Jett8 Airlines Cargo, Singapore’sfirst all cargo airline, is to launchoperations in the second quarter of2007 with a fleet of five Boeing 747-200 freighters.

Aside from services to Hong Kong,Indonesia, Dubai and United Kingdomduring the first year of operation, theairline plans its future network expansionto the rapidly growing Chinese andIndian markets, with potential onwardservices to Europe and the US.

Japanese shipping conglomerateNYK Line, which has inked a deal expressingits intention to invest in Jett8,is also in talks with another potentialJapanese partner to invest in the newcargo airline.

Nippon Cargo Airline (NCA), a unitof NYK, will form an alliance partnershipwith Jett8 to co-operate in jointsales and marketing, ground and engineeringsupport and equipment andcrew training.

Jett8 has already inked deals withChangi International Airport Services(CIAS) for cargo and ground handlingin Singapore and with Hong Kong AircraftEngineering Company (HAECO)for engineering support.

Jett8 Airlines Cargo is headed byformer SIA captain, Louis Tan, who isone of the founder members.

Other founder members includeformer civil servant Pek Hock Thiam,former CEO of Sentosa Corporationand a deputy permanent secretary inthe Ministries of Communication andForeign Affairs, Ng Wee Hiong, whoretired as deputy director-general,CAAS in early 2006, and Liau NyukHoi, a former senior vice president ofSingapore Airlines.