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November 15, 2004
NORTH/SOUTH AMERICA NEWS
TSA Announces New Air Cargo Safety Plan (November 11th)
Government Plans Air Cargo Safety Rules
The TSA revealed its new proposal for air cargo safety and much of the burden is placed on the freight forwarders themselves. The plan calls for forwarders to send personal information about their cargo handlers and other officials to TSA so they can perform ‘security threat assessments’. TSA would charge the forwarders $39 for each check. Forwarders will also be required to develop security plans and have them approved by TSA, if they have not already. For an example of how air cargo security proceeds now, see this article from the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger at:
US And Mexico Moving Toward Open Skies (November 10th)
Mexico, US To Negotiate New Air Services Deal
The US and Mexico currently have a restricted bilateral agreement in place. For cargo, the two countries have capped the carrier limit at five, with one carrier from each side allowed to serve a different city pair. Negotiations to further liberalize the agreement will begin on December 8th.
Colombia’s Fuel Surcharges Are Voluntary For Cargo Carriers (November 8th)
Colombia Says Fuel Surcharge For Cargo Carriers Not Required
Colombia’s civil aviation department has placed surcharges on all passenger fares and cargo rates but made the cargo surcharges voluntary. It said international trade has strategic importance to the country. It did ask the airlines to keep the surcharges separate from base rates so customers would know from where the extra charge was coming.
EUROPE NEWS
EU To Sign Open Skies Deal With Lebanon (November 9th)
Lebanon, EU To Ink ‘Open Skies’ Airline Policy
Lebanon is very close to signing a new bilateral deal with the European Union which will result in open skies with all EU countries. Lebanon has had a general open skies policy since 2000 but it was aimed mainly at Arab states and this will be the first air services agreement with the EU for any country in the region.
ASIA NEWS
Japan Plans New System To Inspect Air Cargo (November 12th)
Gov’t Eyes New Stricter Inspections Of International Air Cargo
The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has announced a new system that will register freight companies and require stricter inspections on international cargo that is not registered or properly identified. The Ministry expects to begin rollout of the new system starting in April of 2005.
Taiwan Moving To Establish Direct Cargo Flights With China (November 12th)
Taiwan Renews Push For China Cargo Flights
The Taiwanese President has ordered government agencies to resume dialogue with China as to establishing direct cargo links with that country. President Chen has proposed a policy similar to the one used in 2002 to negotiate cargo rights with Hong Kong. China has previously dragged its feet on such talks, wanting the Taiwanese President to first acknowledge the One China principle.
Philippines Ruling On Airfreight Forwarders Favorable To Foreign Companies (November 10th)
Justice Favors Air Cargo Liberalization
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez plans to reverse an earlier ruling by his colleague and state that airfreight forwarders are not public utilities and do not have to be majority owned by Filipinos. Mr. Gonzalez said, “How can you attract investors this way? The moment you prohibit that in Clark Field, we will never be a trade hub in Asia.”
Korea Awards Flights To Taiwan (November 9th)
2 Airlines Get 9 Weekly Flights Each To Taipei
The Korean Ministry of Construction and Transportation equally distributed flights to Taiwan between the two major national airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. Each will have nine passenger flights and one cargo flight. Each company was disappointed, as they had both requested more than nine flights. The launch date for cargo operations is still to be decided.
AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST NEWS
Namibia Airport To Gain One Of Largest Runways In Southern Hemisphere (November 11th)
Airports To Undergo N$256m Upgrade
A 32,268 million euro plan to upgrade the infrastructure of Namibian airports will provide Walvis Bay’s airport with a 3,440 meter long runway, long enough to handle A380s and B747s. Namibia will also build a landing system that will allow flights in all kinds of weather. The hope is that the airport will attract flights operating between the US and southern Africa or between Asia and South America.
Nigerian Air Traffic Employees Expected To Strike On November 16th (November 10th)
Workers To Shut Airspace
With workers across the country still angered with the raising of fuel prices, the National Union of Air Traffic Employees (NUATE) has instructed its members to strike on the 16th unless prices are returned to their old levels. Joining an nationwide action first ordered by the Nigerian Labour Congress, the aviation strike threatens to shut down all air transport in the country.
US Ambassador Approves As Kenyan Cargo Hub Reopens (November 10th)
US Envoy Happy With Changes At Airport
US Ambassador William Bellamy toured Eldoret Airport and approved of the changes done there over the past few months. The airport’s cargo area was closed down in July after a task force found that it was a security risk and a conduit for smuggling drugs and weapons.
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