THE airforwarders Association (AfA) and the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBF) are calling for a state or federal air cargo support funds to address an infrastructural crisis facing the US air cargo industry, reports the American Journal of Transportation.
The recommendations are part of a whitepaper called 'Safeguarding the future of air cargo: its economic importance and critical need for investment,' following a major national survey of 400 air cargo stakeholders in public and private sectors undertaken by the organisations.
'With airports and airlines experiencing substantial revenue shortfalls over the past two years, the situation is becoming critical with potentially severe impacts on the economy and jobs throughout the country,' said AfA executive director Brandon Fried.
'Because of the lagging financials, airports will be allocating the monies of the Infrastructure Act to passengers, security, and safety, leaving insufficient funds to sustain air cargo operations,' said Mr Fried.
The whitepaper warns that the negative fallout from a lack of investment could include job losses, delays in shipping time-sensitive products by air, and higher costs to all elements of the logistics chain from shipper to buyer.
Said NCBF vice president Donna Mullins: 'The findings in the whitepaper demonstrate major concern from both NCBF and AfA members.
'We have worked hard to present clear recommendations, but these will come at a cost, and it is vital that the US$25 billion that airports will receive by way of the Infrastructure Act is allocated across all areas of airport development,' she said.
SeaNews Turkey
The recommendations are part of a whitepaper called 'Safeguarding the future of air cargo: its economic importance and critical need for investment,' following a major national survey of 400 air cargo stakeholders in public and private sectors undertaken by the organisations.
'With airports and airlines experiencing substantial revenue shortfalls over the past two years, the situation is becoming critical with potentially severe impacts on the economy and jobs throughout the country,' said AfA executive director Brandon Fried.
'Because of the lagging financials, airports will be allocating the monies of the Infrastructure Act to passengers, security, and safety, leaving insufficient funds to sustain air cargo operations,' said Mr Fried.
The whitepaper warns that the negative fallout from a lack of investment could include job losses, delays in shipping time-sensitive products by air, and higher costs to all elements of the logistics chain from shipper to buyer.
Said NCBF vice president Donna Mullins: 'The findings in the whitepaper demonstrate major concern from both NCBF and AfA members.
'We have worked hard to present clear recommendations, but these will come at a cost, and it is vital that the US$25 billion that airports will receive by way of the Infrastructure Act is allocated across all areas of airport development,' she said.
SeaNews Turkey