Aviation World
4 /2012
Focus on Terminal Operations
04
08
Great to Have You Here!
More Room for
More Passengers
09
Airline Portrait: Turkish Airlines
14
2
Check-in
Dear Reader,
In October 2012, many of our partners joined us in celebrating yet another milestone
in the evolution of Frankfurt Airport – the opening of the new Pier A-Plus – less than
one year after the inauguration of Runway Northwest. Designed to serve up to six
million passengers per year, Pier A-Plus represents a quantum leap in terminal facilities
and passenger comfort. This is only one of many projects we are implementing to expand capacities at Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
Dr. Stefan Schulte
Executive Board Chairman
Fraport AG
But the handling of more aircraft, passengers and cargo also means that Fraport, as the
airport operator, has to adapt its processes to new conditions. For example, we have
improved the coordination of passenger flows in the terminals to reduce waits and enable passengers to get to their connecting flights even faster than before. After all,
more than half of FRA’s passengers (54 percent in 2011) use Frankfurt as a connecting
hub. Indeed, we have the highest transfer rate among Europe’s major hub airports.
Our goal is to make all outbound, inbound, and transfer passengers “feel at home”
when they visit FRA. This is why we launched our “Great to Have You Here!” service
quality program to increase customer satisfaction and improve the airport experience.
We look hard to see what needs adjusting and which services can be extended and improved. Sometimes the answer is as simple as adapting display boards to show the
average walking times for passengers to get to their departure gates.
Growing volumes of air traffic also place a heavier burden on the residents living near
the airport. We have therefore joined other aviation partners in the “Alliance for Noise
Abatement 2012” to significantly raise the noise-dependent share of airport charges or
utilization fees. The range of aircraft noise categories will also be widened from 12 to
16. This gives the airlines serving at Frankfurt Airport an additional incentive to deploy
the quietest planes possible. For many years, we have been successfully using this
approach to encourage the use of low-noise aircraft – and we are even regarded as
international pioneers because of this FRA innovation.
This issue of Aviation World provides details on the major milestones and minor tweaks
being implemented and their implications for the airport community. I hope you enjoy
reading it!
Sincerely,
Dr. Stefan Schulte
04 More Room
03 Fraport World
Focus on Terminal Operations
Bulgaria – All Year Round
New “Fair@Link” Cargo Community System Increases the Efficiency of Handling Processes
FCS Hands Out “Bembel Awards” to Customers at Xmas Party
09 Great to Have You Here!
13 Airline World
From Remote Island to Popular Destination
35 Years of Frankfurt-Kuala Lumpur Services
Japan Airlines: Flying Between Frankfurt and Tokyo for 50 Years
Singapore Airlines: 40 Years in Germany
18 People World
14 Airline Portrait
Fraport: New Heads of Strategic Business Units
Winfried Hartmann Switches from FCS to Fraport
Czech Airlines: New Sales Team
LATAM: New Regional Director
Fraport World
Frankfurt Rewards Effective
Noise Abatement
The initiative “Alliance for noise abatement 2012”, formed by the aviation industry at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) at the instigation of Hesse’s prime minister Volker
Bouffier, has decided on a bundle of
noise-reducing measures. One of its aims
is to introduce a more differentiated
range of charges, including additional
raising of the noise charges for noisy aircraft. This measure is part of the new airport charges regulation that will take effect at the beginning of January 2013 and
has been approved by the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Transport and Urban
and Regional Development.
While total revenues from airport charges
will rise in 2013 by a contractually agreed
average of 2.9 percent, the noise-dependent share will increase by 122 percent from around 45 million euros to
roughly 100 million euros and thus account for more of the total. In exchange,
weight-based fees for planes with a takeoff weight of 66 tonnes or more are
being eliminated.
A wider range of noise categories is also
being introduced, increasing from 12 to
16. The idea is to charge more for loud aircraft and thus provide greater incentives
to deploy quieter planes instead. In order
to better ascertain the actual noise created
by individual planes, the calculation
method used has also been refined. Currently only the take-off noise is considered
for noise charging. In 2013 the measured
noise upon landing will be included, so
aircraft are assigned to different noise categories for landing and departure. This
will result in more accurate charging on
the basis of actual noise levels.
New Noise Rating Index
New at FRA is the introduction of a “Noise
Rating Index” (NRI), which incentivizes
the technological progress of the individual aircraft. The index reflects an aircraft’s
status relative to the state of art in noise
reduction technology for aircraft with a
comparable take-off mass. The index will
encourage airlines to use quieter aircraft
and manufacturers to develop and market
the quietest possible aircraft in each
weight range. Depending on how individual aircraft are classified, a reduction of
up to 10 percent can be granted on the
noise charges due.
IN BRIEF
FCS Supports
“Wings of Help”
Fraport Cargo Services (FCS)
handled 14 tonnes of aid supplies
(food, clothing, tents, and blankets) for Syrian refugees. The organizations Wings of Help and
Chapman Freeborn had asked for
free assistance for their humanitarian aid campaign. They chartered
an Airbus A300, which took off for
Adana on November 27. Its cargo
provided refugees with food and
materials to build shelters with.
Agents of the Turkish Red Crescent
distributed the goods. It was the
second humanitarian aid flight;
more will follow.
Fit for Cargo Security
What methods are best for screening cargo?
Which national and international laws cover
cargo security? The air cargo security
training sessions offered by Fraport Cargo
Services (FCS) provide answers to questions like these. The courses, which have
been approved by the German Federal
Aviation Office, are open to FCS employees,
customers, and external service providers.
Since April 29, 2010, when the new EU
regulation 185/2010 took effect, all persons
with access to airfreight – from a company’s
own staff across temps, auxiliary and subcontracted workers to interns, as well as
cleaning personnel – must have received
training from a certified instructor. “The
courses are meant to enhance security in
cargo handling and prevent prohibited
items, and especially explosives, from getting on board aircraft,” explains Soheyl Rahmani-Tehrani, the deputy airfreight security
officer at FCS. “We’re an experienced provider of cargo handling services and therefore well-qualified to offer practical training.” The four-hour course meets all the
requirements of the EU regulation. It comprises classroom instruction followed by a
tour of the airport’s cargo handling facilities.
