“Known-Consignor” licenses are used today by thousands of companies in Europe, to ship cargo quickly, cost-effectively and safely by air.
Companies without such a license can experience long delays due to the stringent airport security checks (such as x-rays) which are needed before cargo is permitted onto aircraft.
Due to the heightened aviation security around the world, these measures have been tightened even further. With effect from March 25th 2013, all existing “Known-Consignor” licenses must be re-issued (EU regulation: EC300/2008), and the new procedure also mandates a more stringent annual inspection process.
But are international shippers taking action? Concerned about the potential impact when the measures take effect, the German Aviation Authority “Luftfahrtbundesamt” (http://www.lba.de) recently reported that of the 60.000 companies in Germany with a current “Known-Consignor” license, less than 1.000 have so far obtained a new one!
The specific impact may differ from country to country, but as a result it may take longer to get a new license in the coming months than it did in the past, not least because the new certification process is both lengthy and complex.
Companies who fail to obtain the new license in time will probably also face delays due to waiting lines at security checkpoints or even increased air freight costs.
It’s clearly worth checking how your company is affected by these changes, especially if air freight has a major impact on costs and customer satisfaction in your business. One thing is certain – things are continually moving in the freight business.
Were you aware of this change? How will you respond? Let us know your comments.
Best regards,
The Polygon Team
