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Hi All Just trying my luck after being absent in SGCM after so long.... (my 1st post here after more than 10 years) Anyone here going to let go of their F25 soon ? I'm hoping to buy a used Boot Cargo Cover. The one with the retractable sliding blind. Please PM if have.. cuz I have no idea where to get a replacement. short of going back to BMW. Thanks Bros.

My family & I are planning to drive up to Genting Highlands for the holidays. As we need extra luggagespace, I have installed roof bars & will eventually put roof box/cargo. Anyone have tried to drive to Genting Highlands with roof box? How was the experience, is it generally safe? Along the way (stops on the high-way) as well as on parking at Genting Highlands? Any height clearance I should be aware of? Appreciate your inputs & sharing your experience.

On August 30 2016, members of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AICC) and the Antonov Corporation, the leading Ukrainian aviation company, signed an agreement to restart production of the AN-225, the world's largest cargo aircraft which first flown during the final days of the Soviet era in 1988. The contract includes the establishment of two large production facilities for the new AN-225, located in Central and Southern China. Antonov will deliver the necessary technological and purchase production equipment for the Chinese. The first completely redesigned AN-225 is expected to start flying in 2019. An-225 weights 640 ton, powered by six engines is 84 meters in length and a wingspan of over 88 meters. It carries a payload of 250 tons ( or about 100 Terrex ICV armored vehicle. ) http://www.popsci.com/china-will-resurrect-worlds-largest-plane

THE phrase “self-loading freight” has been a favourite put-down among aviation workers for decades. The term demotes passengers to the lowly status of cargo, sardonically crediting their ability to board and disembark without assistance. Readers with personal experience of lengthy security queues, unallocated-seating scrums and lengthy tarmac delays may themselves have felt like mere boxes with legs. Traditional air freight is more troublesome to shift around. It has also become more difficult to sell. And that is hitting carriers' profits just as passengers are returning and they are laying on more flights. Airlines went through a rough patch after the global financial crisis. According to IATA, an industry body, 2009 was the industry’s worst year since the second world war. A slew of bankruptcies, mergers and restructuring programmes subsequently knocked parts of it into shape. Optimism is now growing that the global economy has entered a cyclical upturn. Worldwide passenger traffic grew by 5.2% last year. IATA expects it to rise another 31% by 2017. International premium traffic—those passengers who turn left when they embark—was up 4.2% last year. Such high-yielding business travellers are by far the most valuable for airlines. Overall, worldwide airline profits are forecast to reach $18.7 billion this year; not exactly eye-watering for such a huge industry, but better at least than the recent past. But one subset of the airline industry had a distinctly lacklustre 2013. Ironically, it is the very market that has was once considered a bellwether of global economic fortunes. Air cargo grew by a meagre 1.4% in 2013, trailing significantly behind the 2.6% increase in freight capacity. That prompted IATA to call freight markets the “biggest worry” for the airline industry. Although freight traffic has picked up slightly in 2014, IATA warns of “trends which are not in the industry’s favour”. Foremost among these is that manufacturers are moving supply chains back to the developed world. As goods are produced closer to home there is less need for airlines to fly finished products and components around. One reason why off-shoring has fallen out of favour, IATA points out, is a rise in protectionism since the crisis. This is a “major part of the reason why we are not seeing trade growth of 5-6%, which we would expect to see at the current level of domestic production,” says Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general. This has been exacerbated by the rising cost of manufacturing abroad, as well as concerns over labour exploitation and a lack of protection for intellectual property rights. Other structural changes are also hitting the demand for air freight. Electronic goods are generally becoming smaller—or, worse, digitised. And storage facilities on ships are becoming more advanced, meaning fresh goods can now travel by sea. On the supply-side, the rapid growth of Gulf super-connectors Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways has increased capacity. These airlines have done an enviable job of funnelling inter-continental passengers through their hubs in the Middle East. But with every extra Boeing 777 they operate, space for another 25 tonnes of freight is added to the marketplace. Surplus capacity in the bellies of passenger aircraft drives down freight yields, which damages the overall health of the cargo industry. In response, many global carriers are moving out of the dedicated freighter market. Next month, British Airways will stop operating its 747-8F freighters, instead relying on hold capacity in passenger planes and a new partnership with Qatar Airways. Indeed further consolidation seems logical, much as with passenger planes. Air France and Cathay Pacific are re-assessing the size of their freighter fleets, while Japan Airlines ditched its long ago. Unless fuel prices come down markedly, many carriers will deem that deploying freighters in a buyer’s market is simply too risky. As risk aversion grows, a new breed of cargo operators is taking the reins. Coyne Airways describes itself as a non-asset-based airline. It is the 91st largest freight carrier in the world, yet it neither owns nor leases aircraft. Sometimes it will charter flights, but more often it simply buys space on another carrier’s freighter. Virtual airlines like Coyne Airways can market air freight transportation to global customers without setting foot near an airport. “You can buy a new freighter for $275m, use it for four or five years, and it might only be worth $60m at the end,” says Larry Coyne, the firm’s boss. Better to let other carriers deal with depreciating assets, uncertain demand and low yields. Perhaps better still to concentrate on the type of freight that loads itself.

