I feel i need to explain a little bit more about the complexities of planning the air /land journey for livestock.
When i look up the proposed flight schedule, on Cargo for Air Singapore, this is the schedule from Singapore.
| SQ7360 | 13-Jul-10 | 30-Oct-10 | - 2 - - - - - | SIN | AMS | 22:45 | 13:10+1 | 74Y | Via MAA,SHJ |
SHJ, is Sharjah, United Arab emerites, again the cargo holds are left open, in a BTV ZOne.
The plane stops at these airports to pick up pay loads, to continue to Amsterdam.
When talking to airlines, they must make the flight pay, and so for instance if you chartered the plane it could cost in the vacinity of $AU200,000 or more, so whether it is chartered, or not, that is the payload the plane takes anyway, otherwise the flight is cancelled.
To change a planes route for 2 pallets of alpacas, is not a foreseeable objective to be depending on, and start a quarantine as the airline, can cancel loads,and flights at amoments notice which we hae all seen in the past.
If there is a better payload, then the airline takes that on, without consideration at all to what other payloads they postpone.
Flight delays, as explained by my previous blog.
The exporter always has to have plan B, in case of delays, missed planes, or plane breakdown, otherwise the alpacas are stranded, as it is this plane will take 30.32 hrs, that is flight time, that does not include the land transport time, before loading at the country of origin, and the time of loading, which is usually at least 1 hour before the plane lands, as the airline, pilot etc, have to calculate how much fuel the plane needs, and so all cargo has to be loaded.
so far our best scenario is loading time at Quarantine facility, preparation of alpacas, vehicles, and sorting into which ones go into which crates, 1.1/2 hour to prepare go through the group, depending on how big the group is, lets say just approx 24 alpacas, just to make sure each is looking their best, any toe nails need tidying up, etc.
This is previously, it has been worked out which alpaca goes into which crate, this has been calculted out by weights and applies to the (ASEL standards), 1 hour to move vehicles into place, to load the alpacas, and drive out of PEQ and lock PEQ
It takes us an hour to drive to airport, (as long as there is no traffic delays or accidents along the route, which is unlikely, but if this does hapen we have alternative routes, that at the most will take us 1.5 hours.
If the airline has crates in place when you arrive, some times they do and sometimes we may have to wait 1/2 hr, and 1 hour loading, (depending on which airline, and loading one crate, and moving that crate away and then load the second crate, paperwork, AQIS checks. and hand paperwork into the office.
so far we have talked about 3 hours to get to airport and load, 1 hour before plane lands, and there is usually a 2 hour turnaround for the plane to take off.
so far, the animals have been off feed and water, 6 hours, a flight say 12 hours- 15 hours they are fine, they are freash and no worries, but add this 6 hours to the original flight from NZ to Sin, when there is a change of plane, (which is stated from airline on 6/9/10 previous blog), 2 hours between flight is not long enough to unload the animals (if permission was granted fron the EU). and depending on the airport, where one plane is located to the connecting plane, 3 hours would be needed on average between flights and as stated below, lets say under a good scenario, where no flights are missed, or delayed, it has taken 30.32 hours, plus the 6 hours previously discussed.
and on average 2.5 hours unloading the plane, going through paperwork, if all paperwork is fine, destination country's quarantine people checking each alpaca, to make sure that all the alpacas that are in the crate have the same identification as on the paperwork, and that hte quarantine procedures in the country of origin, have met the Importing country's requirements.Then we have the land travel on top of that, or if they are allowed to rest, depending on when flight arrives, or which arrangments are for the animals.
THIS IS THE BEST SCENARIO, ADD THE ORIGINAL TIMES TO PLAN B, AND THEN ADD THE LAND TRAVEL TIME AT THE ARRIVAL AIRPORT TO THE NEXT COUNTRY YOU HAVE TO DELIVER THE ALPACAS TO.
BUT IF THIS SHIPMENT WAS APPROVED *(AUSTRALIA WOULD NOT APPROVE THIS), WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO HAVE ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE IN CASE THE PLANE FOR PLAN B WAS DELAYED, BROKEN DOWN ETC.
