Finnair’s decision to quadruple itsflights to India has been welcomedby its cargo GSSA, Global AviationGroup.

Global represented Finnair as anoffline carrier for many years, beforethe airline began direct services fromDelhi in October 2006. Since then, Globalhas been virtually filling all flights,and recently went on record to say thatit could fill as much space as Finnaircould give it.

Now Global’s wish has come true,with four more flights per week fromDelhi starting in mid-May. At the sametime, the aircraft serving the route willupgrade from MD11 to A340, increasingcapacity from 15 to 25 tonnes.

In addition to the extra Delhi services,Finnair will introduce five flightsper week from Mumbai in June. Likethe Delhi services, these will use A340soperating non-stop to Helsinki.

Says Global Aviation’s executivedirector – strategic planning & businessdevelopment, Prabodh Tipnis:"We are all excited with Finnair’s announcementthat it is expanding itsIndia operations. Since the inceptionof services last year we have been fullon most flights and the demand hasbeen well-spread throughout Scandinavia(60 percent), CIS (8 percent)and Europe (32 percent). Most of thistraffic has originated from the Delhiregion, however.

"With the addition of direct servicesfrom Mumbai to Helsinki, we will beable to continue our focus on transhipmenttraffic for the entire Finnairsystem over a much wider area of India.We expect the CIS to be particularlypopular, assisted by Finnair’s excellent scheduled road feeder network."

Global Aviation Ser vices waslaunched in 1975, and is India’s largest GSSA organisation, with cargo andpassenger operations at a total of 61offices in 16 cities across India, employingover 600 staff. Global representsthe cargo services of Air Canada, AirNew Zealand, Continental Cargo, ElAl, Emirates Skycargo, Finnair, Icelandair,Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines,Nippon Cargo Airlines and Qantas. Itis the exclusive Indian member of theEGSAC cargo GSSA network, whichhas 29 members at 60 locations in 30countries.