Kenya to become first country to adopt CSQ tool at airports nationwide
In an effort to raise the bar on cargo-handling standards across Africa, Kenya is scheduled to become the first country in the world to adopt a new benchmarking tool, called Cargo Service Quality (CSQ), at all of its airports nationwide.
Developed last year by The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the CSQ tool is made up of four parts – benchmarking, assessment, improvement and excellence – and enables forwarders at participating cargo terminals to submit ratings on the service quality they receive at airports. Some of the rating criteria include process, technology, facilities, regulators and general airport infrastructure.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said it plans to implement the online tool at all Kenyan cargo hubs by the middle of 2019, with the goal of using the response data to improve airport performance across the country.
“When the TIACA system is fully adopted by mid-2019, we will be able to provide visibility and transparency to customers, and improve relationships with service providers by creating service quality benchmarks,” said Evans Michoma, the cargo commercial manager for KAA. “The tool will also allow us to make business decisions based on cost considerations with less emphasis on quality of services, letting us improve our products and services across the board.”
After creating the CSQ system in 2017, TIACA set up a pilot program this summer to test its efficacy with cargo operators at 18 airports around the world, using 179 forwarders that volunteered to take part. Cargo handlers in the pilot included cargo terminals at Delhi Indira Gandhi International (DEL) and Chennai International (MAA) in India; Jasa Angkasa Semesta in Indonesia; Hong Kong International’s Asia Airfreight Terminal; and Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) Ltd., among others.
The feedback from the summer pilot “has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Sanjiv Edward, chief commercial officer at DEL and TIACA Board member. “We have now moved towards full global implementation of this project, which will eventually be expanded to incorporate all segments of the air cargo supply chain.”
Those interested in learning more about quality standards are invited to join us at Cargo Facts EMEA, to be held Feb. 4-6, 2019, at The Westin Grand Frankfurt. Register before Dec. 14 to take advantage of early bird rates. To register or for more information, visit cargofactsemea.com.