ALL COUNTRIES HAVE A DUTY OF CARE FOR ANY ANIMAL, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL PLANS ARE IN PLACE....REMEMBER 4 BLOGS AGO, I MENTION, WE HAVE TO PREPARE A CONSIGNMENT RISK MANEMENT PLAN, TO ELIMINATE ALL RISKS, BUT IF THE UNFORESEEN HAPPENS, WE HAVE PLANS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE EXPORTING COUNTRY AND THE DESTINATION COUNTRY THAT ALL ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN PLACE FOR THE WELFARE AND SAFETY OF ALL ANIMALS EXPORTED.
LETS GO BACK TO OUR SCENARIO TO PLAN B
THe backup plane has a worse scenario, of 43.37 hrs. ADD THE ORIGINAL 6 HOURS PREVIOUSLY, AND THEN LETS ADD, THE TIME AT THE AMSTERDAM AIRPORT, THIS IS AT BEST SCARIO 52 HOURS OFF FOOD AND WATER, WITHOUT THE LAND JOURNEY TO EITHER THE FINAL DESTINATION COUNTRY OR THE PURCHASERS/OWNERS PROPERTY.
If this was a proposed export lodged to the Australian Quarantine Service, AQIS, it would be rejected, as the planning of this flight would have too many varibles to plan for.
The Plane model mentioned is not accredited by AQIS in their ventilation checklist, which means that, it would not accept this plane for transporting live animals.
We have to plan heavily for flights over 12 hrs, to make sure the plane has enough ventilation units on it, and Enviromental control Systems.
AQIS considers a 20 hrs flight, a long flight and extra arrangements must be made.
In this time, the animals are off feed and water.
Again I emphasise, the risks I see in this project.
My credibility and ethics as an exporter would not even consider this as an ideal option, for alpacas being exported from Australia even though they have spent their residency of 6 mths in the third country.
These are the facts that an exporter has to take into consideration, although AQIS have stricter rules for their Live Animal Export than some other countries, they do this, to eliminate risks.
These few important issues most people are not aware of, but are very important for planning a shipment.
Another source also told me, that this flight was once considered by a flight forwarder in NZ, and it was considered too risky to consider, too many if's, especially with connections, flight length etc.
Then when the animals arrive at the destination airport, after going through the normal checks, the land transport issues after that.
This is an extremely long time for the alpacas, and unnecessary.
Always consider any RISKS, and eliminate them all.
I AS AN ACCREDITED AQIS EXPORTER THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN ALPACA REGISTERED EXPORTER UNDER THEIR NEW LEGISLATION WHICH WAS PASSED IN 2004.
MY INTEGRETY, MY CREDIBILITY, AND MY ETHICS IS WHAT DROVE ME ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO TO LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO EUROPE.
MANY OF YOU READING THIS BLOG, KNOW THAT I HAVE SAID ALL ALONG, WHEN THE FIRST PLANE OF TWO WAS CANCELED BY CARGOLUX, THAT IF THE REMAINING PLANE WAS CANCELLED, THERE WOULD BE ALPACAS STRANDED IN NZ.
MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT ( AS BIOSECURITY SAID WHEN I MET THEM), THIS LITTLE LADY WHO FACED GOLIATH, AND THAT IS WHAT THE EU COMMISSION IS.
MY PASSION TO TRY AND RIGHT THE WRONG AND GO THROUGH TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE EU COMMISSION, (SOMETHING EVERYONE SAID THE EU COMMISSION WILL NOT MEET WITH JUST A LADY FROM AUSTRALIA TO DISCUSS THEIR EXPORTING /IMPORTING REGULATIONS), BUT I REQUESTED THIS MEETING IN BELGIUM, AND I WAS ACCEPTED.
I FOCUSED ON THE SUBJECT AT HAND, AND HAD ALL THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERTS ON HAND, SO I COULD HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO TALK TO THIS TOP OFFICIALS.
