January 29, 2010 • 11:17 am
Spent much of today visiting the Hong Kong Airport’s Cargo Terminal. Hong Kong is the busiest cargo airport in the world.
As you can imagine, the cargo terminal is enormous. We seemed to walk over nearly every inch of it and saw all sorts of cargo being moved, including fresh (live) seafood. The staff there is hugely impressive. It is also worth noting the intermodal nature of cargo here: it moves by air, land and sea, all right here.
The fact is that 40 percent of world trade (by value) travels by air. The stakes are huge. Here in Hong Kong they have invested greatly in automating their processes to keep things moving as efficiently as possible. They have also invested greatly in security, a huge issue all over the world.
Hong Kong sits within a five-hour flight of HALF the world’s population. That is certainly a strong selling point for Hong Kong.
The movement of 40 percent of the value of the world’s trade is yet another important, and under-reported role airports play. Think of all the jobs THAT supports. ACI-NA’s annual Cargo Conference will be held in just a few weeks in Seattle and is an increasingly important event. The event will cover the range of key issues faced by the cargo industry.
Filed under: Airports, Travels
January 9, 2010 • 1:41 pm
I promised an update on my first trip through security with my new hip.
Well, it went quite smoothly. The TSA folks were polite and professional throughout and the process didn’t take any longer than it should have.
I will say that it points to me the need to deploy scanner technology that does a better job of detecting explosives (rather than artificial hips) is important. Though metal detection will always be important, so I guess I will get to know lots of TSA (and overseas) screeners in the months and years ahead. But my first trip through the system makes me optimistic.
One more thing: I was reading an editorial in USA Today on Jan. 8th that accuses the administration and its agencies of “disturbing complacency” about terrorism. I just could not disagree more. I have been in this job nearly 5 years during two administrations and I have NEVER detected any complacency from anyone working on these matters. From people we’ll never know who risk their lives to obtain intelligence to agency leaders on whose shoulders the burden of protecting the homeland sits to the screeners at airports, I have never detected any complacency, ever.
As I said in my last post and as the president said the other day, there is no silver bullet. The terrorists will be trying to launch attacks and probe the system for the rest of time. No matter what we do. So we have to be vigilent, protect against threats we know and antiicpate those to come, and work to stay a step ahead. This job will never be finished. Ever.
I am confident the people who are paid to protect us from this threat are aware of this fact and are anything but complacent.
Filed under: Airports
Lots of news in Washington today. Looks like a bipartisan group of senators on the Finance Committee are moving toward a deal on health care legislation. It also looks like House Democratic leaders have a deal with Blue Dog Democrats.
So, perhaps we may get somewhere on health care. I must admit, I don’t really understand health policy. I worked on it during the four years in the mid-80’s when I worked for Sen. Joe Biden but always struggled with it. I don’t know what the answer is, but I am pleased that members of different ideologies are working together on this.
That’s the way it should be, our system works best when this happens. That’s what the Founders intended. I commend all the members of both parties who are working so hard on this.
I also commend members of both parties who are working on FAA Reauthorization. Some of the best members of both houses of Congress are working on the FAA bill and I am confident we will have a result….eventually. And as I said in a recent blog post on the National Journal, an FAA Bill would be an economic stimulus bill.
One final note: I see that Sen. Chuck Schumer wants to outlaw texting while driving. I agree. You shouldn’t text while you drive. That’s what red lights are for!
Filed under: Airports, Government policy, politics
March 12, 2009 • 10:00 am
I’m here in Memphis for the ACI-NA Cargo Conference. The meeting is being held in the historic Peabody Hotel, which features its famous ducks that come down the elevator at 11 a.m.; swim around in the lobby fountain and then go back up to their suite. Today, the mascot of the Marshall University Thundering Herd basketball team served as the ducks’ escort; they are in town for the Conference USA Basketball Tournament.
Much of today’s discussion centered on the economic challenges we face. The mayor of Memphis began by reminding us that we have come out of every economic challenge we’ve faced thus far, and so we will again. But in the hours that followed, it was hard to avoid coming back to the impact a recession has on cargo.
I thought it was interesting, too, that a couple of other subjects kept coming up, namely the need to modernize air traffic control by moving forward with NextGen, the need to ensure adequate ground infrastructure, and the need to deal with environmental issues, especially those surrounding climate change. This came up in the panel I moderated on regulatory and legislative challenges (nearly the entire session was focused on the economy), as well as in the keynote speech by FedEx Chief Operating Officer Bill Logue.
In other words: We cannot allow the economic slump to divert our attention away from these important issues that will have a critical impact on our business for a long time to come. Truer words have never been spoken.
P.S. If you are concerned about congested skies and the future of air traffic control, then join the new National Alliance to Advance NextGen.
Filed under: Airports, Government policy, Travels
When I woke up this morning my plan was to fly to the ACI-NA Air Cargo Conference in Memphis. My ticket says I was to get there through Chicago.
When I saw the weather map in the morning paper, I figured the chances of that happening without incident were low.
Indeed, I got a robo call from United on the drive to Dulles saying my flight had been cancelled. I called the United Premier Executive line and they did a great job re-booking me to Memphis through Charlotte on US Airways. The woman on the phone couldn’t have been more helpful or pleasant.
I had the same experience at the US Airways counter at Dulles, at the Harry’s Tap Room restaurant there, at the gate and on the flight.
NASCAR on display at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Speaking of the flight, US Airways finally made the right decision and stopped charging for drinks so I had a tomato juice. The flight attendant admitted that it had been pretty boring when they were charging; almost no one bought a drink, but there were certainly a lot of stern stares.
So I am here at Charlotte, amid all the NASCAR memorabilia, eating a slice of Sbarro’s pizza. Soon I will be on the way to Memphis, where I plan to try some BBQ tonight – I’ve never been to Memphis but I LOVE BBQ.
All through this day, I have run into courteous, hard working people whether they work for the airport, airline, TSA, the restaurants or some other entity. The day has not turned out like I planned, but some times those days are best. Oh, and I became a Great Uncle today for the third time too!
Filed under: Airlines, Airports, Travels