The course winds up with a test on the subject matter covered. Participants who pass
receive a certificate that is valid for five
years.
For more information on the course and
how to register, please contact Fraport
Cargo Services, Operations Secretariat,
Sylke Klein, s.klein@fraport-cargo.de.
Training in safe cargo handling.
3
4
Fraport World – Keynote
More Room for More Passengers
The recently opened Pier A-Plus provides more capacity and greater
comfort for travelers.
Frankfurt Airport’s new Pier A-Plus offers faster
transfers and state-of-the-art security processes. The
pier opened in early October after only four years of
construction. Airport operator Fraport expects the
passenger volume to grow at an annual rate of 3.5
percent over the next 18 years. The opening of Pier
A-Plus, with its capacity of six million passengers a
year, is therefore a very important milestone. “The
new pier represents a quantum leap in Fraport’s
strategy for securing the competitiveness and future
capabilities of Frankfurt Airport,” said Fraport’s management board chairman, Dr. Stefan Schulte, at the
official inauguration on October 2, 2012.
The new Pier A-Plus meets all the requirements for
qualifying as an up-to-date terminal, including
seven adjacent parking positions for wide-body
aircraft. Four of these positions can handle the
A380. Pier A-Plus also cuts transfer times: shorter
distances and advanced technology enable connecting flights to be scheduled closer together.
The new four-story terminal also meets the European Union’s latest security stipulations by defining separate Schengen and non-Schengen arrival
and departure areas.
Five New Lounges
A-Plus is reserved for exclusive use by Lufthansa
and its Star Alliance partners. “I am convinced
that Pier A-Plus will be greatly appreciated by
our guests. Five new lounges and the latest technology set new standards. The new pier puts our
home base at FRA back at the forefront of Europe’s major hub airports,” says Christoph Franz,
CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa. But since the new
pier will not, by itself, be enough to handle the
growing passenger volume, Fraport is taking additional steps to expand capacities at Germany’s
largest commercial airport. A new, third terminal
will therefore be built. In the future, up to 90 million passengers will be able to take off, land, and
transfer in Frankfurt.
Timeline
2006:
Architectural
competition
2007:
Architectural
firm “gmp”
starts planning
2008:
Groundbreaking
ceremony on
December 10
July 2009:
Start of work
to build the
shell
Fraport World – Keynote
Fact and Figures on the New Pier
Cost of construction: 700 million euros
Passengers per year: 6 million
Excavated material: 300,000 cu.m
Apron area: 250,000 sq.m
September 2009:
Laying of the
cornerstone
Usable floor space: 185,400 sq.m
Baggage claim areas: 25,300 sq.m
Retail space: 12,000 sq.m
Lounges: 7,500 sq.m
2010:
Topping-out
ceremony on
December 2
5,000 pieces of baggage can
be handled per hour
60 shops and restaurants
4 stories, ceiling height of 3.65 m
2012:
Opening of the new
pier in October
5
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Fraport World – Keynote
“We’ve created additional space for up to six million
passengers per year. This extra capacity will allow
us to meet the expected traffic growth in the
coming years and strengthen our role as one of the
world’s leading aviation hubs.”
Dr. Stefan Schulte, Fraport CEO
“This is good news for the German aviation
industry and the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main
region, which particularly benefits from
Germany’s biggest airport.”
“The opening of the new pier marks yet another milestone for Frankfurt Airport and secures long-term development opportunities
in an extremely competitive growth market.”
Volker Bouffier, prime minister of the
German state of Hesse
Christoph Franz,
Deutsche Lufthansa CEO
Lounges
With their backlit, tree-patterned
walls and leather and oak furniture,
the new Lufthansa lounges evoke
a peaceful woodland setting. All
that’s missing is birds singing. Pier
A-Plus has five new lounges in all. A
first-class lounge, a Senator lounge,
and a business lounge are located
in the Schengen area. The nonSchengen area has one business
and one Senator lounge. The latter,
measuring more than 2,000 square
meters, is the world’s largest
Lufthansa lounge, featuring seats
equipped with power sockets and
USB ports.
Fraport World
Final Decision on New EU Rules on Ground
Handling in December
The European Commission has proposed requiring
every large airport in Europe to have at least three
instead of two providers of ground handling services on the apron. EU Commissioner for Transport
Siim Kallas wants to introduce this change in order
to boost competition and efficiency. But now it
looks likely that these plans will be dashed: in early
November, the transport committee of the European Parliament voted against the project. The
parliament will make the final decision by a plenary vote, which is scheduled for between December 10 and December 12 (after this issue of
Aviation World goes to press).
Strong Resistance to the Plans
The opponents include a coalition consisting of
various hub airports, trade unions, the government of the German state of Hesse, and state parliamentary groups. The unions and airport operators are concerned that the new rule would reduce both pay and job security for ground handling workers. The majority of the MEPs belonging
to the committee have now demonstrated that
they share this view.
Following the 9/11 attacks, the apron had been
defined as part of the airport’s critical infrastructure, provoking a sharp rise in security costs.
The European Commission should therefore refrain
from using the critical apron areas as a testing
ground for market mechanisms.
Due to vote in December: the Parliament of Europe.
The Airport in
Time-Lapse
Passengers race to their gates and aircraft are
loaded in no time flat – a new YouTube video
shows the flurry of activity at Frankfurt Airport in
time-lapse photography. The video is part of the
“Yes to FRA” initiative. To view the video, simply
scan this QR code with a smartphone app or go
to Fraport’s YouTube channel on the Internet at
www.youtube.com/user/FraportundFRA.
