The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) has announced that cargo landing fees at Toronto Pearson, the leading air cargo gateway in Canada, will be reduced by 25 per cent effective January 2009. "This is a positive change that will maintain and enhance Toronto Pearson's competitiveness with neighbouring jurisdictions and encourage cargo business to choose Toronto Pearson," said officials in a release. By reducing cargo landing fees, the GTAA aims to enhance the economic … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: Pearson airport to reduce cargo landing fees

China will invest RMB64 billion (US$9.3 billion) to carry out the country's air cargo development plan, including building 97 new airports across the country, consolidating smaller airports and upgrading of certain key airports by 2020, according to a long-term plan drafted by the Ministry of Transport. … [Read more...] about China

Finland's Finnair has reported an eight point drop in load factor and announced 500 layoffs. Chief executive officer Jukka Hieonen described May as "disastrous" with a 62.4 per cent load factor. The carrier says it needs to make additional cost savings of at least US$78 million. … [Read more...] about Finnair

Qantas reportedly will settle with botheuropean and Australian regulators over accusations of illegal price fixing as part of an international air freight cartel. The airline is said to be in settlement talks with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, with an expectation the figure will run into the tens of millions of dollars. Last year Qantas also pleaded guilty to the US Department of Justice and paid a US$61 million fine. … [Read more...] about Qantas

Mumbai, India-based Topworth Group of Companies is to launch an air cargo business with an investment of US$100 million and a joint venture agreement with US firm Avicore. The airline, Avicore Aviation is tipped to launch March 2009 and be headquartered in Nagpur. … [Read more...] about Avicore Aviation

Delta Air Lines' voluntary severance offer has been accepted by 4,000 employees, double the number of workers it originally planned to slash via the program. The carrier, which plans to cut domestic capacity by 10 per cent year-on-year in the second half of 2008, said the workers accepting the severance offer will leave in the fall. … [Read more...] about Delta Air Lines