Flying Talkers Broadcast

LaGuardia’s Marine Air Terminal Saved: A 39-Year Preservation Triumph

In this episode Geoffrey Arend recounts the decades-long fight to preserve LaGuardia Airport’s Marine Air Terminal, from saving it in 1980 to a recent threat of demolition and the successful public push that secured its future.
He shares personal Pan Am memories, the story of the MAT mural and Clipper model, and highlights how community action and media attention led the Port Authority to confirm the landmark will remain intact.

How A LaGuardia Trippe Saved A Landmark

A LaGuardia Trippe Helped Save A Landmark
It is always significant when a plan comes together, but also can be a gift like today, when Christmas & Hanukkah just came early.
Last week we were writing about a plan we discovered in works by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to demolish much of The Marine Air Terminal (MAT) at LaGuardia You might recall that we saved that building in 1980 with Tim Peirce LGA Airport General Manager and both of us in 1986 were honored with the highest award for Historic Preservation by US Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth H. Dole in Washington DC.So here 39 years later comes word of impeding doom during another LGA Airport expansion ,even though MAT is designated a Landmark.

Glyn And Ram On Air Cargo

     “Everybody talks about, but no one does a thing about it” is a popular notion about what?     “The weather!”     But as we close 2025 in an absolute blizzard of industry events of all kinds, it’s time to point some focus on which gathering of air cargo and logistics really meant something above and beyond everyone’s desire of furthering transport.     Here we humbly submit a dissertation upon logistics by two stalwarts of our industry, who we think as you read about their event may have done more to advance an idea of a logistics career amongst the next generation than anybody  anywhere else during the year that was 2025.     Ram Menen, who built Emirates SkyCargo and now is retired and Glyn Hughes who at IATA and TIACA has built everything else and is still active, have both done all of this before.      Very thankful that during their second version of outreach we caught up with them so that we can report what they said in detail and can share with you some quality time with these two experts who were making friends for logistics amongst some young people.     The driver here is the fact that air cargo and logistics needs to involve and build itself amongst the upcoming next generation.     Here for you dear reader, we share a futurist template that can serve to move us ahead in recruiting the next generation to lead our industry in 2026 and beyond.

Episode Title 4043034059

Flying Talkers Cargo November

SWA Cargo 2025 Tells Like It Is
If there is one thing that has been a constant at Southwest Airlines (SWA) Cargo or elsewhere it’s fielding top executives that tell it like it is.
Like Alka Seltzer: “plop,plop,fizz- fizz -oh what a relief it is,” the interview tradition we have noticed over the years at SWA is to have simple straight forward answers to our questions delivered without uncertainty, whilst these pronouncements are chock ‘o block with determination and hope.
“Air cargo media learned and appreciated straight from the shoulder right from the heart dialogue from Wally Devereaux who served as top cargo boss at SWA almost forever during his amazing 23 years at the carrier before retiring earlier this year.
 Setting that culture when you think about it goes back to roots of course that must include airline founder the Herb Kelleher.
Plain spoken and right to the point  you never had to wonder what was one the late, dear, Herb’s mind.
Once during an interview about air cargo Ole Herb rolled up his sleeve and revealed with a smile an SWA Cargo Tatoo on his arm.
Talk about a message guy in words and pictures!
Now there is Brian Kelleher as SWA head of cargo who minus “the tats’ opens the conversation during our brief encounter this week declaring outright:
“I have been drinking from the fire hose since I moved into this position in April!
“And while I am loving every second, there is so much to do!”
Ah, the feeling of fresh air in the room ,we are thinking.
“Am not in Miami this week,” Brian says,” however members of our Cargo Team are in attendance with bells on because we are all wound -up and ready to go!
 “Southwest Cargo today lives the culture with an incredible team in place of people – that has not, and am hopeful,will never change,” Brian said.
“We deliver an extremely reliable product while extending the hospitality, personal relationships, and pride that our customers know and luv.
“And our network, tail-to-tail connection processes, and attractive drop/recovery times makes shipping with us better than ever,” Brian declared.
“We intend to grow, and are excited about our roadmap that is unfolding for 2026 and beyond.
“Southwest Airlines is going through major improvements and investing in our business.
“A great example is the implementation of bag fees and hope that move will impact air cargo.
“With that change – as an airline we have seen an expected reduction in the number of checked bags.
“That is pure opportunity for Cargo (space/weight in the bins), and we want our shipping partners to know that we are on the program to utilize upgraded cargo capacity aboardall oi our flights.
“After taking reigns for air cargo in April what struck me most then – and even now – is how tight-knit goes the SWA Cargo family.
“As example the tenure of our Cargo Employees is incredible.
“Their professionalism is off the charts.
Our people love Cargo, and love each other”,Brian smiled.
“ SWA team members come here to work, and stay.
“They all know each other, their families, their likes and dislikes….. it is an incredible culture and it is tangible.
‘I am so thankful to be a part of it.
“As we went through organizational changes in the spring and I moved into cargo, am also leading the Provisioning and Ground Support Equipment teams at SWA.
“All three teams have similarities, and all are also very unique whilst undergoing significant change.
“Getting it right and implementing fresh tested strategies and laying out future plans are my focus now.
“What has been surprising in a climate of change is the passion and excitement around unfolding opportunities.
“The teams are not fearful – they are dedicated and ready for what’s new and for what’s next.
“It is an exciting environment with energy & focus.
“Our future is very much in the air cargo business and to that end we are laser focused on opportunities to provide solid value to our customers, which will include new capabilities.
“Stay tuned all us at SWA Cargo believe the best is yet to come,” Brian Kelleher promises.
 
