Lufthansa will increase capacity from Israel to Munich using an Airbus A340-600 beginning 26 April on its fifth weekly flight on the Munich-Tel Aviv route On the other days of the week it will operate an Airbus A340-300. During the winter season the company operates four weekly flights to Munich utilising B737 aircraft. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Lufthansa ups Israel/Munich capacity

The company that operates Europe’s UK-France rail Channel Tunnel wants to introduce high-speed freight trains. Groupe Eurotunnel says it is involved with the Carex consortium which is developing high-speed rail freight options intended to replace some current short-haul flights in Europe. The consortium hopes to link up major air cargo hubs across Europe with high speed rail. “We think that we can regenerate the rail-freight business if we are able to have a service of high … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Eurotunnel talking freight services with Carex

In the coming summer flight schedule, Lufthansa is adding six new destinations in Europe and Asia to its global network. The German carrier will add Rostock-Laage at the German Baltic Sea coast, the Italian cities of Bari and Palermo, Zadar in Croatia, Chisinau, the capital of Moldova and the Uzbek capital of Tashkent to the new summer schedule. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Six new destinations for Lufthansa

Air Berlin, Germany’s second-largest airline has agreed with Boeing to ‘streamline’ its order book by cutting its order of 787 Dreamliners from 25 to 15 and to reduce the number of options from ten to five. Overall this could save Air Berlin US$1.7 billion. In addition nine Boeing 737 aircraft will be deferred from 2010 to 2015. “With a partnership spirit we have mutually agreed with Boeing to adjust the order book to meet Air Berlin’s operational … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Air Berlin cuts order book with Boeing

Air France-KLM Cargo specially deployed one of its Boeing 747 combi aircraft to transport Danse – the worldrenowned painting by French artist Henri Matisse – from the Hermitage in St Petersburg to the Hermitage Amsterdam. The masterpiece – measuring 4.22 metres by 2.9 metres – is the central piece of the ‘Matisse to Malevich’ exhibition, running at the Hermitage Amsterdam until 17 September 2010. André Mulder, AF-KL … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Matisse’s Danse goes maindeck with AF-KLM

Air carriers from Sudan and the Philippines have featured in the European Union’s (EU) list of barred airlines from its airspace. It has also placed restrictions on Iran Air. The European Commission (EC) has updated the European Union’s list of blacklisted airlines to include all air carriers of Sudan and the Philippines, on the basis of safety assessments by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). With this update, Air Koryo of the Democratic … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: EU blacklist update adds Sudan and Philippines