I WAS REPRESENTING AUSTRALIA, I DID NOT WANT TO LOOK A FOOL, I HAD ABOUT 3 WEEKS TO GET IN PLACE MY PRESENTATION, TO LEARN EVERYTHING THERE WAS TO BE LEARNT ABOUT BLUETONGUE, (BTV), AND THEN ELYSE AND MYSELF, AND I ASKED A PERSON I HAD HUGE RESPECT FOR, WHO ALSO HAD YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OF PROTOCOLS, AND UNDERSTANDING THE DIRECTIVES IN THE EU REGULATIONS, RICHARD BEALE, ACCOMPANIED BY THEAUSTRALIAN CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICIAL IN BELGIUM, THIS WAS A FIRST, AND THE RESULT OF THIS, IS THE COUNTRY'S NOW ARE TALKING.
BUT I WAS NOT GOING TO SIT AND WAIT FOR SOMETHING THAT STILL WILL NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP CANADA, TO USE AS A THIRD COUNTRY THROUGH TO EUROPE.
NOT ONLY TO OPEN THIS AS A THIRD COUNTRY, BUT TO ALSO OPEN THIS TO A NEW MARKETPLACE.
CANADA WILL BE LOOKING FOR NEW GENETICS, AND FLEECE IMPROVEMENT.
BUT IN MY OPINION A HUGELY BETTER OPTION THAN ANY OPTION THAT IS OFFERED TO THE EUROPEANS WHO WANT TO STILL PURCHASE ELITE GENETICS, FROM AUSTRALIA.
OUR FIRST FLIGHT TO VANCOUVER IS 14 HOURS, WITH THE ALPACAS BEING SHEDDED WATERED AND FED AT VANCOUVER BEFORE THE NEXT LEG APPROX 3 HR FLIGHT TO THE NEXT AIRPORT, WHERE THE QUARANTINE OPERATORS LIVE 1 HOUR FROM AIRPORT.
THE FINAL FLIGHT FROM 5 DEPARTING AIRPORTS IN CANADA, IS 8 HRS TO 8 DESTINATIONS, SO I HAVE IN PLACE MANY ALTERNATIVES IF A FLIGHT IS CANCELLED.
I HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I HAVE THE DUTY OF CARE FOR ANY ALPACA AN OWNER PLACES IN MY CUSTODY.
PLEASE CONSIDER ALL YOUR OPTIONS, BEFORE MAKING THE IMPORTANT DICISION OF HOW DECIDE TO ENTRUST YOUR PRECIOUS ALPACA TO, AND MAKE SURE ALL YOUR OPTIONS HAVE BEEN COVERED.
I HAVE NOT WRITTEN THIS LIGHTLY, I DO HAVE 8 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN EXPORTING ALPACAS FROM AUSTRALIA.
MY ADVISORS FOR FLIGHT CONNECTIONS ETC, ARE CONSIDERED THE BEST IN AUSTRALIA, HAVE HAVE MADE THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPEN FOR MANY DESTINATIONS.
HIS OPINION IS, HE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER EVEN OFFERING SUCH A RISKY OPTION.
YOU NEED TO RESEARCH ALL ASPECTS OF EXPORTING AND IMPORTING, THE FLIGHTS IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THIS PROCEDURE, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING RIGHT, WITH NO RISK.
THE RESULT OF THE RISK IF YOU TAKE THIS RISK.............WILL THE DESTINATION COUNTRY ACCEPT THE ALPACAS, IF THEY HAVE THE FULL DETAILS OF THE FLIGHT ARE GIVEN TO THEM ON ARRIVAL.
UNLIKE AUSTRALIA WE HAVE TO APPLY EXPORT OR IMPORT ANY ANIMAL, THE EU YOU DO NOT APPLY TO IMPORT, IT IS WHEN THEY ARRIVE, THE OFFICIALS ARE NOTIFIED YOU ARE COMING PRIOR TO ARRIVAL, BUT WHEN THEY ARRIVE THEY LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS, AND THE ALPACAS CAN BE REJECTED THERE, WHAT HAPPENS THEN, THEY CAN BE SENT BACK ON THE NEXT PLANE.
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