Emotional Flying Club
It’s jokingly said some airlines have become so focused on getting more money from passengers, using add-ons to the basic fare that soon we’ll be charged for emotional baggage. This idea might make you chuckle but the chances are your flying routine follows an excitable pattern. The somewhat unbelievable concept of being enclosed in a pressurised metal tube, flying 40,000ft above the earth, hurtling along at 500 miles an hour triggers all sorts of emotions. This usually means that our flying routine, that others make look so easy-going, triggers lots of emotion. But we are not as alone as we think. If your friends do any of the following, they are with you in: – “The Emotional Flying Club”. They are just better at hiding their membership card!
Before you even arrive at the airport you start worrying about how long it takes to get there. Do you doubly make sure you get up in time, for that early morning departure, and don’t oversleep? Go on, admit it, we’ve all set more than one alarm clock and also booked an alarm call. You have done the airport journey many times before. It only takes 30mins or is it 50mins? Well, let’s say an hour to be sure eh? On the way, and at the first of hint of any hold-ups we start thinking, “Will you get out of the way?” wondering why all the worse drivers are on the road at once. Arriving at the airport we are amazed at how the journey took such a short time. We have arrived with hours to spare. However it is an “airport travel” memory block, because next time we will have completely forgotten this and go through all the emotional panic again.
Of course, we now start double-checking if we have got all our passports and tickets. No chance of remembering where the passports were hidden for safety. Everyone in our party starts looking and things become more confused. Eventually the passports appear, as if by magic. We were so sure that the luggage was underweight but, as we get nearer the baggage drop, we become convinced that it must weigh at least 25kg and will be rejected for being overweight. Suddenly the security questions take on a new meaning. “Yes, no one could have interfered with my bags”. “No, I am not carrying anything for anyone else”. Easy answers, but why is it we try to avoid feeling and looking guilty? When it comes to security clearance, even though we are so organised, we worry if all liquids and gels are in the plastic see-through bag. On heck, I’ve not left that spray in the carry-on case have I? It goes without saying, that whichever security queue you join, the others will be quicker. Naturally we get annoyed at passengers who leave it, until the very last moment, to start removing belts, watches, mobiles and laptops. Admit it you look-on, with anticipation, as your case travels through X-Ray. Will it make it OK? As for walking through the security arch yourself – whoops, breathe again as no alarm sounded. If you have ever become annoyed with the others repacking their belongings so slowly, whilst you are ready to move on, then your emotions are certainly rising in the emotional baggage count. Now all you have to do is to make sure you don’t miss your flight and never leave your baggage unattended. Sounds easy – forget it!
Even if you are in a lounge, no flight ever seems to be shown on the screen when you are checking. No matter how many times you look, the boarding gate seems to appear just when you weren’t looking. If you find yourself late, your flight will be departing from the farthest gate possible from where you are. Have you ever boarded a flight that leaves from Gate 1? No, neither as anyone else! As to you having some luck, if you are allocated a middle seat, you can easily spot which passengers will be sitting either side of you. The two largest! If you are travelling on business, no matter what cabin class, the crying baby will be seated nearest to you. Another emotional moment, just as you are about to sit down, consider this conundrum. Why is it that, when there is less carry-on luggage space available, the more carry-on luggage the passengers will bring aboard? You end up having to stow your bags nowhere near your seat! By now, you’ll have realised that this article only touches on some emotional triggers. There are so many more, that it’s no wonder we all have enough experience to join the Emotional Flying Club.
So come on, admit and apply for membership. As a nervous elderly lady said to a pilot, “I’ve never flown before; you will land me safely down, won’t you?” “Well ma’am,” said the pilot, “I’ve never left anyone up there yet!” I bet this senior first-time flyer was already a bona fide Emotional Flying Club member! Happy travels………
“Flashes of Thought” is the title of book written by His Highness Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. A reader soon realises that this book gives you a rare insight into a ruler’s vision about his country and the challenges he encounters in order to realise his dreams. History has taught us that a nation’s development definitely lies within the vision of its rulers. Not only have my friends and myself witnessed the dramatic growth of Dubai but also its astounding development which has earned worldwide recognition over the past two decades. I consider myself fortunate that I have been witness to the amazing progress that Dubai has achieved. Being a part of this also affords me a little pride. “Flashes of thought” tell you about the determination and vision of a ruler who, in turn, brought happiness to his citizens.
