Air-freight hauliers struggle as volcanic dust won't settle
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irnephe.waltonfBrhi.co.uk HAULIERS WORKING in the air-freight sector are attempting to recover from the almost universal closure of European airspace as backlogs of inbound freight to the UK pile up.
As CM went to press, there were signs that some flights were being allowed on the Continent.
Concerns have been raised that the price of air freight will be at a premium and a large number of additional European road freight services will have to run for several weeks as cargo is re-routed across the Continent.
Most of northern Europe's airspace has been closed due to volcanic ash from Iceland, and firms based at Heathrow told CM earlier this week that the majority of fleets are parked up as no air freight is coming into the country.
Andy Kennedy,
managing director at Europa Worldwide Logistics, says that air freight has virtually halted, with backlogs building up around the world.
"Airlines are now refusing to even accept bookings either inbound or outbound. There are still some opportunities to fly via European airports that are still open, but again backlogs are building up.
"Rates have dramatically increased from some regions and I expect this will continue for some weeks now until backlogs are cleared. However, on the flip side, we are enjoying a large increase in European business that was being flown and which is now being routed by road," he adds.
concerns remain most acute for hauliers transshippinginboundair freight. Steve Bowles, director at Roy Bowles 'transport, based in Colnbrook near Heathrow, says the tirm is "praying tbr a change of wind direction".
"The majority of the trucks are idle at the moment: there is just
nothing to pick up." he says. adding that about 75% of the firm's 50strong fleet is parked up.
Chris Coffey, managing director at Circle Express, based in Langley. Berkshire, adds: '-We arc getting people to take unpaid leave if they can. We are down to about 30% of what we would normally turn over. It's really about battening down the hatches, but it's a very worrying situation as it is effectively an Act of God and there is absolutely no insurance that can help."
Charlie Fulk, managing director at Goldstar Heathrow. which normally moves 1.000 tonnes of inbound freight per week, says: "Certainly business has been difficult, and roughly 70% of our fleet is parked up at the moment."
He says some of the company's fleet is still doing general haulage as it waits for the situation to resolve itself: "When the flight ban is lifted, business is going to be stretched to the limit to cope with the backlog. but we've got contingency plans in place as and when the situation changes."
David Barron. head of TDG's international services business unit, says: "As a pan-European business, we do have the facility to fly products into Spain, where the airports arc now open. We can then co-ordinate with our air freight offices there and truck the products into the UK."
TNT, which has its air huh in Liege. Belgium, says that il has added extra road services for intraEuropean freight and was poised to resume flights as CM went to press.
• For the latest updates on the ash cloud, go to iilvw.roadtratisport. coin OF WWW.112FS.00.111C.