In this week’s global wrap, we feature new routes to Munich by Turkish Cargo and CMA CGM’s new air cargo services to Dubai, Beirut and Istanbul. We also cover Volga Dnepr’s transport of Russian made vaccines, as well as Blue Dart’s newly formed consortium to test the viability of delivering medical supplies by drone to India’s remote parts. We round up with B2B and company updates from CEVA Logistics, Airbus, Pratt & Whitney and SpiceJet.

Turkish Cargo opens new air freight link to Munich
Turkish Airlines Cargo has launched its first weekly cargo service from Bavaria to the Bosporus and will deploy its A330F on the new cargo route. Turkish airline said the inaugural flights to and from Istanbul were already fully booked with 50 tonnes of freight on each flight. It is looking to serve customers based in Munich Airport’s catchment area working in the automotive, electronics, medical technology, biotechnology and aerospace sectors.

Airbus resumes work on modernised facility in Toulouse
Airbus has resumed work on the modernisation of its A320 final assembly line in Toulouse which will replace one of the original facilities. It will be installed in the former A380 Lagardère facility and will be operational by end 2022. The new facility in Toulouse is expected to improve the working conditions, Airbus says, adding to its existing A321 assembly sites in Hamburg and Mobile (Alabama).

CMA CGM air cargo adds Dubai, Beirut and Istanbul
CMA CGM’s air cargo division last week announced three new destinations, including Dubai, Beirut (BEY) and Istanbul (IST). According to its schedule, it will operate cargo flights to Dubai’s DWC starting Wednesday this week, with another one on Saturday. CMA CGM says the flights are available between North America and Dubai, Beirut, Istanbul via Liege (LGG) with no transport of goods from BEY to IST.

Volga-Dnepr moves Russia-made Covid-19 vaccines
Some 144 thermo-containers filled with Russian-made Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V were delivered onboard Volga-Dnepr Group’s charter flights. AirBridgeCargo Airlines and ATRAN Airlines moved the life-saving vaccines to Kishinev in Moldova, Mexico City and Hyderabad in India, with over 25 tonnes organised by The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) in partnership with DHL Global Forwarding in less than two days.

GA Telesis inks B767 teardown consignment deal
GA Telesis last week made a B767 teardown consignment agreement with a major North American airline through partnership with its component solutions team. GA Telesis will distribute and resell parts removed from the aircraft. The company says its has successfully managed hundreds of consignments over the past 19 years and has already returned over $1 billion to its consignors.

BlueDart tests drone delivery of vaccines, supplies
Blue Dart is working with the government of Telangana, the World Economic Forum, Niti Aayog and Healthnet Global to test the use of drones in the delivery of vaccines and medical supplies to remote parts of India. The ministry of civil aviation has granted the project with necessary exemptions and rights to fly drone flights on an experimental basis in Telangana with the aim of finding an alternate logistics route to deliverd supplies where needed.

YTO Cargo chooses P&W for engine support
YTO Cargo has selected Pratt & Whitney to support its new fleet of in-service B767-300ERs powered by PW4000 94-inch engines. Headquartered in Hangzhou, the cargo airline will receive a support service package from Pratt & Whitney for selecting the PW4000, which will allow smooth entry into service of the 767 freighter fleet.

CEVA Logistics takes Under Armour contract in the UK
CEVA Logistics has completed a successful ‘zero defects’ startup for the distribution of Under Armour’s sports apparel products in the UK, following the implementation of the brand’s e-commerce business as part of a multiyear contract. CEVA currently has 200 employees working at the 75,000-sqft distribution centre in Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, which features technology and automated solutions to accelerate fulfilment.

Allcargo Logistics board adds two new directors
Allcargo Logistics Ltd has announced the appointments of Mr. VS Parthasarathy, former Group CFO and CIO of Mahindra & Mahindra, and Martin Mueller, a Swiss national and a former partner at McKinsey, as independent directors on its board. The two will also join the board of Allcargo subsidiary ECU Worldwide.

SpiceJet airlifts over 55,000 oxygen devices in over 3 weeks
SpiceXpress, the air cargo arm of SpiceJet, has airlifted a record 55,000 oxygen concentrators and relief material in just over three weeks. So far, 51,000 oxygen devices have been airlifted from the US, Singapore and China, whilst 4660 have been transported domestically. The airline has been deploying its wide-body and narrow-body cargo aircraft for these flights.