To view the video on your smartphone,
simply scan in the QR code.
7
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Fraport World
Focus on Terminal Operations
Fraport’s Terminal Management unit has been reorganized to improve
terminal processes further.
passenger flow management, operational management of terminal facilities, and terminal duty management now work together much more closely
while preserving their core competencies (see box).
What has been improved is that there now are
shared responsibilities within the integrated control
center that monitors and manages all terminal processes. The aims are to ensure reliably functioning,
clean facilities while optimizing passenger flows and
staffing the security checkpoints more sensitively in
response to fluctuating demand. Fraport expects
that these measures will help passengers to get to
their connecting flights more dependably and reduce the time they spend waiting in lines.
Passenger flows in the
terminals are going to
be managed even more
efficiently.
More than half of all passengers who use Frankfurt
Airport merely change planes there. It is vital for
them to catch their connecting flights as quickly
and smoothly as possible. This important task is a
priority of Fraport’s Terminal Management department, which is responsible for complete operational management of all terminal facilities and
passenger processes.
“Passenger expectations and airline processes
change constantly, sometimes even daily,” says
Daniela Weiss, who heads the Terminal Management department. “We therefore need a flexible organizational structure that enables fast responses
and solutions. We are convinced that having a single
department responsible for all terminal operations
allows us to focus our strengths better.” The units for
A Strong Team
Passenger Flow Management
The officers of this unit are responsible for ensuring efficient, smooth passenger flows. They
observe the passenger areas and all points in
the chain such as security and border checkpoints. They are supported with forecasts of
expected passenger volumes.
Terminal Facility Operations Management
This unit’s members continually monitor all
passenger areas and facilities to ensure that
“The new organizational structure also lets us align
our processes more closely with our customers’
needs,” explains Harald Nierula, in charge of Terminal Operations. It includes a new system to ensure substitutes when responsible officers are absent in the terminals and the shared control center.
For example, those in charge of passenger flow
management and operational management of terminal facilities will undergo appropriate training to
enable them to completely take over for one other
and even fill in for the terminal duty manager
when required. A new IT tool has also been introduced for managing and measuring passenger
flows in the terminals better. “This system lets us
anticipate when and where there will be heavy
loads in the passenger chain so we can work with
our partners to appropriately adjust staffing levels
and prevent bottlenecks,” says Nierula.
they are in good working order, neat, clean,
and safe. In addition, they operate the Multi
Access Control System (MACS) that allows
access to the gates in accordance with flight
data. They are also the ones to notify if there
are any problems with terminal infrastructure.
Terminal Duty Management
This department is responsible for everything related to terminal management and represents the
interests of customers and process partners. It
monitors and manages operations in all passenger
areas and deals with any disruptions or problems.
Fraport World
9
New personal
shoppers help passengers
from China make
purchases.
Great to Have You Here!
Fraport service initiative launches new projects
The purpose of the “Great to have you here!” service initiative is to pleasantly improve passengers’
experiences and the quality of the time they spend
at Frankfurt Airport. The goal is to make everyone
feel comfortable and truly welcome at Frankfurt
Airport. The airport’s operator, Fraport, is therefore
closely exploring all links in the travel chain for opportunities to make improvements, resulting in a
steady stream of small projects.
Walking Times to Gates
In the near future, as soon as a gate is assigned to
a flight the time it takes to walk to it will be posted
on display boards. This will naturally only apply to
the post-security zones, since passengers can
spend varying amounts of time at the security and
passport checks. Knowing these times will help
them gage better how long they need to get to their
gates, thus allowing them to relax. Those responsible for this project are currently planning to install a total of nine displays: two in Concourse A,
six in the non-Schengen part of Concourse B, and
one in the Schengen part of Terminal 2.
New Information Kiosks
Fraport is currently upgrading the existing 90 selfservice information kiosks in the terminals and adding 12 more in the new Pier A-Plus. The new,
sleek design isn’t the only noticeable difference:
the kiosks also feature a large sliding, height-adjustable touchscreen and a 2D barcode scanner.
Passengers can now scan their boarding cards to
get the latest information, including changes to
departure gates. Meeters, greeters, and other airport visitors can not only check the status of
flights, but also obtain a wide range of information
about available services . The kiosks in Terminal 1
have already been replaced, and those in Terminal
2 will follow in early in 2013.
Shopping Advisers to Help Chinese Passengers
New “personal shoppers” now help Chinesespeaking travelers at FRA. They give tips on shopping, provide general information, and assist
them in obtaining refunds on value-added tax
(VAT) on purchases made in the EU. The personal
shoppers speak fluent Mandarin Chinese and are
also familiar with the culture, preferences, and
needs of this growing passenger group. Initially
launched as a pilot project lasting several weeks
last summer, the program is now a regular service. No advance registration is required, and the
personal shopper service is free of charge. Chinese passengers who would like to try it can
simply call +49(0)174-1550602.
How long does it take to
get to the gate?
The new self-service
kiosks make it easier to
get information on
flights.
10
Fraport World
Bulgaria – All Year Round
Diverse attractions and activities driving growth in tourism 12 months
of the year – Burgas and Varna playing vital roles as travel gateways
Bulgaria is poised to become a year-round tourist destination, as Fraport Twin Star expands Burgas and
date back to 4600 B.C. – as well as natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the 3,200
year-old town of Nessebar not far from Burgas.
Varna airports to serve the dynamic travel industry.
Bulgaria attracted 8.7 million international tourists
in 2011, and this number is expected to rocket in
the years to come, if local tourism officials have
their way. The World Tourist Organization forecasts
that Bulgaria will be welcoming some 20 million
tourists annually by 2020. “Most people associate
Bulgaria with beach vacations,” says Anelya Genova, Director of Marketing at the Bulgarian Ministry
of Economy, Energy and Tourism. That comes as
no surprise, given the country’s 376-kilometer
Black Sea coastline that draws some two-thirds of
Bulgaria’s international vacationers in the summer.