CSS Group was well represented during the Breakbulk Exhibition, showcasing a strong presence led by a delegation from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, India and Pakistan. From CSS Dubai, T S Kaladharan, Chairman CSS Group, Raj George, Senior Vice President Projects, Oil & Energy, Ken Dinnadge, VP Business Development, Siby Kurian, Sr. General Manager Sales & Marketing and Amith Horra, Marketing Manager were in attendance. From CSS Abu Dhabi, Renjith Pillai, Branch Manager, from CSS Bahrain Narayan Tagore, General Manager, from CSS India Prabhakar Maniyan and Vice President Projects, Country Manager represented their respective regions during the exhibition.
In today’s economy, it is rare to find an organization that can proudly say that it has completed twenty years since its inception. Today CSS Group, thanks to the enormous support of all its agents, associates and partners can proudly announce that they have embarked on their 20th year of operation by June 2014. Having had a humble beginning in 1995, CSS Group has grown to become not just a regional, but a global player in the shipping fraternity. Today, CSS Group is sought out internationally by partners and customers alike for its outstanding reputation in customer service excellence, quality of execution and global experience. As part of its celebrations to mark this momentous milestone, CSS Group will be inviting all its partners and associates to an exclusive gathering in March 2015 in Dubai, UAE. “With global partners, associates and well-wishers all around the globe, we feel that it would be fitting to invite all those whose unending support have made this possible to celebrate with us right here in Dubai, where we began from our humble roots. It will be a celebration not only of our past but also of our future, one that we can build together through your continued trust and support in the organization,” added T S Kaladharan, Chairman CSS Group.
Chairman of CSS Group, T S Kaladharan visited CaroTrans head office in New Jersey and offices in Chicago with Roshmon Manoli, Route Development Manager – North America, in May 2014, with a focus on building further growth plans for the year 2014/2015. During the course of their visit to CaroTrans offices, they conducted meetings with Greg Howard, Global CEO, Michael Forkenbrock, President, CaroTrans International and Riyaz Jordan, Branch Manager, while discussing new opportunities in the market and ways to further develop the business in 2014/2015. The meeting allowed both partners to discuss growth areas within their markets that would serve as a channel for development within the routes that they operate in. “In our business it is vital to meet with partners face to face, as it allows us to better understand the economic scenario that they are working in, while understanding new growth opportunities that together as partners can be mutually beneficial,” said T S Kaladharan.
The National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL) on Sunday April 20th, 2014 hosted the Arab Union of Land Transport (AULT) annual meeting and was inaugurated under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Honorary Patron, at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE. The event focused on enhancing the industry and to improve operational efficiency in the freight and logistics industry in the region, with one eye on elevating the standards of the industry in line with the UAE’s objectives of excellence.
CSS Abu Dhabi recently attended the Etihad Airways Cargo Customer Appreciation dinner which took place at the Sheraton, Abu Dhabi Arzanah Ballroom. The management team of Etihad Cargo took the opportunity to express their gratitude and cooperation to CSS Abu Dhabi for their continued business and support throughout the year 2013.
2014 opened with grandeur with the inauguration of Container Terminal 3, the World’s Largest Semi-Automated facility, by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Forget the luxury yachts heading to Dubai Marina, there are other traditional ways of seeing Dubai and hopping on an Abra is one of the most enjoyable.
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2014, the region’s leading travel industry showcase, celebrated its 21st edition which took place at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre from May 5 to 8, 2014. The exhibition welcomed over 4000 exhibitors from 95 countries with exhibition floor space covering more than 25,000 square meters.
