over again does not exactly make it easier. Also the image of the business case inevitably fades as more skeptic voices win the day. I am however, convinced that the project is sound, and in some years from now the traffic is long established.
-We have proved that the commitment is there. During 28 weeks, seafood producers in northern Norway gained access by Korean Air Cargo's operations to markets hitherto inaccessible to them. They are yearning for the flights to be resumed.
-On the other hand, there is admittedly a certain inertia in a business where operators have frozen their infrastructure for years and are less prone to sharing risks by opening new venues.
-Right now we are negotiating with 2-3 potentials airline partners, and we are determined to go the extra mile to see this project revitalized, says Mr Ragnebrink.