Cargoitalia, Italy’s all-cargo airline, increased its schedule by 50 per cent in March with flights to the US and Hong Kong rising to three per week.

The US service will now operate Milan (Malpensa) – New York – Chicago on Wednesdays, Milan – Chicago on Saturdays, and Milan – New York on Sundays.

Flights to Hong Kong will also increase to three-times-weekly. Tuesday services will route via a new destination, Sharjah, while Thursday and Saturday services will continue to transit Dubai. All inbound flights will maintain their technical stop in Almaty.

“The increase in US services is in direct response to demand,” explains Cargoitalia’s commercial director, Roberto Gilardoni. “The market was understandably cautious about our operation following the termination of Italian freighter operations in 2008. But we have proven that we are a totally new airline, we have demonstrated our reliability and commitment, and the market has responded with strong support. We are now the only carrier providing direct maindeck capacity from New York to Milan.”

“We have also had very positive feedback on our Hong Kong services,” he said. “The extra flight via Sharjah ties in well with our US-Italy services, providing the US market with efficient transfers to Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Cargoitalia will take delivery of its third MD-11SF in June 2010, with further fleet expansion planned up to 2014.