b'20American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comTOP NORTH AMERICAN AIRPORTS Chicagos Rockford International AirportAir freight friendlyWhile not a well-known airport to air trav-elers, Rockford International Airport (RFD) hasawell-deservedreputationforbeing air freight friendly that has contributed to the airports rapid rise as an air cargo hub.By Chris Barnett, AJOTKLM Cargo 747-400F at Miami International Airport Atfirstglance,Chicagologistics giant DB Schenker, RockfordInternationalAir- told the American Journal of Perishables lift airport businessport (RFD) with its one pas- Transportation. It is a 99% sengerairline,Allegiant,cargoairport,andtheiratti-Perishables underpin airfreight movements in the US and airportsflying to US sunspots, seemstude is whatever it takes, we like a lonely cousin to brawnywill do it. They are flexible, know they must give this timecritical freight first class serviceChicagoOHare.Butlogis- creative, have no bureaucracy or lose the traffic it commands. ticssavvyshippersandairand no multiple layers to get cargoexecutivesaroundtheto the right person to get the By Chris Barnett, AJOT world know better. job done. We have a personal While68milesnorthofrelationship with the airport, Speed is the bottom-line driver of priceyally smooth airport can contribute to a carriersthe WindyCitysperpetuallyand, during the pandemic, it air transportation but when perishable cargoescargoprofitability,particularlyoninterna- congestedflagshipmonster- just simply worked.areinvolved,airportsknowtheymustgivetional perishable traffic. port,ChicagoRockfordhasPeterWeirwasonthe timecritical freight first class service or lose10freighterairlineswith55team that set up Amazons air the traffic and the premium revenue it com- M iaMii nternationala irport(Mia) -flight operations daily withoutfreight warehousing and dis-mands. Indeed, perishables can be the back- g oliatha Monga irp erishablei Mports thedelaysthatoftenplaguetributionfacilityatChicago bone of the air cargo business, but lifecyclesWith its advantageous geographical loca- passenger- belly freight combiRockford eight years ago. I and deadlines of these commodities cannot betion, experience and expertise, Miami Interna- carriers. foundthemtobesocargo stretched, or the values reclaimed by delays. tional Airport (MIA) ranked first among USChicago Rockford is myfriendly then and later I came Not only airlines but airports have to beairports for international air freight and sev- favorite airport, Dennel For- back to establish the Menzies aggressive yet agile in shipping and handlingenth among world airports. Some 99 airlinesster, senior vice president ofAviation station, says Weir, perishables.Inefficienciescanwreakhavocoperate at MIA including 56 passenger or bellyoperations and procurements(FRIENDLYcontinued on with cargo yields. Conversely, an operation- (LIFTcontinued on page 22) in the Americas for the globalpage 26)'