The Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra from Venezuela arrived in Athens to perform at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus with their equipment, consisting of 49 pieces weighing 4.6 tonnes delivered by the ATR72 freighter of Farn Air Transport via Athens Airport. The shipment was handled by Goldair Handling SA. The orchestra, founded by conductor Jose Antonio Abreu, is the fruit of El Sistema, a social programme in Venezuela for encouraging talented poor children to form their own orchestra and their … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Athens Airport handles youth choir

The European Commission (EC) has given its blessing to the proposed merger between British Airways and Iberia of Spain, both active in passenger and cargo transport and related services. “The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it,” the EC said. With its main hubs in Madrid and Barcelona (where its operations are carried out mainly through its subsidiary … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: EC gives go-ahead for BA-Iberia merger

UK-based BAE Systems has announced a new deal to lease two aircraft to Cobham Aviation Services Australia as it expands its air service offering to the vital and fast-growing mining and resource sector in Australia. The first of the new aircraft is a BAe 146-300QT (Quiet Trader) freighter, which has recently been converted from a passenger to freighter aircraft at Aerostar in Bacau, Romania. Recently delivered, the newly acquired 11.5-tonne capacity freighter is expected to be … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: BAE Systems leases two aircraft to Cobham

CAI Alitalia SpA has signed a joint venture agreement with Air France- KLM and Delta Air Lines that ramps up the Italian carrier’s long-haul flights to the US. CAI Alitalia chief executive Rocco Sabelli called the joint venture “fundamental for the definitive revival” of the Italian carrier. Sabelli said there were no plans to merge CAI Alitalia with Air France, which already owns 25 per cent of the carrier. “The joint venture is a way of ramping up operational … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Alitalia JV with Delta, Air France aimed at US

The World Customs Organisation and the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) have signed a renewed Memorandum of Agreement to further strengthen cooperation between the two organisations. The WCO has designated Customs- Trade Partnership as its key theme for 2010 and as there have been significant developments on Customs matters since the signing of the last MoU it was recognised that it was important to update the existing MoU, the two said in a statement. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: FIATA and WCO sign new MoU

The World Customs Organization (WCO) and The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to help identify how the air cargo industry can assist in priority Customs objectives and to discuss how these can be best achieved with minimum disruption to commercial operations. The new agreement — signed in Brussels by WCO secretary general, Kunio Mikuriya, and TIACA’s secretary general, Daniel Fernandez — aims to keep … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: WCO and TIACA agree to greater cooperation