In an attempt to diversify its business exposure to the ongoing global economic congtagion, Qantas Freight has launced a direct, weekly B747-400 freighter service between the US and New Zealand from February. ¡°Our new freighter service will provide main deck capacity between the US east coast and New Zealand as well as from New Zealand into Australia, with connections to Asian ports including Bangkok, Hong Kong and Shanghai,¡± said group general manager Qantas Freight Stephen Cleary. The service initially will operate weekly from New York (JFK) and Chicago (ORD) through to Auckland (AKL) and Melbourne (MEL) and then from Melbourne into Asia. ¡°Last year we extended the wet-lease on three freighter aircraft until 2014,” said Cleary. “Other recent investments in specialist supply chain businesses such as Jets Transport Express and DPEX, give us the flexibility to move resources where they are needed.”