“We want to be perceived as an attractive destination the whole year round,” says Genova who
was promoting Bulgaria at FRA earlier this year in
cooperation with Fraport. “Our country has a lot
more to offer than white sandy beaches. Cultural
and historic tours, wellness and golf resorts, and a
wide range of outdoor activities are the new
trends in Bulgarian tourism. In winter, it’s worth
making a trip to our beautiful ski areas.” The
country already boasts many archaeological and
historical treasures – some archaeological finds
Thus, this diverse country has enormous potential
as a travel destination. One of its advantages, especially for European travelers, is its proximity and
its spaciousness. The capital city, Sofia, is only a
few hours away by plane from all over Europe.
“Passengers can fly to all parts of the country via
Sofia and the same applies to the two airports of
Burgas and Varna on the Black Sea coast, which is
the country’s most popular tourist destination,”
says Aletta von Massenbach, Chief Executive Officer of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD.
Fraport Twin Star owns and manages Burgas (BOJ)
and Varna (VAR) airports.
New terminals under construction
In 2006, the Fraport subsidiary won a 35-year concession to manage and develop both airports. Since
then, Fraport Twin Star has invested more than €100
million in local infrastructure: refurbished the apron
and existing terminals, and replaced the ground
equipment. VAR’s runway has also been renovated
and BOJ’s apron enlarged. Airport employees have
also attended language and professional training
courses. Currently, new terminal facilities are being
built at both Burgas and Varna. Scheduled to open
in 2013, these new terminals will provide spacious
arrival and departure areas, high-capacity baggage
handling, and new-generation security equipment.
Over the course of the entire concession period, investments totaling €403 million are planned for BOJ
and VAR. “Our aim is to offer state-of-the-art infrastructure for our airlines customers and their passengers”, explains von Massenbach.
Thus, Fraport’s Black Sea gateways are expected to
see a growing number of passengers throughout
the year. BOJ and VAR together welcomed some
3.6 million passengers during the first 10 months
of 2012, about 6.5 percent growth year-on-year.
“We look forward to playing a vital role in developing Bulgaria’s dynamic travel and tourism industry,” stresses von Massenbach.
This Black Sea destination offers many more attractions and activities beyond the
beach and sun.
www.bulgariatravel.org
www.bourgas-airport.com
www.varna-airport.com
www.fraport-bulgaria.com
Fraport World
11
New “Fair@Link” Cargo Community System
Increases the Efficiency of Handling Processes
The new “Fair@Link” Cargo Community System
cuts waits by a third, speeds handling, and improves data quality. The software was developed
by the company of Dakosy, a provider of IT services. A pilot project was initiated at Frankfurt Airport in March 2012 to develop and test the system
at Fraport Cargo Services (FCS) and various other
handling agents and forwarders. In the case of
FCS, attention focused on the processes for export.
After thoroughly checking the software in an artificial test environment, in early September work
got underway to integrate it into FCS’ operational
handling processes. FCS set up a special counter in
its export cargo acceptance area for this purpose.
The goal of Fair@Link is to improve the airfreight
handling infrastructure. Where pen and paper are
still often used today, electronic interfaces are taking their place. Before a consignment is loaded at
the airport, FCS employees check the received
data on the goods, sender, recipient, and any
special features and forward them to the Fair@Link
counter. When a preregistered truck reaches the
airport, FCS workers handle its goods on a priority
basis, which includes everything from issuing
tickets to warehouse turnaround. “Our Fair@Link
users get pure red-carpet treatment,” says Peter
Kern, who is in charge of the project at Fraport
Cargo Services. Both sides can track the handling
process by monitoring changes in status. “This
lets us plan sooner and simplifies the process,”
Kern adds.
For more information on Fair@Link handling and
how to access it, please contact Peter Kern: phone
+49(0)69-690-70148, e-mail p.kern@fraport-cargo.
For general information on the Cargo Community
System from DAKOSY Datenkommunikationssystem AG, visit www.dakosy.de.
FCS Hands Out “Bembel Awards”
to Customers at Xmas Party
“At the Christmas party of Fraport Cargo Services,
it’s traditional for us to honor the ‘best cargo performer’ as well as the customers with the largest
cargo volume and greatest increase,” explains
Winfried Hartmann, the managing director of FCS,
who symbolically presents the winners with a Hessian apple wine jug (called an ebbelwoi-bembel in
the local dialect).
This year’s event was held on November 30 with
more than a 60 customers. Air China Cargo won
a bembel for the “most cargo volume in 2012”,
followed by AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Emirates
SkyCargo. Emirates also proudly accepted the
prize for the biggest increase in cargo volume,
followed by EVA Air in second place and Qantas
and Adria Airways tied for third. Hartmann stated
that “our customers’ success is our own success, and
we greatly value our close, trusting collaboration.
These awards are our way of saying ‘thank you’ for
our fruitful partnership in 2012. And we’re looking
forward to yet another great year.”
12
Fraport World
Frankfurt Airport a “Service Champion”
Thomas Kirner, the
Fraport manager
responsible for the
quality of services at
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport’s popularity with passengers is
growing steadily. And based on the findings of a
recent study, the hub now has the status of a
“Service Champion” with a silver quality stamp to
prove it. It has advanced to second place in terms
of service quality among Germany’s airports with
more than nine million passengers a year. The annual “Service Champions” awards are the country’s
foremost quality stamp for customer satisfaction.
They are based on nearly a million customer evaluations of more than a thousand companies in
around 100 industries. The ranking system was
developed jointly by the market research enterprise ServiceValue, the Frankfurt Goethe Institute,
and the daily newspaper Die Welt.
