FlyingTalkers By Geoffrey Arend Geoffrey Arend

Los Angeles Air Cargo Association (LAACA) Air Cargo
Day at the Proud Bird Grand Ballroom just off the main runways takes off next
Thursday May 9.

Doors open at 1100.

The air cargo event of the year at LAX goes until
15:00 and is free!


Bruce McCaffrey Did Not Back Down

  “The air cargo price fixing saga of 2005 was a-gas.

"A mellifluous malodorous episode in the history of air
cargo”.

A story without a happy ending is recalled in 2024 as
we mark ten years since Bruce McCaffrey died February 25, 2014 at age 71 in Bradenton, Florida, from complications of renal failure.

Here are sme further thoughts and a story to not be forgot.

In a perfect world the following words would
just make no sense. Yes, indeed, in a perfect world… We are talking about how much logistics, and air cargo in particular, is missing by overlooking women’s skills, but we are doing this sideways, as it is convenient at the FlyingTypers. Women’s skills can be ignored knowingly or as a habit, in any case it is a missed opportunity at best.

This is not the main concept of this Podcast,
but it cannot be ignored if you wish to fully understand its content.An accomplished businesswoman speaks hereunder
and teaches us a few lessons.

Make no mistake listening to Donna Mullins is a learning curve.
There was so much to learn!

It begn in February at Louisville Kentucky at Air Cargo and just ended March at Hong Kong at World Cargo Symposium. Here is an up clode and personal look at the people and business scene at air cargo trade show so far in 2024 and a peek ahead to what is next in April

Doha, Qatar - “Qatar Airways Cargo confirms that Mark Drusch has been appointed as Chief Officer Cargo effective immediately.” This in Qatar’s Press Release: “with over 25 years in senior airline management roles, Mark is a well-known figure in the aviation world. His most recent role was SVP Revenue Management, Alliances and Strategy at Qatar Airways where he led the development and implementation of the company’s revenue strategy as well as managing strategic alliances with key partner airlines. Prior to joining Qatar Airways, Mark spent 20 years at Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and Lufthansa LSG Sky Chefs as Senior Vice President where he led the transformation in commercial airline strategy execution, revenue management, network planning and alliances. In addition, Mark was CEO and co-founder of e-Rewards and e-Miles, leaders in online panel research and online advertising.” In other words, we are talking of a man with a distinguished background, were it necessary to remind the public.

If you want to learn about August Martin, the great air
cargo pilot who flew for Seaboard World Airlines during the 1950’s, the name August Martin as an internet search, most often comes up as “August” 28, 1963,the day “Martin” Luther King whose birthday we celebrate Monday delivered his
never to be forgotten “I Have A Dream,”speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. August Martin was a
gentle man, who would be remembered in history as the first African American to serve as Captain on a U.S. scheduled flag carrier.Put another way,
before “Augie” as his friends called him, there had never been a black airlinecaptain on the bridge of any U.S. airline.

Now hear this here is the true cradle of modern air cargo
thinking from some airline people long gone and nearly forgotten.Once upon a time there were two giant all cargo airlines
operating  from the USA to points
internationally.From Los Angeles to the Pacific & Asia was Flying Tigers
and from New York Across the Atlantic to Europe,Africa,the Middle East and India was Seaboard World Airlines.This is about 
Seaboard World Airlines and specifically some excellent people that
learned air cargo from its people.On October 1, 1980 Seaboard World Airlines was absorbed by
The Flying Tiger Line, Inc., and on December 16, 1988 The Flying Tiger Line, Inc., was absorbed by the Federal Express Corporation.I was thinking about people in our business recently
watching Fred Smith on TV talking air cargo.Once upon a time there was John Mahoney at Seaboard talking
air cargo.

That was 50 years ago.

Interesting that the last big time air cargo type, Smith out
on the hustings commanding the widest audience of any airline executive in world history (he certainly  has also
been on top the longest) can look back to a time when big ideas of how to air cargo came from a company he ended up buying.

Here we share some Seaboard thinking and also several direct
quotes from Mahoney that in 2024 although the talk is aged as we move along 50 years later at jet speed, still makes perfectly good sense.