2023-11-08 07:00:00
But let’s start with the presentations. Created in 1976, the Challenge group is made up of three airlines, specializing in cargo air transport. One is Belgian, the other Maltese and the third Israeli. “Our main hub is in Liège where we employ nearly 700 people and where we handle all of our aircraft,” explains Mr. Shoukroun. We were also the first to come and settle in Bierset, six months before TNT”. The company flies all over the world. “We want to be able to offer a reliable supply chain in a world that is changing rapidly and dramatically.” It operates all types of freight, even if it specializes in so-called “complex” cargo; such as pharmaceutical transport (“we transported hundreds of millions of Covid vaccines”), or that of animals. More than 5,000 horses passed through the group’s planes last year. “Last week, we transported four elephants between Europe and the United States.”
Here is the “secret” of Israeli company planes to protect themselves from certain missiles
“We are not the only company connecting Israel”
One of Challenge’s big markets is Israel and more specifically Tel Aviv airport, which the company continues to connect, particularly from Liège. And this despite the cautionary advice given by several specialists and the almost total cessation of all passenger flights, apart from those operated by Israeli companies. “Like any air carrier, we carried out a risk assessment and checked that we were covered by our insurance. The decision was made to continue these flights. It’s not as risky to fly to Israel as you think and we are not the only cargo airline to connect the country, others do it like DHL”. A pilot has the right to refuse a flight if he does not feel physically or psychologically able to carry it out. “Some do it here too, but most agree to fly to Tel Aviv, even if they no longer sleep there for security reasons.”
“Israel is like an island surrounded by enemies”
Normally, the company transports “lobsters, salmon from Norway, technologies, e-commerce” to Israel. But since the Hamas attack on October 7, the type of merchandise has changed radically. “In particular, we sent 54 ambulances, medical equipment and a lot of food. You should know that agriculture is being undermined in Israel at the moment and we have to feed the people.” Overall, Challenge is sending more goods from Liège to Tel Aviv than before at the beginning of October. “We must compensate for the lack of freight usually provided by passenger flights. Israel needs air cargo. We cannot compare the situation with Ukraine (whose sky remains closed to all commercial flights since February 2022 and the start of the invasion of Russia, Editor’s note) which has a border with Europe. Israel is like an island surrounded by enemies. Even if we are at peace with Egypt and Jordan, in the current unfortunate circumstances, we cannot trust them.” Given the circumstances and the scarcity of supply, cargo prices to the Hebrew State have soared, but that does not mean that Challenge is making excess profits there, according to its boss. “The rates are going up simply because the insurance premium is also going up.”
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It is illegal to carry ammunition on commercial flights.”
And so we come to the question of armament. “To send military equipment, you need transit licenses and it has been months since we asked for them,” insists Mr. Shoukroun. As for ammunition, it is simply forbidden to transport them via commercial flights. And this for obvious security reasons. We are controlled by the Belgian regulator, the customs officers. Do you really think we’re going to do illegal things and endanger our staff? This is all nonsense. We bring ambulances and food from Liège to Israel, not weapons.”
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