“Airports are vying constantly for airlines, passengers,
and cargo – our competitors never sleep,” asserts
Thomas Kirner, the Fraport manager responsible
for the quality of services at Frankfurt Airport. “The
fact that our enterprise has been picked as a Service
Champion shows that we are on the right track with
our ‘Great to have you here!’ program.” As additional
confirmation, this year Fraport was among the top
50 finishers in the competition “Germany’s Most
Customer-Focused Service Providers”. Kirner
stresses that “together with our partners – airlines,
Deutsche Bahn, the customs service, the federal
police and others – we are going to keep pressing
ahead with more new services and improvements
to existing ones to additionally boost the satisfaction of passengers, who are our shared customers.”
Many of the improvements in connection with services are the direct result of the “Great to have you
here!” service program that Fraport launched about
two years ago to make departures and transfers even
faster and more comfortable at Germany’s largest
commercial aviation hub. For example, “fast lanes”
at the security checkpoints now ensure that transferring and departing passengers with time-critical
flights get to their gates in time and without stress.
An Airport App helps passengers get their bearings
at the airport in German, English, or Chinese. The
service initiative also includes new display boards
that indicate the walking times to gates, free
shuttle cars, and improved relaxation zones and
play areas for children.
Pink Landing
Delta Air Lines’ signature “Pink Plane” landed at
Frankfurt Airport in October. The Boeing 767-400
sports the colors and logo of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), a nonprofit organization that funds scientific research for preventing
and enabling a cure for breast cancer. This aircraft
was painted pink in May 2010; it and a previous
plane have been calling attention to the foundation since 2005. “At Delta we’re proud to be
supporting such an important cause,” says Perry
Cantarutti, the airline’s senior vice president for
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “Thanks to the
support of our customers, employees, and their
families, since our collaboration with BCRF began
we have collected donations amounting to five
million U.S. dollars. So far we’ve contributed to 18
fully funded research grants.”
In 2012 alone, the plane will fly about 2.1 million
miles – that’s equivalent to circumnavigating the
globe more than 84 times. Since its initial flight in
2010, the current Pink Plane has racked up 10,600
flight hours, corresponding to 1,300 trips around
the world. In October the cabin personnel also received pink uniforms. The proceeds from onboard
sales of pink lemonade and pink headsets also go
to the BRCF. And on top of that, in October Delta
donated a dollar for each of the first 50,000 new
“Likes” on the airline’s Facebook page.
www.bcrfcure.org
Delta Air Lines' Pink Plane dedicated to supporting the BCRF.
Airline World
New Freight Receiving Office for Cathay
Pacific Cargo
A great reception: since August of this
year, Fraport Cargo Services (FCS) has
been handling Cathay Pacific Cargo’s airfreight in new offices that are specially
designed to harmonize with the Chinese
airline’s corporate identity. The enlarged
premises include a separate counter for
hazardous materials.
The new cargo receiving facilities shorten
the distance to the warehouse, which
translates into greater security. Forwarders
also benefit from shorter waits. Construction of the new facility began in January
2012 and was already completed in
Condor Expands
Route Network
August. “Instead of the 12 months we
expected, it was possible to inaugurate
the new offices after just eight months,”
says Peter Kern, the project manager at
Fraport Cargo Services. He attributes this
to good cooperation among all players
involved in the construction work.
Daily Flights from Frankfurt on
Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliners
On November 9, Ethiopian Airlines began
offering daily Boeing 787 flights between
Frankfurt and Addis Ababa. The airline had
originally planned to wait at least until
next summer to launch this service. But
when the second and third of 10 ordered
B-787s were delivered in September and
October, with a fourth expected soon, it
decided to begin right away. As a result,
Frankfurt is now second only to Washing-
IN BRIEF
ton D.C. within the carrier’s international
network in terms of B-787 services. “I’m
happy that our passengers here in Frankfurt can already enjoy flying in a Dreamliner,” says Henock Lemma Nigatu, the director responsible for Germany and Central Europe at Ethiopian Airlines. “This
aircraft, featuring a high level of comfort
and state-of-the-art technology, delivers
an even more pleasant travel experience.”
This winter season (2012/13),
Condor is adding scheduled flights
from Frankfurt to Yangon in Myanmar on Wednesdays and to Siem
Reap (Angkor) in Cambodia on
Fridays. The leisure carrier is also
introducing services to the Cape
Verde islands of Sal and Boa Vista.
In addition, San Juan, Puerto Rico
is now a year-round destination.
“We’re proud of how our fleet is
continuing to grow, letting us add
more destinations in the 2012/13
winter flight schedule,” says Achim
Lameyer, Condor's vice president
for sales.
New Branding
Air Malta has launched new aircraft
livery. The new branding still has
the iconic Maltese cross on the tailfin but combines it with bold red,
blue, yellow, orange and green colors and the slogan “The Airline of
the Maltese Islands” emblazoned
across the side of the aircraft. The
objective: “Air Malta represents our
country's values,” says Air Malta’s
CEO, Peter Davies. “Our airline communicates these values, history,
passion, and commitment to excellence across Europe and beyond.
Our new brand strategy and identity ideally position us to become
the ambassador and guide of choice
to the very best Malta has to offer.”
The first aircraft sporting the new,
colorful livery took to the skies in
November.
Earlier than planned: Ethiopian Airlines is now offering Dreamliner services from Frankfurt.
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14
Airline World
Airline Portrait: Turkish Airlines
On a Growth Course
More destinations, more aircraft, more passengers: Turkish Airlines
has become a global player.
When the new Boeing 737-800 with the registration TCJHL lands at an airport anywhere in the world, 17,000
employees of Turkish Airlines are on board – like in Frankfurt this December. Their photographs are plastered all
over the plane’s fuselage, transforming it into an art project with which the airline is thanking its workforce for
airline’s largest market outside Turkey. “Turkey is
also a popular place for Germans to vacation. But
the single largest growth driver for us is business
travelers, because Turkey has become very important for them,” explains Külcür. And no wonder: over
the last 10 years Turkey has boasted average economic growth of 5.5 percent annually – a pace that
most countries of the European Union can only
dream of.
helping it to grow. And the carrier has grown by leaps
Serdar Külcür
and bounds in recent years, as its passenger volumes
show: in 2005 it carried 10 million, a figure that increased to 33 million in 2011. The target for 2012 is
38 million.
