Shorter delivery times and increased revenues were on the minds of those in attendance at the celebratory luncheon put together by the Houston Airport System, yesterday, in honor of China Airlines’ new all-cargo service to Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

The luncheon took place in downtown Houston at the world-renowned Wortham Center, where a host of cargo-industry-insiders welcomed the news service to IAH. This new service makes China Airlines the first Asian carrier offering both scheduled passenger and cargo service to the city.

Among the participants were Philip Wei, chairman of China Airlines; the honorable Kenneth Liao, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston; Houston City Councilmember Adrian Garcia; and Houston Airport System director, Rick Vacar.

Top international air cargo importers and exporters, were on-hand as well to welcome the carrier to Houston.

Many of these individuals had already attended the recent inauguration ceremony that took place on September 30, 2006 at IAH. That event was celebrated in commemoration of the first arrival of a China Airlines Boeing 747-400F aircraft to that airport.

Industry insiders in Houston, however, were so excited about the new service that they were looking to commemorate it many times over.

For Ted Jeude, director of operations for Foxconn Communications & Network Solutions Business Group in Houston, the biggest appeal of the new service is the amount of time it will reduce from the delivery of his products to the global market. Foxconn is the largest manufacturer of connectors for use in PCs in Taiwan, and a leading manufacturer of connectors and cable assemblies in the world. The company runs one of its largest operations in the world out of Houston.

“This new service will reduce anywhere from 17 to 24 hours from the cycle delivery time of our products from Asia to Houston,” he said. “Instead of having to truck cargo in and out of Dalllas, shippers can now move their freight directly to and from Houston. This type of logistical competitive advantage will improve our service level to customers.”

Other local cargo operators agree. Freight-forwarders, who transport cargo to and from Houston from Dallas and the rest of the country, mostly by truck, are also very excited about the promise of this new service. Estella Dorman, import transportation manager for Expeditors International in Houston, said the potential for Asian carriers in Houston is tremendous.

“Time is money and any time you can shave of off your delivery time is an added bonus to your clients,” she added. “We’re very excited about this new service. The market in Houston is very strong – the capacity that air freight carriers need to operate; it’s here.”