Following the pattern of ad hoc cargo partnerships rather than large – and largely unproductive – alliances, Air France-KLM entered an agreement with Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines.
The deal will give AF-KLM access to China Southern’s Asia Pacific network (particularly Australia, New Zealand, and Vietnam), while China Southern can take advantage of AF-KLM’s strong trans-Atlantic presence and good connections to Africa. The first stage of the agreement will also see reciprocal access to ground-handling facilities at each partner’s hubs.
Commenting on the agreement, AF-KLM’s executive vice president, cargo Bram Graber was quoted as saying: “We are pragmatic cargo people, so let’s call this agreement ‘phase one.’ It is a good first step, but with a limited number of destinations on both sides. Let’s make it work in phase one and then we have the ambition to implement phases two and three that will deepen and broaden the agreement.”
He did not elaborate on what specific steps might be taken in the next two phases, and, regarding the question of the SkyTeam Cargo Alliance, would only say that he viewed the alliance as “a red carpet to enter together into cooperation,” but that “bilateral co-operation always remains the responsibility of the individual airlines.”
Both carriers are members of the SkyTeam Cargo Alliance, which recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary. One has to wonder what this agreement says about the future of such broad cargo alliances.
Get more air cargo insights at the 2015 Cargo Facts Symposium, Oct. 26-28 in Miami. Click here for details.