The starting gun for this swift expansion went off
in 2005. That was when a new management team
took over and announced its goal of becoming a
global player. To achieve it, the airline – in which the
Turkish government holds a 49.1 percent stake – restructured internally, launched new, mostly international routes, and invested heavily in its fleet.
“We are now Europe’s third-largest airline and one
of the fastest-growing carriers worldwide,” says
Serdar Külcür, the general manager of the company’s regional office in Frankfurt. Germany is the
Oriental flair: the Turkish Airlines lounge in Istanbul.
Frankfurt: Good Infrastructure and Location
Turkish Airlines therefore now serves no fewer than
11 destinations in Germany with a total of 242 connections daily, four of them from Frankfurt. “Frankfurt is the jewel of our German network,” says Külcür. “That’s because of its good infrastructure and
excellent geographical location at Germany’s
heart.” He adds that another benefit is the large
number of Star Alliance partners at Frankfurt Airport. “Joining the Star Alliance in 2008 was part of
our growth strategy. It has allowed us to offer connections beyond our own route network.”
Turkish Airlines has contracted Fraport for all of its
handling needs, from baggage across ramp services
to check-in. “Thanks to our longtime collaboration,
we are a well-oiled team,” says Külcür. And it is an
alliance that can accommodate new ideas: “We try
to get our passengers in the Turkish Airlines mood
right from check-in. But because the agents work
for Fraport we couldn’t simply stick them in our
uniforms. We thought!” To their pleasant surprise,
the airport operator responded positively to the
inquiry. Since 2010, Fraport’s Turkish Airlines team
has been wearing the client's uniforms. Külcür
says, “And this is just one example of our excellent,
uncomplicated cooperation. If we happen to need
an extra check-in counter, Fraport also moves fast
to provide it.”
Istanbul as Hub
The airline operates flights from Frankfurt to Istanbul, its hub. From there, passengers can catch connecting flights to a total of 205 destinations – and
the number is growing. “Turkish Airlines flies to
more countries all over the world than any other
Airline World
Also on board: 17,000 photographs of employees fly around the world on the fuselage of this Boeing 737-800.
airline, and we definitely intend to continue expanding,” says Külcür. “We are of course aware
that new destinations by themselves are no guarantee of success. What counts is the quality of the
on-board offering.”
More than anything, Turkish Airlines is striving to
impress passengers with its young fleet: as a result
of its rapid growth in past years, its 200 aircraft have
an average age of just six years. Many of the most
recent purchases are now deployed on the routes to
Germany. “This lets us offer a lot of comfort to our
business customers in particular,” explains Külcür.
“And we plan to make more investments targeting
them.” In 2010 the airline also modernized its business class for this reason; among other things, it
now offers full lie-flat seats. Corporate customers
based in Germany can also join the “Turkish Corporate Club”; members benefit from fare discounts
and larger luggage allowances, among other
things.
Internet on Board
Another important ingredient in configuring aircraft is a multimedia concept: on all long-haul
flights, guests can pass the time with digital inflight entertainment and personal screens. Wireless Internet is also available. “We were one of the
first airlines to provide on-board Internet,” says
Külcür. “And we have more plans for extending our
multimedia offering.” The culture of the airline’s
home country comes to the fore above all in the
catering: the menu always includes a Turkish dish.
Delicious food, a young fleet, good service – that
pays off. It is therefore no coincidence that Turkish
Airlines won the last two Skytrax Awards in the category “Best Airline in Europe”. Külcür sums up:
“This confirms that we’re on the right track with our
growth strategy.”
Kudos: Turkish Airlines
won a Skytrax Award.
Turkish Airlines at a Glance
• Founded: 1933
• 17,000 employees
• 205 destinations
• More than 33 million passengers per year (2011)
• 200 aircraft
• Awards:
- Skytrax Awards: Best Airline in Europe (2011, 2012)
- Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX): ranked among the
five top airlines in the world (2011)
• Alliance: Star Alliance
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Airline World
From Remote Island to Popular Destination
The residents of Iceland enjoy plenty of room, or
so the statistics say: the island state in the North
Atlantic has only 3.1 people per square kilometer.
So it’s no wonder that back in 1937, when Icelandair’s 75-year history began, it used hydroplanes on
its first flights serving the country’s remoter regions.
Today the airline has a route network of 30 destinations in Europe, the United States, and Canada.
Iceland is attracting growing numbers of visitors
from all over the world. In 2011, the airline breached the 1.7 million passenger mark for the first
time. “Iceland has evolved from a remote island in
the North Atlantic to an attractive tourist destination that is easy to reach. Short trips in the off-season are also very popular,” says Einar Pall Tomasson, the director of Icelandair Continental Europe.
The country is also a convenient place for passengers continuing to the USA and Canada to change
planes, with or without an actual layover.
Airport’s central location makes it extremely important for our connections from Germany,” says
Tomasson. Icelandair has been operating Frankfurt-to-Reykjavik services since 50 years, with
daily flights in the summer months and up to five
flights a week in the current 2012/2013 winter
season. In the summer 2013, the airline will increase the frequency to 10 flights a week. “Our
aim is to offer even more connections from Frankfurt,” Tomasson stresses.
In only three and a half hours, vacationers can fly
from Frankfurt to explore the variety of sights Iceland has to offer, including geysers, the Northern
Lights, and the capital city, Reykjavik. Frankfurt
35 Years of Frankfurt-Kuala Lumpur Services
On October 31, 2012, Malaysia Airlines celebrated the 35th anniversary of its inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Frankfurt. When
the service was launched, the airline flew weekly from Kuala Lumpur via Kuwait to Frankfurt and from there on to London. Today, it
has 36 employees in Germany and five nonstop flights a week between the two cities. To mark this event, the airline treated departing passengers to sparkling wine and chocolate at the gate. The
photograph shows Abdul Hannin bin Abdul Rahman (in charge of
the cabin crew), David Raj (area manager for Germany and Switzerland), Martin Bien (senior executive vice president, Fraport Ground
Services), and Rainer Ruppel (senior vice president for ramp/passenger services, Fraport Ground Services).
