Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have reached an agreement on a merger that would create the world's largest airline. The $17.7 billion deal announced last month could usher in a new era of consolidation in the industry which after enjoying a brief financial recovery after years of loses following 911, now faces soaring jet fuel prices. The new airline, which will be called Delta, will be based in Atlanta and will be headed by Delta CEO Richard Anderson. "We said that we would … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: Marriage in the air for Delta and NW

Hamburg airport, which has so far kept a low profile on the air freight scene, is hoping to replicate the success of its seaport, which has grown over the past few years into a major gateway for trade with Asia. The airport, 51 per cent owned by the City of Hamburg and the remaining by Hochtief, Germany's major construction group, is now taking steps to build up its cargo network with Asia. As Northern Europe's leading seaport, Hamburg port has played a key role in Europe's trade with Asia … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Hamburg looks to develop air gateway

AirBridgeCargo Airlines, the scheduled cargo subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr Group and Russia's largest international cargo carrier, has taken delivery of its third B747-400ER Freighter. In addition to its three new Boeing 747-400ERF, the AirBridgeCargo fleet consists of two Boeing 747-200Fs and one Boeing 747-300SF. AirBridgeCargo will use the new aircraft, under lease from AirCastle Advisor, on its existing routes from Asia to Russia and Europe. From Asia, the airline operates over 20 flights a … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Third B747-400ER freighter for AirBridge

Moscow-based scheduled cargo airline, AirBridgeCargo, has appointed new general sales agents in Vietnam and Korea. In Vietnam, Indo-Trans Logistics Aviation Services (ITL Aviation) has been selected as the airline's GSA. With accession of Vietnam to the WTO in 2006, the country's exports have been growing at an accelerated pace, offering new business opportunities to cargo airlines and the freight forwarding community, AirBridgeCargo said. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: New GSAs for AirBridgeCargo

Aeroflot Cargo has launched a new weekly DC10 freighter service from Frankfurt Hahn to Almaty, Kazakhstan via Moscow. The first departure, on 15 April, operated with a full 55 tonne payload, of which 40 tonnes was destined for Almaty with the airline looking at introducing a second frequency by early May. Aeroflot Cargo¡¯s German GSSA Transnautic Aero has established a domestic trucking programme in Kazakhstan that provides airport-door services to any destination within 24-48 hours. Says … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Almaty: Lufthansa out, Aeroflot in