One of the main highlights of the exhibition was the Middle East’s cruise sector which was highly visible and well represented at this year’s Arabian Travel Market. Having been in decline since the global downturn and the subsequent effects of the Arab Spring the cruise sector has seen a recent bounce back with significant infrastructure investment, easing visa regulations and creative marketing.?One challenge that the region faced was the lack of ports of call and the location of cruise facilities – most of the berths for cruise vessels were located within commercial shipping ports, which was not particularly conducive for leisure visitors. In response, Mina Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi is currently undergoing major redevelopment creating a dedicated cruise terminal. Dubai has been upgrading Port Rashid to accommodate seven vessels simultaneously, up from the current five, as part of its strategy to attract 450,000 cruise tourists by 2016.
CSS Group participated in the FPS sales conference 2014 which took place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from May 20 to 22, 2014. CSS Middle East was represented by Fida Asghar, Team Manager, NVOCC CSS Dubai and Dean Landers, General Manager, CSS Kuwait. The three day conference consisted of presentations, networking session, one to one meetings, sales training seminars, personal selling skills case studies, team building activities, gala dinners and social sightseeing excursions. “The one on one member meetings were extremely important as they were designed to build on the reciprocal sales activity and business opportunities between members,” added Fida Asghar. The three day event was hosted by Johnny Khoa, FPS member for Vietnam who added, “The conference provided valuable workshops on Personal Sales Technique and Advanced Selling Skills. It was a good opportunity to involve everybody in relaxed outdoor activities, entertainment, and to share an enjoyable stay here in Ho Chi Minh City.”
The Supply Chain Management facility CSLC- 2, of CSS Group began its operations in June 2004, with limited customers and today, has grown to become the preferred partner for major multinationals within the region. Located in JAFZA, one of the largest man made ports in the world, the facility is located close to the main container terminal which is naturally convenient for all parties involved. The current infrastructure of the facility is spread over 25,000 sq.mtrs with 14,000 sq.mtrs of state of the art racked warehousing that has a cargo capacity of 1050 TEUs. In addition, CSS Group is looking to expand this space by an additional 3000 sq.mtrs by the end of this year. The office space is around 300 sq.mtrs with an additional dedicated area of 500 sq.mtrs for value added jobs.
The 37th edition of the India Club UAE Open Badminton tournament got off to a colourful start with a record 595 participants in the men’s, ladies’, boys’, girls’ and veterans’ categories.
As part of our continuous commitment to the freight forwarding fraternity, CSS initiated a thank you scheme over 8 years ago, whereby one lucky name out of the scores of business cards that are dropped into the raffle bowls placed at the Delivery Order Counter will be rewarded with a gift.
Nobody expected such a stunning performance, when KPL team owners XI invited the team formed by the cast and crew of the famous Malayalam movie hit 1983 branded by the Concord ventures Group. Both team played professionally at the Sevens ground on the Al Ain road in Dubai. Concord ventures group team 1983 put up a formidable score of 152 as per the T20 standards, when they batted first. Some brilliant shots from actors like Kunchacko Boban and Madan Mohan helped 1983 team to put up a challenging score in front of the experienced KPL team owners XI.
Prior to the teaser match in Dubai, the KPL Management committee and the 1983 movie crew jointly conducted a press conference both in Cochin & Dubai.
The first of its kind T20 Cricket in UAE – Asian Cricketing with Middle Eastern seasoning! A total of 14 Glorious Teams named with 14 Districts from Kerala. Each team consists of a minimum of 3 players preferable from the respective districts of Kerala in a playing XI and the remaining from local talent with one player under the age of 22 and maximum of 2 overseas players. KPL Dubai is the biggest ASIAN sporting event providing you with the opportunity to be known to and reach, one of the largest communities in the region.
Emirates SkyCargo presented its top agents with special achievement awards at a dedicated event held in March 2014 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai. These awards recognise the important role of cargo agents and forwarders in contributing to the airline’s success during the year 2013.
CSS was recently recognized at the Customer Award Night by Safmarine, at a dinner held at the Murooj Rotana in Dubai, UAE on April 9th 2014. In attendance to receive this award for CSS was Ajay Krishnan, Senior General Manager, Ocean Freight and Raufa Shaikh, Pricing Manager.