Cargo News - Number III / NOVEMBER 2003

• MONTREAL CONVENTION
• NEW CARGO TERMINAL
• CSA WINTER TIMETABLE
• REGULAR PRAGUE – MINSK (MSQ) TRUCK SERVICE
• NEW SEOUL(SEL) – PRG – SEL FLIGHT
• CARGO FORWARDING TO BANSKÁ BYSTRICA / SLIAČ (SLD)
• THE NEED TO STATE SHIPMENT DIMENSIONS IN AWBs
• ACCEPTANCE OF GOODS AT THE TERMINAL AND HANDLING TIMES
• IMPROPERLY FILLED-IN AWB
• CHECKLIST FOR WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS OF SHIPMENTS
• USE OF IATA IMP CODES ON CARGO DOCUMENTS
• EQUATION AND EXPRESS SHIPMENTS
• CHARGE FOR VALUABLE SHIPMENTS (VAL) TO/VIA HELSINKI (HEL)
• CANCELLATION OF VAL SHIPMENT EMBARGO TO VENICE (VCE)

MONTREAL CONVENTION

We would like to inform you about a major change in international air transport legislation. The Montreal Convention has fully replaced the older Warsaw Convention, including related protocols, and became effective as of 4 November 2003. The Czech Republic is a signatory to the Montreal Convention, and thus as of 4 November, CSA is liable for each 1 kg of destroyed, damaged, lost or delayed shipments up to the amount of 17 SDR (Special Drawing Rights). The value of one SDR is currently approximately 1.43 USD and is precisely defined by the bank rate for the SDR valid on the date of damage payment, or in case of legal proceedings on the date of deciding on a verdict (will be specified in an IATA regulation). The Montreal Convention favours customers and their needs, and generally, the carrier’s liability limit has been increased, as well as has the number of cases when customers may require compensation.

NEW CARGO TERMINAL

We are pleased to inform you that the construction of the new CSA Cargo terminal is proceeding ahead of schedule. All information regarding the dates and process of moving to the new premises will be available in a special issue of Cargo News we are preparing to come out in the forthcoming weeks.

CSA WINTER TIMETABLE

From 26 October 2003 to 27 March 2004 the Winter timetable will apply. An updated timetable is available here. Or a printed version is available upon request from our commercial section (tel. 220 115 333). The CSA Cargo price-list has also been changed together with the timetable. It was distributed only weeks ago.

REGULAR PRAGUE – MINSK (MSQ) TRUCK SERVICE

As we mentioned in our last issue, as of 3 October 2003 a new regular CSA truck service – RFS (Road Feeder Service) OK 9092 to MSQ has been introduced. It departs from PRG on Fridays at 5 p.m. (booking of shipments ends on Friday at 8 a.m.) and arrives at MSQ on Wednesday mornings. To date, six successful service runs have been dispatched and will continue till 12 December 2003. The service will be discontinued for the Christmas and New Year period and re-introduced on 6 February 2004. It may be operated as a “per request” service on 23 and 30 January 2004. For your information, here are the requirements for shipment documents in order to prevent customs delays, the holding up of shipments or the entire service at the border. Accompanying documents shall contain the following:

• type and character of load
• shipment price
• weight (gross, net)
• number of items and type of packaging, e.g., (cartons, pallets, etc.)
• customs tariff specifications
• certificate for the transported product and specifications in the Russian language
• number of sets – 5 originals or 1 original + 4 copies
• if personal belongings are transported, a list of them is required.

Before the operation of OK 9092 starts in 2004, we will inform you about the requirements regarding the transport of pharmaceuticals and medical products.

NEW SEOUL(SEL) – PRG – SEL FLIGHT

As of 31 March 2004, our alliance partner, Korean Air (KE) will introduce regular operations on a SEL-PRG-SEL route with a Boeing 777 airplane. The operation is planned for the summer timetable 2004, two flights per week. CSA is the KE General Sales Agent for the Czech and Slovak Republics and the offered capacity will be around 10 tons per flight.

