Market Your Airport’s Air Cargo Development Opportunities

Selling your airport means convincing the airlines and other cargo operators such as freight forwarders and cargo handlers that there is a profitable opportunity for them to commence service to your market. Preparation of presentations showing volumes of existing cargo along with growth potential, the benefits of using your airport and the support of the forwarder community is important. Many larger markets also have air cargo marketing and promotions campaigns in place to assist their efforts. Some airports offer incentives to new entrants.

Chapter 2, Developing an Air Cargo Market of ACI-NA Air Cargo Guide, offers one approach for pursuing air cargo development opportunities. The guide walks the reader through the initial phase of raising awareness of the airport’s air cargo services and then a later step of targeting specific carriers or freight forwarders and steps through opportunities for both cooperative and informational marketing programs.

In addition to persuasive marketing strategies, many large and medium airports have financial incentive programs to mitigate startup costs. Air cargo drives economic development and employment; therefore, regional incentives may be appropriate. The FAA requires that incentive programs be offered in an equitable manner available to all carriers. A few airport examples of incentives include:

• Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport will waive landing fees and aircraft parking fees for new air cargo service. Air cargo service to emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa) receives additional incentives.
• Alaska International Airport System will waive landing fees for a year for qualifying all- cargo service.
• Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport offers landing fee rebates and marketing support to offset new service startup costs and promote the brand for new entrants with no required match by the carriers.
• New York-Kennedy offers incentives for air cargo handlers to occupy its existing air cargo facilities including sales and real estate tax benefits and pass-through savings on other taxes.