Global aircraft lessor, Guggenheim Aviation Partners (GAP), has canceled two of its four B747-8 freighter orders with Boeing. GAP chief executive officer, Steve Rimmer, said that existing freighters parked in the desert may be sufficient for its purposes in this current market slump. “We’ve never seen this quantity of freighters before in the desert,” he said. “This time we won’t see the market pick up fast because there’s a lot of good … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: Guggenheim cancels two of four B747-8Fs

Network Cargo Systems Intl. Inc. has been named GSSA for AirBridgeCargo Airlines in the US and Canada. “As a result of the cooperation agreement with AirBridgeCargo, we are able to offer our customers reliable services to the Russian market with its strong economic growth. We can provide an excellent product using the non-stop cargo flights operated by AirBridgeCargo to Moscow Sheremetyevo and services in domestic Russia as well as excellent timings to Central Asia,” said Howard … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: Network Cargo Systems new GSSA in US/Canada

German carrier Lufthansa is the first large European airline in two decades to offer flights to Baghdad. Lufthansa said that a combination of eased security issues within the country combined with high demand has prompted it to offer passenger service from Frankfurt and Munich to the Iraqi capital, as well as the northern city of Erbil this summer. It’s not the first time flying to Iraq for Lufthansa, which first began flights to Baghdad in 1956, but stopped operating these in … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Lufthansa returns to Iraq with Baghdad and Erbil

Airbus recently announced a full-year 2009 delivery record of 498 aircraft, an increase of 15 aircraft from 2008 and included just over 400 aircraft from the A320 family along with 86 A330s/A340s and 10 A380s (compared to the 18 it expected to deliver). The airframer also reported a gross order intake for the year of 310 aircraft, worth a total of US$34.9 billion but cancellations reduced the net to 271 planes valued at $30.3 billion, compared to 777 in 2008. Airbus also said it’s … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Airbus posts record aircraft deliveries for 2009

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) emphasised the importance of engaging the industry on security issues in a meeting with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in January. IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani hosted a summit at IATA’s headquarters in Geneva which included DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, the secretary general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), top executives from 25 airlines, as well as participants from the US … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: IATA, US hold summit on aviation security coop