The International Air Cargo Association, better known as TIACA, changed its leadership a year or so ago and since then has been busy in redefining TIACA’s role for the air cargo industry. Some now say that their involvement and push on relevant air cargo regulatory and other issues is more impressive compared to that of IATA.
CSQ tool trials run well
TIACA has had a new pilot scheme running for the past twelve months in which 179 freight forwarders and 18 cargo terminals have been testing what they say is their new Cargo Service Quality (CSQ)
tool. Things have apparently gone well because TIACA now states that the CSQ tool has been officially launched by the organisation after successfully been on trial with the almost two hundred air
cargo supply chain organisations.
The tool is TIACA’s attempt to ‘set global benchmarking standards for the air cargo industry and in turn enhance quality across the chain.’ It is composed of four main parts. These are
Benchmarking, Assessment, Improvement and Excellence. They allow those participating ‘to provide ratings on several factors including process, technology, facilities, regulators and general
airport infrastructure and other aspects.’
Many participants
The CSQ pilot scheme started last year and involved cargo terminal operators (CTOs) and freight forwarders from around the world. The pioneering CTOs were, among others, India’s Delhi
International Airport and Chennai Cargo Terminal along with Europe’s Brussels Airport. In the Far East, Hong Kong’s Asia Freight Terminal, Indonesia’s PT Jasa Angkasa Semestra Terminal and
Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) were major players in the trials.
Many new ones are expected to join
Most, if not all of those involved in the pilot scheme are expected to fully sign up now for the CSQ tool and TIACA states that the Kenya Airports Authority have pledged to fully adopt CSQ by
mid-2019 at all airports within Kenya. This would then be the first nationwide implementation of the assessment tool.
In the meantime, Oman Aviation Services, Singapore’s SATS and Hong Kong’s Asia Airfreight have said they are enlisting fully into the programme.
TIACA Vice Chair and Head of Cargo and Logistics at Brussels Airport, Steven Polmans, is very pleased with progress made so far and stated that: “This is a prime example of airports leading the
way for change in their communities, through embracing an environment of collaboration and visibility.”
Hopefully others will follow suit. A job well done!
In other news TIACA announced the appointment of Neel Jones Shah onto their Board of Directors. Neel who is Senior VP and Global Head of Airfreight at Flexport is no stranger to TIACA, having
served on the board there from 2011 to 2012. He previously held senior positions with Delta Airlines and United Airlines.
John Mc Donagh
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