Market Air has won a three-year contract to provide cargo GSA services in Spain for airlines of the SAS Group. The contract took effect on 1 September and it awards Market Air responsibility to market cargo capacity to freight forwarders in Spain for Scandinavian Airlines, Spanair and Blue 1. The SAS Group airlines operate more than 50 flights a day from Spain serving destinations in the Canary and Balearic Islands, mainland Spain, Europe, the United Sates and Far East. Its fleet of MD80 and … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Market Air to provide GSA services for SAS in Spain

Following closely on the heels of Lufthansa Cargo’s recent announcement that it will raise its rates by 25 per cent, Air France-KLM Cargo has followed suit with a similar announcement of rate hikes. In a nearly identical move by AF-KLM, the Franco-Dutch carrier announced via an email to its customers that it would increase its rates by as much as 30 per cent from next month. “The results of Air France Cargo-KLM Cargo are under severe pressure given the extraordinary market … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: AF-KLM follows Lufthansa in announcing hefty rate hikes

Former SAS Cargo sales director Jan Lillieborg, who is charged with the obstruction of justice in connection with the airline’s involvement in the globespanning cargo price fixing scandal, is said to be on the run after being fired from his new job, according to the Copenhagen Post. Lillieborg – indicted on three counts by the US Department of Justice – was reportedly fired from his job with Swedish company Green Cargo on Tuesday and has been uncontactable … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Former SAS cargo director on run from Interpol

Lufthansa Cargo has announced a sharp hike in its freight rates as it continues to talk up the possibility of grounding freighters, this time not because of night restrictions, but the poor economic climate. In a letter to its customers at the end of August, Lufthansa Cargo said it is intending to unilaterally increase rates worldwide by 25 per cent. In the letter executive board member Andreas Otto writes: “In order to meet the current market challenges, we will gradually raise … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Lufthansa hikes rates, talks global fleet grounding

Finnair Cargo has withdrawn from its last remaining freighter operation which saw it operating a B747-400F between Helsinki and Hong Kong in co-operation with Cargolux since November 2004, holding 50 per cent of the capacity on the once-weekly service. Cargolux has consequently ceased its Helsinki - Hong Kong freighter run as well. Finnair’s overall August cargo volumes fell by 11.5 per cent year-on-year while cargo carried on chartered cargo flights plummeted 82.4 per cent. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Finnair Cargo bows out of freighter ops

Air France has asked its US partner Delta Air Lines to help assess its internal safety practices following the crash of an Air France jetliner in June that killed 228 people off the coast of Brazil. “We have asked our American partner to conduct an external analysis,” said Véronique Brachet, a spokeswoman for the French carrier, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. But she said talks with Delta on the unusual request have not been finalised. The Air France-KLM … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Air France turns to Delta for safety