A1 Grand Prix - 50 cars - how did they get there?

[4HolerPoler]

Just reading the splurb about the court attachment of the 50 A1 Grand Prix cars in Durban & I was interested as to how they got there & how they're going to be leaving - fifty cars - that's a number of aircraft. Here's some excerpts from the article:

The 50 A1 Grand Prix cars attached by court order in Durban earlier this week would be able to leave the country on Friday after a settlement was reached with the insurance company........the cars, which took part in the SA A1 Grand Prix on the weekend, were already loaded on palettes at the airport to be transported by cargo planes when they were attached.

4HP

[Deskjocky]

4HP this was a press release form SAA on the subject:
SAA CARGO HANDLES FORMULA A1 GRAND PRIX CARS
Johannesburg. 26 January 2006. South African Airways' Cargo warehouse in Durban recently handled racing cars for the Formula A1 Grand Prix event taking place on Sunday, 29 January, in Durban.
SAA Cargo was contracted to handle the importing of 69 racing cars, accessories and equipment weighing 225 000 kgs. The vehicles were carried by three B747-400 freighters and were delivered on 18 January, 20 January and 23 January.
"SAA Cargo as a national carrier is proud to be associated with this international event. It is a vote of confidence in our ability to handle all types of cargo products," says Patrick Dlamini, General Manager. SAA Cargo offers world-class warehouse handling facilities, services and infrastructure. "The operation was seamless thanks to the coordinated efforts of the SAA team and we look forward to being involved in similar projects in the future," Dlamini said.
Issued by SAA Cargo
[email protected]

[The Claw]

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1605/grandprix00015pj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

This is how we did it for the 1992 Formula 1 Grand Prix. Happy Days :D

[4HolerPoler]

Thanks. They must have sub'd them in - probably Cargolux or Atlas. 69 cars, wow - that's big money!

4HP

[The Claw]

Oops, that came out rather large? Oh well, gives you that real life feeling :E

[Solid Rust Twotter]

There's a couple of pics on Avcom.co.za in the General section.

[Current Limiter]

Saw Singapore Cargo 747 400 at Durban yesterday, and watch out for MK Airlines on the ground there in the next few days!!!

[Duff Man SA]

An Atlas 744 dropped off the cars a few days before the race, and it seems an SQ 744, in durbs the last few days, will be taking them off the the next race.

[tyrant]

MK arrived this evening from Luanda, and took the remaining cars/equipment to Indonesia via Mauritius.

J

[4HolerPoler]

Thanks guys - pretty slick.

4HP

[B Sousa]

Good friend drives -400s for Atlas. He hauls a lot of cars. Boeing is the best way.......

[Teignmouth]

So what was the dispute all about?

[tyrant]

A1 GP cars held at Durban airport
A legal wrangle put next week's A1 Grand Prix of Nations race in Jakarta in jeopardy when all 50 racing cars were attached by court order at Durban International Airport and were unable to leave South Africa this week.
However, the dispute was apparently settled out of court late on Thursday night. The cars had already been loaded on to pallets at Durban airport, ready to be transported by cargo planes, when they were attached.
On Wednesday afternoon, lawyers acting for Johannesburg-based insurance brokers Aon South Africa made an urgent application before Durban High Court Judge Herbert Msimang, claiming they were owed $6-million (R34-million) in insurance premiums.
The application was made against the eight international A1GP companies which own the cars used by the international racing teams. After hearing oral argument, the judge granted the order, which was served on the A1GP's legal adviser, Theo Watson.
The sheriff acted swiftly on Wednesday afternoon to attach the cars and accessories, and draw up an inventory.
The outstanding premiums were for the cars driven by all 10 teams except for the team from the US.
The insurance was for public liability, transportation and damage for almost all the races in this year's series. The policies were underwritten by Lloyd's of London and other British companies.
The insurance has now been cancelled and the cars are uninsured. The order states that should the A1GP companies provide alternative security for the disputed R34-million, the cars can be released.
On Thursday night lawyers acting for A1GP went to the Durban High Court, saying they were fighting the attachment order, and asking for a guaranteed urgent court hearing this morning.
They said they would contact KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Vuka Tshabalala on Thursday night to arrange this.
Representatives from each company then held discussions with a view to settling the matter out of court. They apparently reached agreement, but will have to return to court on Friday morning to have the attachment order lifted.
One giant cargo plane from Singapore landed at Durban airport on Thursday to take the first load of cars to Jakarta, where the next race is scheduled for next weekend. It sat on a runway for three hours then left without its cargo.
Another, coming from Europe, was believed to be in the air last night. Watson said he had not studied the court documents and did not want to comment.
Aon managing director Anton Roux said his company did not want to stop the next race and was pleased the situation had been resolved.