CARGO FORWARDING TO BANSKÁ BYSTRICA / SLIAČ (SLD)

From 1 October 2003 shipments may be sent to SLD. Due to the technology available at the SLD airport, transport is limited to general cargo (including Cash on Delivery shipments), in the PRG-SLD direction only. Prices are the same as those for PRG-KSC (Košice).

THE NEED TO STATE SHIPMENT DIMENSIONS IN AWBs

According to an IATA/FIATA decision, effective from 1 April 2004, the precise dimensions of individual items of shipments should be entered in Air Waybills (AWB), in the “Nature and Quantity of Goods“ box. These data will help carriers and handling agents in the handling of shipments, shipment loading, and aircraft balancing:

• The dimensions are: greatest length, width and height, measurement unit, and number of items
• If it is a consolidated shipment which is handled as 1 item, only the total dimension of the consolidation is required
• Dimensions are not required for cargo in original air containers or pallets
• If the dimensions are not available or cannot be entered in the AWB in time, the total volume of the shipment should be entered
• If the dimensions and complete volume of the shipment are not known and cannot be entered in the AWB at the time of completion, then “No Dimensions Available“ must be clearly stated in the AWB

ACCEPTANCE OF GOODS AT THE TERMINAL AND HANDLING TIMES

We would like to remind all forwarders to observe the exact times for goods acceptance at the CSA warehouse. We request that forwarders instruct drivers to respect the times necessary for the smooth handling and loading of shipments on CSA flights. Acceptance of general cargo ends 3 hours before the regular departure of flights and 4 hours for truck services. For long-distance flights the acceptance of shipments ends 6 hours before the scheduled departure. We are also striving to improve the security processes in the area for shipment acceptance. For security and space reasons, goods without documents may not be kept longer than 3 hours. Only the shipper, always accompanied by a CSA staff member, can be in this area.

IMPROPERLY FILLED-IN AWB

Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of improperly filled-in AWBs, especially the weights and tariffs of shipments are stated incorrectly. We would like to request you to pay maximum attention when filling in AWBs. CCA (Cargo Charges Correction Advice) will be issued for all incorrectly filled AWBs and the respective fees will be charged. Thank you for understanding.

CHECKLIST FOR WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS OF SHIPMENTS

After the trial period and with regards to operational needs, we are adjusting the use of the checklist for shipments submitted to transport by forwarders. A box to mark dangerous goods and heavy (HEA) goods will be added. The box for dimensions will be cancelled.

USE OF IATA IMP CODES ON CARGO DOCUMENTS

Please note that CSA Cargo is now working according to newly introduced IATA codes for goods stated in TACT Rules 58th Edition, par. 1.3.3. We would appreciate if goods were always declared in accordance with these codes so that we can identify them unambiguously. We can send you a list of current codes upon request.

EQUATION AND EXPRESS SHIPMENTS

We would like to specify the differences between Equation and Express shipment handling:

Equation

• an express CSA product (weight per 1 item/max.70kg), shipments are accepted for transport without booking up to 90 minutes before the regular departure of flights
• priority loading on the requested flight
• express handling at destination
• no further charge for express handling which is a part of the express carriage charge
• guaranteed return of the carriage charge if a shipment cannot be dispatched due to a carrier’s fault

Expres handling

• express shipment handling submitted less than 180 minutes before departure of flights
• express handling may be carried out only if operations situation allow, and the handling charge is double
• express handling is not provided at the destination, nor is a guarantee for return of the carriage charge if the shipment is not dispatched as provided

CHARGE FOR VALUABLE SHIPMENTS (VAL) TO/VIA HELSINKI (HEL)

As of 26 October 2003, a VAL charge to/via HEL has been introduced to cover the costs related to the handling of such shipments at HEL airport. The charge is EUR 92/AWB.

CANCELLATION OF VAL SHIPMENT EMBARGO TO VENICE (VCE)

As of 30 October 2003, the VAL and VUN shipment embargo to VCE has been cancelled.