World Air Holdings -- parent company to World Airways and North American Airlines -- announced this week that it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Global Aero Logistics (GAL) for US$315m in an all-cash transaction. MatlinPatterson Global Opportunities Partners II is the majority shareholder of Global Aero Logistics, which owns ATA Airlines. As a result of the transaction, Global Aero Logistics will operate all three independent airlines under one umbrella. Under the terms of … [Read more...] about AMERICA: Global Aero Logistics buys World
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AMERICA: Macquarie to buy part of Mercury Air
Macquarie Infrastructure Company, which owns and operates US infrastructure businesses, has agreed to acquire the fi xed base operations business of Mercury Air Centers for $456.2 million. Mercury operates a network of 24 fi xed base operations, or FBOs, at 22 airports across the US. Mercury was founded in 1958 as a provider of refueling, baggage handling and ramp services at Los Angeles International Airport. The company grew to provide cargo handling and services to the military before … [Read more...] about AMERICA: Macquarie to buy part of Mercury Air
EUROPE: BAWC launches Munich freighter
BA World Cargo last month launched a new weekly Boeing 747 freighter service to Munich, which will be routed Stansted – Munich– Delhi – Hong Kong and has beendeveloped as a response to the increasingIndian-bound trade from SouthernGermany. It will also be the fi rst timethat the Far East will be served by bothMunich and Frankfurt hubs. Keith McDonald, regional commercial manager Central, South & East Europe, BA World Cargo said:“The summer schedule has given usthe … [Read more...] about EUROPE: BAWC launches Munich freighter
EUROPE: FIATA, IATA form air cargo security unit
The Airfreight Institute of FIATA (AFI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said they are forming a Global Air Cargo Security Industry Task Force (GACSITF) to improve air cargo supply chain security. At a recent AFI meeting in Zurich, AFI executive member Piet Timmermans said: ”We are afraid that the new laws and regulation will over roll the airfreight industry if we do not speak with one voice”. The move responds to an increasingly complex and costly security … [Read more...] about EUROPE: FIATA, IATA form air cargo security unit
EUROPE: Economist paints rosy cargo picture
Air cargo was right to have strong expectations of future growth, according to Dr Gene Huang, chief economist of FedEx, who predicted it would continue to grow in line with trade growth, that is two to three times as fast as worldGDP growth. The economist, who was ranked the second most accurate forecaster by the Wall Street Journal last year, said a combination of increased access to goods and also information was producing“explosive” growth in economic … [Read more...] about EUROPE: Economist paints rosy cargo picture
EUROPE: Congress doubts ¡®known shipper¡¯ programme
The air cargo industry needs to come up with a credible security regime if it is to avoid more stringent screening legislation from the US Congress, Rob Bonner, the former commissioner of US Customs warned the TIACA Executive Conference in Cologne in mid-March. Bonner, held his post from 10 September 2001 until 2005, and was responsible for putting in place advanced cargo manifesting, the C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership against Terrorism) programme which now has some 8,000 companies as … [Read more...] about EUROPE: Congress doubts ¡®known shipper¡¯ programme