Malaysia Airlines (MAS) said it plans to acquire the engineering and maintenance unit of Transmile Group for an undisclosed sum, Dow Jones reported. The national carrier said that its wholly owned engineering unit Malaysian Aerospace Engineering, or MAE, had signed an agreement to purchase the Malaysian cargo carrier’s base maintenance and engineering operation, including two hangars and related equipment at its Kuala Lumpur Subang Airport base. … [Read more...] about Malaysia Airlines (MAS)
Carriers
Thai Airways International
Thai Airways International has reported a loss in the second quarter of this year because of several negative factors, though the amount was smaller than in the same period last year. The carrier lost US$159 million in the April- June period, compared with a loss of over $271 million a year earlier, when it was badly affected by the oil price spike and a huge foreign-exchange loss. It also wiped out a good part of the net profit of $231.2 million that Thai Airways recorded in the first quarter. … [Read more...] about Thai Airways International
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines has signed a contract for the purchase of seven Airbus A330- 300 aircraft, firming up a Memorandum of Understanding signed during Le Bourget Airshow in June 2009. The aircraft, due for delivery from September 2010, will be operated on high capacity medium haul routes. … [Read more...] about Turkish Airlines
Air China & Cathay Pacific Airways
Air China has said it will increase its stake in Cathay Pacific Airways to nearly 30 per cent by buying shares from CITIC Pacific at HK$6.335 billion. The Beijingbased airline will buy 491.9 million shares of Cathay at HK$12.88 apiece from CITIC Pacific, according to a statement posted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The deal will make Air China the Hong Kong carrier’s second largest shareholder after British conglomerate Swire Pacific. … [Read more...] about Air China & Cathay Pacific Airways
The Payload interview
For those who know Nol van Fenema and really, after nearly 26 years in the air cargo industry there aren’t many who don’t know him, this is classic Nol. Confident, yet not entirely overbearing with that ever-present, quick, dry wit with only an occasional hint of sarcasm, the Dutchman has endeared himself to an industry which he came to in 1983 bereft of any substantive cargo knowledge. goes back half a dozen years, first bumping into him at various press conferences … [Read more...] about The Payload interview
Guest Editorial: Twenty Five Years of Air Cargo in Asia
Looking back at those 25 years, the beginning was comprised mostly of charter flights operations, with several restrictions. From the Cargolux side the area has been served since 1970, when the company was founded, first by its Canadair CL-44s, and as of 1973 by itsDC-8 freighters (phased out in 1984). At that time, Hong Kong was served 8-10 times a week, and the cargo was distributed from there throughout Asia. As of 1979, Cargolux’s B747-200F were introduced when frequencies out … [Read more...] about Guest Editorial: Twenty Five Years of Air Cargo in Asia