 
 

Episode Title 3532086732

FIATA Unites Vietnam

Up close & personal..Here we get close to events in Hanoi Vietnam earlier this moth as FITA held it's Annual World Congress.
Offering informative glimpses into a truly fast paced interesting program, and intriguing time off activities, here FIATA and host Hanoi had on their best faces and manners, as a good informative time was realized by all.

Beatles Logistics 60 Years Ago

Welcome to today’s Flying Talkers Broadcast.
As long as we have known him, Michael Webber of webberaircargo.com when he is not planning airports is talking about music.
 It just so happens that both of us believe that music is an essential part of life, like breathing out and breathing in.
Mike was brought up in the great jazz atmosphere of Kansas City USA and later studying at Tulane University in New Orleans he was allowed some years just a stone’s throw from Bourbon Street, the jazz  capital of the world.
Little wonder that in 2015 when Mike suggested he share his take about the day 50 years prior on August 15,1965 when The Beatles visited John F. Kennedy International Airport we said yes.
We had covered that story in pictures in two of our Great Airports History books.
Mike went very deep dish into the story and also created a second chapter of The Beatles USA odyssey for our readers a year or so later when they returned to USA and visited the West Coast .
In the second story Mike shared more fascinating cabin crew insights and experiences he had gathered over the years.
Well here we are ending Summer 2025 60 years later and luckily here also is Mike closing the circle with Part Three of what has become a Beatles Trilogy, this one including music and logistics and other memories. 
PART ONE https://www.aircargonews.com/2024/0224/020924/Beatles-Day-At-JFK.html
PART TWO
https://www.aircargonews.com/0216/FT160212/When-LAX-Landed-The-Beatles.html   

The title of Its Whats Up Front That_Counts

Air Canada Cargo Steps Up

Welcome to todays Flying Talkers Podcast.Todays program is brought to you by ATC.Always Take Care...ATC is the best GSSA in the air cargo  business.If you are within the sound of my voice there is a ATC office near you with a host of the world's leading air cargo airlines ready,,willing and able to serve your every shipping needs.One World....One one great GSSA.Check us out at WWW..ATC dot org..and tell them Flying Talkers Broadcast sent you.Here now the news...Air Canada Cargo HitsThe Spot....Matthieu Casey of Air Canada Cargo address how Canadian national carrier stepped up for aair cargo utilizing its freighter feet recently:Quote....We did indeed modify our freighter schedule to put in place a freighter relief schedule to ensure continuity and provide temporary capacity to support our customers, including temporary service from Europe. As Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge resume flights over the course of the next week, our Cargo relief schedule will continue to operate and gradually transition back to the regular freighter schedule once our passenger schedule resumes normal operation.....India's Tariff TraumaIndia’s air cargo industry has always flown against headwinds—high airport charges, fragmented policies, and uneven infrastructure. Now, a new shock has thrown the sector into fresh turbulence: Donald Trump’s sweeping 50% tariff on Indian exports. For a business built on speed, predictability, and seamless global flows, the tariff is proving deeply destabilizing.