By Karen E. Thuermer, AJOTDallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is Texas big when it comes to air cargo, and its future looks optimistic.“With over 18,000 acres of land, we have plenty of room to grow our cargo facilities in a cost-effective, efficient manner,” comments Brian Frainey, DFW Assistant Vice President, Air Service Development. “Facilities will be built and opened as the market requires.” Unlike New York’s Kennedy Airport (JFK) or Los Angles International Airport (LAX), DFW is far from being land locked. With seven runways—four to handle simultaneous arrivals, and three for simultaneous departures, the airport has more capacity than any other airport in the United States. “To put it into perspective, DFW is bigger than the entire island of Manhattan,” Frainey says. “We handle every kind of product from traditional express to heavy freight.” In fact, as he spoke to this AJOT reporter via telephone, he remarked that a UPS A-300 aircraft was readying for take off. Cargo volumes are on the increase at DFW. In 2004, the airport handled 819,383 metric tons of freight, up from 734,827 metric tons in 2003. The volumes are nearly balanced, with 2004 tonnage weighing in at 55,015 metric tons in favor of deplaned over enplaned. International cargo represented 33% of the volume last year at 270,161 metric tons, up from 210,190 metric tons in 2003. Of that freight, 167,665 metric tons was Asian, up from 120,521 metric tons in 2003 with 56,922 metric tons being enplaned and 110,742 metric tons deplaned in 2004. International cargo volumes are close to being balanced, with 2004 figures showing 105,372 metric tons enplaned and 164,798 metric tons deplaned. “Asian freighter cargo represents 62% of our total international freight and 20.5% of our total cargo,” comments Frainey. In anticipation of future growth, DFW is currently expanding its cargo space with Phase III of its International Air Cargo Centre. This phase will encompass 118,000 square feet of warehouse space and an additional 275,000 square feet of logistics space for cross-dock operations, forwarders, brokers, government offices, etc. “We are also ready to handle the A380 aircraft,” he adds. “We are light years ahead of any other airport in this regard. The runways and taxiways are already able to do so, and Phase III has been built with this aircraft in mind.” Currently, DFW is capable of handling two 380s, or three 747s, or four 757s simultaneously. “The leader in Asian cargo for Southern and Eastern US” “As Asia represents about 46% of the total trade in the DFW Catchment Area, we are very active in Asia,” Frainey points out. The effort has paid off. Come November, Cathay Pacific Airlines Cargo will begin serving DFW with 747-400 aircraft, three flights per week to/from Hong Kong. “We are very excited,” Frainey exclaims. “Cathay Pacific is one of the leading airline brands in the world. We have been working with them for years, showing them the potential for the market. It has been a text book case study. We will not have passenger service from Cathay, but one has to think that is further down the road.” As Frainey points out, for most airlines, cargo is an easy way for carriers to test the market to see if they want to make further commitments on the passenger side. DFW is already served by a host of Asian carriers: China Airlines Cargo, with seven weekly flights; China Cargo Airlines, with four weekly flights; EVA Air, with eight weekly flights; Korean Air, with seven weekly flights; and Singapore Airlines Cargo, with four weekly flights. “Three of the Singapore flights are round-the-world services that start in Singapore, go to Hong Kong or Macau, continue to DFW, and then go back to Singapore via Europe/Africa/India,” Frainey says. “The Friday flight links DFW with Johannesburg before going back to Singapore. This is DFW’s only cargo link to Africa, and is a new destination for SQ Cargo. The fourth flight is SIN-HKG-DFW round trip.” Singapore Airl