Airline World
17
Japan Airlines: Flying Between
Frankfurt and Tokyo for 50 Years
It takes 11 hours for passengers to reach Tokyo
from Frankfurt. But that hasn’t always been the
case. When Japan Airlines (JAL) began serving
what it called the “southern route” back in 1962,
the flight took 28 hours, with refueling stops in
Rome, Cairo, Karachi, Delhi, Bangkok, and Hong
Kong. Today that sounds like an ordeal, but it was
actually a big step forward: in the 1950s, it still
took three days to fly from Germany to Japan, with
passengers being obliged to spend the nights in
hotels. In 1969 JAL started to fly to Frankfurt via
the Arctic with a single stop in Anchorage, Alaska.
Nonstop flights between Tokyo and Frankfurt
began in April 1988.
Japanese flights. It has more than 400 routes
worldwide, counting code share flights, and operates 940 flights daily, including those of its subsidiaries. In the years ahead, JAL anticipates rising
passenger volumes, also on its flights between
Germany and Japan. It also intends to cut fuel consumption. But one thing won’t be changing: the
flight time. There is simply nothing faster than a
nonstop flight via the most direct route.
After the turn of the millennium, JAL gradually replaced its large B747 fleet with quieter and more
economical B777-300s to meet its self-imposed
goals for reducing jet fuel consumption and protecting the climate. JAL has been carrying out
multifaceted environmental projects since the
1990s, and not only in Japan.
Meanwhile, Boeing’s new flagship B787 is well-integrated into JAL’s fleet, which serves an extensive
route network of both international and domestic
No gate party without cake! JAL flight attendants in historic uniforms celebrate the
50th anniversary of the Frankfurt-Tokyo route on October 4, 2012.
Singapore Airlines: 40 Years in Germany
Forty years ago, passengers on Singapore Airlines
flights between Singapore and Frankfurt had to
endure layovers in Colombo, Bahrain, and Rome.
The airline began offering this service three times
a week on October 1, 1972. Since then, it has
steadily expanded and improved the connection.
“Germany is our most important market in continental Europe,” explains HaoYu Dai, Singapore
Airlines’ general manager for Germany, Austria,
and Central & Eastern Europe. In 1998, the
service from Singapore via Frankfurt to New
York became a daily operation, with three additional nonstop flights from Singapore straight
to Frankfurt.
being the first to fly the world’s largest civilian aircraft, the A380. The carrier added Frankfurt to the
list of its destinations served by the wide-body aircraft in early 2012.
Taking the A380 to Frankfurt
Singapore Airlines relies on its well-known excellent global service and technical advances to drive
its growth. In 1991, it became the first-ever airline
to introduce on-board telephones. It added audio
and video on demand in all classes in 2001. And in
2007, Singapore Airlines wrote aviation history by
What hasn’t changed since the 1970s are the chic,
iconic uniforms worn by the carrier’s flight attendants. Created by French fashion designer Pierre
Balmain, they are a distinctive feature of the company and so well-known that Madame Tussauds
London even added a wax figure of the “Singapore
Girl” to its collection in 1994.
The state-of-the-art facilities aboard Singapore’s
aircraft have won it a number of awards, including the accolade as the “best airline for business
travelers” at the 2012 Business Traveler Awards.
Nor is it resting on its laurels: “This year we have
launched on-board internet connectivity, and
we are also working on a new generation of seat
products that will be introduced in mid-2013,”
says HaoYu Dai.
The airline celebrated its
anniversary in style with a
party in the Westhafen Pier
building on the Main River
in Frankfurt. On hand
were also Paul Tan, Singapore Airlines’ regional vice
president for Europe, and
HaoYu Dai, its general
manager for Germany,
Austria, and Eastern and
Central Europe.
18
People World
Fraport: New Heads of Strategic Business Units
Martin Bien
Pierre Dominique Prümm
New appointments to corporate positions often also
result in changes elsewhere in the enterprise. This
was the case at Fraport AG on October 1, when
Martin Bien, 55, succeeded Michael Müller, 54,
(now labor relations director) as head of Fraport
Ground Services. At the same time, Pierre Dominique Prümm, 39, has taken over Bien’s job as head
of the Traffic and Terminal Management, Corporate
Safety and Security unit (FBA).
Pierre Dominique Prümm, 39, Bien’s successor as
head of FBA, agrees: “The general outlook for Europe’s aviation industry isn’t good. The euro crisis is
dragging down the demand for flights, and government interventions like the recently introduced German air passenger taxes don’t help either. But we’re
not afraid of the competition – on the contrary,
we’re proud of our performance and know we’re
second to none.”
Martin Bien has been working at Frankfurt Airport in
various positions since 1982. From 2007 onward, he
headed the Traffic and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security unit (FBA), but he also
knows Ground Services well from the time he spent
on its management team before 2007. In his new
position as head of Ground Services, his main aim is
to safeguard jobs by ensuring the unit’s competitiveness. “Our goal is to continue giving our customers the quality which they are used to getting
and has made us famous around the world,” says
Bien. “And I’m going to do everything in my power
to achieve it. Competition among airports is going
to be tougher in the years ahead, resulting in
greater pressures on prices.”
