Apparently, Singapore Airlines Cargo (Pte) Limited - A Member of the WOW Cargo Alliance - plans to create Amsterdam as it's European hub. KLM opposes this plan.
KLM does not want this and is trying with a powerful lobby to keep the competition out. Singapore Airlines Cargo plans to fly 30 MEGA ARKS a week to AMS. If it doesn't get permission, the airline - a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines Limited - will take the case to Brussels.
Something about KLM Air France having a virtual monopoly at AMS? I think Executive Board and State Secretary Melanie Schultz van Haegen (transport and water?) is said to be rejecting this propsal from Air France KLM and said the 'Tigers from Singapore' could create healthy competition.
I dunno, but KLM thinks it should get all the rights to AMS? Welcoming a competitor is inappropriate?
The directors at Singapore Airlines Cargo said that KLM's actions are (not actual quote) "incomprehensible. There is free comeptition everywhere in the world. In Europe and in the Netherlands. Liberalisation and relaxing controls of aviation are correctly preached," was the comment summarising the attitude that KLM is sounding.
I support KLM in opposing SIA to fly 30 flights per week from AMS
Let's hope they come to EBBR !
I think there is a small misunderstanding here. The article says "SIA will take the case to Brussels". The way I understand this is SIA will go for court action infront of the competition commissioner for the EU if KLM cotinues to oppose SIA's plans.
There is no mention of BRU as an alternative. SIA seem to prefer taking KLM to court than considering BRU as their European hub. On the other hand it would seem logical that SIA cargo expand at BRU because the reason they expanded here initially was because AMS was to slot constrained for their activities.
Good point SAA-SAL: but the dutch version says: Gaat dat niet door omdat er geen toestemming wordt verleend, dan wijkt de Aziatische luchtvaartmaatschappij uit naar Brussel.
If Signapre Cargo isn'it allowed to create the hub at AMS, they will create it at BRU.
Because of this quote "There is no place for two major hubs" (KLM/AF and SIA), I think/hope it will become Brussels.
More info in Dutch: http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/news/?id=4384
Lyulka wrote:Has Brucargo got enough place to put 30 extra 744's a week?
Let's see that makes about 4 to 5 extra 747 a day
If you mean apron space, yes BRU has enough which is unused, and you'll have to consider that they wont land at the same time. There will be at most 2 of them on the ground at the same time, so no problem.
It would be logical for them (SIA) to expand in BRU if they can't in AMS, but it's also normal for them to ask in AMS as they prefer to stay there. And I would bet on SIA taking legal action, (in Brussels) if they are not granted their slots for reasons different than congestion.
I'm not only talking about apron space, but also about hangars where they can store the goods. Or does SIA mostly use pallets which are immediatelly put in trucks?
I don't know what their volume handling capacity is.
I think that if they make it a hub there will be planes coming in and then offloaded directly onto trucks for redistribution but mainly other planes for spreading around the world or concentration to Singapore, so I don't think that the Hangar capacity will have to be greatly enhanced. And even if it's the case, I don't think that Biac will be able to neglect such an opportunity, beacuse of the difficult times it is for them.
Basically nothing has changed. SQ had the slots to start a hub out of Amsterdam even though KLM was very annoyed (but the management of AMS didn't care as they don't want to rely too much on KLM). However, they couldn't get the correct slot times and moved additional flights to BRU and expanded at BRU (odly enough they said that they couldn't get the slots while I did see that they had been allocated a lot of additional slots). The reason they didn't get the correct slots had nothing to do with KLM forcing the (independent) slot coordinator to do so as the airport (AMS) was doing its best to get the additional SQ B747s.
Oh yes, note that the plan was to abandon BRU and move all flights to AMS. Given that SQC already operates 22 to 25 a week this would mean that BRU would only get 5 - 8 additional 747s.
> Singapore Airlines Cargo plans to fly 30 MEGA ARKS a week to AMS
This is completely new traffic or these are flights that will be pulled away from other airports (BRU, CDG, FRA...)?
> KLM does not want this and is trying with a powerful lobby to keep the competition out.
After reading the article on Luchtvaartnieuws, I can sympathise more with KLM's opposition to SQ's plans, mainly because of the (relatively) limited growth opportunities at AMS.
Who is SQC's handling agent at AMS?
I believe Aviapartner has been SQ's handling agent at BRU for more than 20 years.
Where is SQC's main (= decision making + most staff) European office located? Has SQC been hiring staff at BRU lately? I do not have the impression that the recent increase of flights at BRU has led to many new job offers.
At this point does SQC have some kind of long term commitment to BRU (af least for a limited amount of flights)? Or is BRU for now rather a temporary haven for SQC, until KLM's resistance weakens and all desired cargo opportunities at AMS become available for SQC.
What elements make it so attractive/critical for SQC to settle specifically at AMS, while there may be dozens of other airports in the region, eager to give all opportunities to SQC? e.g. BRU / LGG / LUX / HHN / ...
> Fact is that Biac is moving the crew parking away
> to make the apron space bigger.
When will these works be completed?
This will create how much extra space? 2 or 3 wide body stands?
> Hangar capacity isn't a problem, BGS isn't doing so good
Who are the main cargo customers for BGS? SN, OZ, KE, AT, ADB...?
> and thinking about dividing its building up and rent one half out !
Who could be a candidate to rent this building besides Aviapartner?
Is that new "Fresh product" warehouse next to Lufthansa Technik already operational?
This subject was in the VTM-news this evening.
They said that SQC would only get 6 extra flights on AMS and that SQC had expressed it's interest in BRU if AMS would not give them more flights. Having said that, they began to talk about bertje's dispersian plan ... How long will this keep on going ?
Andries 
How long will this keep on going ?