[extract] The car-based van segment is rather popular in Europe and that particular segment is about to get even bigger with the addition of the MINI Clubvan. MINI showcased the vehicle at this year

Earlier this year in January, MINI announced its plans to revive the MINI Van and showcased the vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show. The car will be based on the MINI Clubman and the company called it the MINI Cargo. At that time, there were no photos or rendered images on how the car would look like. Just before the above mentioned auto show began, MINI showed images of the car and they also changed the name to the MINI Clubvan. Initially, the company stated that the MINI Clubvan will only be a concept and they have no immediate plans to put the vehicle into production. It is during auto exhibitions where many automakers gauge public reaction to a certain new offering before deciding whether it will go into production. In this case, MINI used the recent Geneva Motor Show to see how popular their MINI Clubvan was. And it appears that the public fully approves it and MINI will enter the Clubvan into production. The MINI Clubvan is hugely based on the Clubman

Will the owner of the cargo claim back his property? Hard to tell if cargo vehicle along lane 1, or victim swerved car, or authorities towed car to lane 1. Accident probably involved black scooter? Rider in brown being questioned...

My fren recently took a SQ flight to London Heathrow. He checked in his suitcase at T3, and hand-carried his guitar (in a solf guitar 'bag'). Just before boarding the plane, the xiao mei mei in kebaya told him to turn back and 'surrender' his guitar+bag to the boarding counter so that it can be placed somewhere else on the plane instead of following my fren to the cabin. My fren has travelled between UK / SIN many times before, hand-carrying his guitar, so he told the xiao mei mei so and asked her to let him bring the GTR into the cabin. But the XMM rejected his request. My fren LL and reluctantly handed over the guitar but made it clear to XMM+ground crew that it's a fragile item and they must take care of it, and the ground crew stuck a few 'FRAGILE' stickers on the GTR bag and took it away from my fren. .......15 hours later at Heathrow baggage claim convery belt, my fren picked up the GTR bag but found the guitar in two pieces!!! As the flight's arrival at Heathrow was delayed, and my fren needed to rush to catch the coach to bring him to another town, he rushed off with the broken GTR to catch the coach which was about to leave the airport. My take: Before the flight took off from TS, the ground crew recognised+acknowledged that the GTR bag needed the "FRAGILE" stickers for obvious reason. Somewhere between T3 and Heathrow Airport (London) the GTR was damaged. SIA should take responsibility for the damage. Whether SIA goes after T3 cargo handling team or Heathrow cargo handling team is a matter between these three parties, my fren should be compensated by SIA as the unfortunate incident happened on a SQ flight. However, SIA will put up a defence: there's no proof that the GTR was damaged between TS and Heathrow, it could have been damaged after it left the conveyor belt at Heathrow!! It's my fren's words against SIA/TS/Heathrow's..... (too bad he didnt report the damage at Heathrow before leaving the baggage claim area) Conclusion: No case What do you think??

2008/06/13 Precious cargo down the drain Email to friend Print article http://www.nst.com.my/Friday/National/2266469/insidepix1 This road tanker laden with petrol skidded while negotiating a bend and came to rest on its side in Persiaran APEC near Cyberjaya at 2am yesterday. The driver escaped unhurt. Petrol leaked from the container, but it did not ignite. Fire and Rescue Department personnel from Cyberjaya and Shah Alam stations rushed to the scene. http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Fri...icle/index_html Do take this thread in a light mood. [/color] I extremely wonder how a 14-wheeler tanker could stand still on its side. Best is the precious commodity within is not spilled. edit: my bad - the petrol did leak afterall...

Hi Volk74, Saw you nice pics on your new car and notice that you have the cargo net inside your huge boot. By any chance do you know the part number ? Is it an original Skoda part and does it comes with your car ? Would be interested to get 1 set. Other SKodas bros/sis, any advise. Thanks in advance. Cheers