“The Best Place for Our Customers”
Prümm, who has dual German and French citizenship, has been with Fraport since 2006; prior to occupying his new position he headed the Corporate
Development department and was responsible for
Group Strategy. One of his aims at the helm of FBA
is to step up sales and marketing activities. “Frankfurt Airport is the best place for our customers to do
business,” says Prümm. “It offers a great mix of excellent infrastructure, outstanding product quality,
and an attractive central location. All we have to do
is communicate this better to our customers and
convince them of the benefits.” He also intends
to evaluate all of his department’s products and
services.
Winfried Hartmann Switches from FCS to Fraport
Winfried Hartmann, currently a managing director
of Fraport Cargo Services (FCS), will be joining
the executive team of Fraport’s Traffic and Terminal Management Unit (FBA) on January 1,
2013, where he will be in charge of sales and the
customer service center. After more than a decade in airfreight, Hartmann says he is ready for
something new and wants to put his experience
and expertise at the parent company’s service.
“It feels a bit sad to leave FCS after successfully
introducing so many changes in recent years.
I could always count on support from my colleagues – and from customers, too,” says the departing managing director gratefully. Hartmann
played a major role in successfully positioning
Fraport Cargo Services GmbH in the market after
its establishment. Now he is hankering for fresh
challenges.
About This Publication
Publisher:
Fraport AG
Frankfurt Airport Service Worldwide
60547 Frankfurt, Germany
www.twitter.com/Airport_FRA
www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport
Responsible for content:
Sebastian Keil, Corporate Communications
Anette Schmid, Fraport Ground Services
Ulrike Dietz and Selina Riefenstahl, Fraport Traffic
& Terminal Management, Airport Expansion,
Aviation Sales
Content, information, and ideas for articles:
Melanie Bahlke, Ulrike Dietz, Susanne Kalbe,
Sebastian Keil, Nicole Rattenborg, Selina Riefenstahl, Nicole Ruschig-Brunck, Anette Schmid,
Alexandra Ulm, Meike Wasow
Written by:
Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Hannah Cosse
(chief copywriter), Verena Bauer, Gesche Brock
Translated by: Mitzi Morgan, Greg Woods
Edited by: Greg Woods
Layout:
Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Anke Rabbeau
Printed by:
ABT Print und Medien GmbH, Weinheim
Production and project management:
Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt:
Dr. Claudia Klemm, Ricarda Conrad
Photo credits:
Fraport – pp. 1, 2 (top; bottom: first and second
from the top), 4, 5, 6 (all except the top one), 8,
9, 12 (top), 13 (bottom left), 16 (bottom) 17
(middle), 18 (top and middle), 19 (bottom left);
Fraport Cargo Services – pp. 3, 13 (top left), 18
(bottom); Lufthansa – p. 6 (top); European Parliament – p. 7 (top); Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism – p. 10; Marius Graf/
Fotolia.com – p. 11; Delta Airlines – p. 11 (bottom); Condor – p. 13 (top right), Air Malta – p.
13 (bottom right); Turkish Airlines – pp. 14, 15
(top); Skytrax – p. 15 (bottom); Visit Iceland – p.
16 (middle); Icelandair – p. 16 (top); Malaysia
Airlines – pp. 16 (bottom), 19 (top left); Japan
Airlines – p. 17 (top); René Schulz, rscp, photoagentur – p. 17 (bottom); American Airlines – p.
19 (top center); Air Namibia – p. 19 (top right);
LATAM Airlines Group – p. 19 (bottom right)
People World
19
Malaysia Airlines:
New Station Head
AA: New Regional
Sales Manager
SW: New Manager
for Germany
Joachim Hartmann, 42, is the new acting
station head in charge of airport operations at Malaysia Airlines in Frankfurt. He
has been with the
company for 16 years,
during which he has
held various positions
including those of traffic assistant, supervisor,
and senior customer
service officer. He also
worked in sales & marketing for three years.
American Airlines appointed Oliver
Simon, 46, to be its regional sales manager for Central and
Eastern Europe as
part of its program to
restructure its regional sales organization this summer.
Simon now runs the
company’s sales activities in Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
Hungary, and Poland from its Frankfurt
base.
Bekim Dura, 37, joined Air Namibia as
its country manager for Germany on
August 1, 2012.
He is responsible for
business operations
in Germany and the
airline's general offline sales agents in
Europe, the U.S., and
the CIS. Previously
he spent 12 years as
finance and financial
services manager at Aviareps AG, advising more than 25 airlines from various
countries on financial and tax matters.
In his new position, Hartmann wants to
optimize on-time performance and passenger support. Another item on his agenda is smooth cooperation with all parties
involved in handling processes. The airline
has been flying between Frankfurt and
Kuala Lumpur for 35 years and now offers
five flights a week on this route.
“I am very pleased to take responsibility
for such an important European market,”
says Simon. “Our new sales structure is
now more closely aligned with those of
our partners, British Airways and Iberia,
which simplifies things for our customers
in particular.”
Czech Airlines: New Sales Team
Amit Ray, 41, third from the right in the
photograph, is the new sales manager for
Germany at Czech Airlines. This carrier,
which operates twice-daily services between Frankfurt and Prague, reorganized
and expanded its German sales team this
summer. “We took this step to grow our
corporate and tour operator business,”
Rays explains. He receives capable support from his colleagues (left to right):
sales executives Ilija Ganopolski, Johanna
Wittmann, and Jaana Buhmann.
The airline stresses that its new management board’s success in recruiting Dura
for Air Namibia is an important step
in expanding its local management
structures.
LATAM: New
Regional Director
The new LATAM Airlines Group has hired
Cristián Lizana, 42, to be its regional
director for Central
and Eastern Europe.
In this newly created
position, he is responsible for the passenger
division of the airlines LAN and TAM
in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Eastern
Europe, and Russia.
Lizana, who was born in Berlin of Chilean
parents, completed a degree in tourism
management before beginning his
career in the aviation industry at Delta
Air Lines. He switched to LAN Airlines
as a sales manager in 2001, subsequently
being promoted to general manager
for Germany, Central Europe, and Russia.
He spent five and a half years in that
position before accepting his current
post.