Air France-KLM, Europe’s largest scheduled cargo carrier, has reported a continuing fall in cargo volumes, down 19.2 per cent in March compared to a year ago and the fourth consecutive month that its cargo traffic has fallen by around 20 per cent. The drop continued apace, despite an 8.9 per cent cut in capacity, excluding Martinair, the all-cargo and charter carrier that was consolidated in January. The cargo load factor, also excluding Martinair, fell 7.8 points to 61.4 per cent. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: AF-KLM cargo slump continues in March

Air cargo has “all but collapsed,” according to the Association of European Airlines (AEA), who said traffic volumes were down by around a fifth for the first two months of the year, the worst figures on record. Passenger traffic plunged nearly five per cent in the first two months of the year and could fall another ten per cent in March as the economic downturn continues. It said it would normally expect a four to five per cent increase in traffic “so current levels are … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Decline continues for European carriers

Tree more cargo carriers – Cargolux, Nippon Cargo Airlines and Asiana Airlines – have agreed to pay criminal fines totalling US$214 million for their role in a global price fixing conspiracy. Additionally, Asiana was charged with fixing the passenger fares on flights from the US to Korea from as early as 2000. Cargolux will pay a fine of $119 million; Nippon Cargo, $45 million; and Asiana, $50 million. In addition, three senior air cargo industry executives agreed to serve … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Three more carriers nabbed for price fixing

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted the ban of Ukrainian-made Antonov- 12 cargo planes from Emirates airspace which it imposed in January. But officials at the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) maintained they were prepared to take further action against operators using the aircraft if they found unsafe practices, following a spate of accidents that have taken place in recent months. The GCAA is allowing resumption of An-12 operations under a number of conditions … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: UAE allows resumption of An-12 flights

Dubai announced the launch of its first budget airline called flydubai, which the emirate said will be taking to the skies in two months despite the global financial crisis. Flydubai will start with flights to the Lebanese capital Beirut on 1 June and to Jordan’s capital Amman on 2 June using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. We are committed to bringing a new option to the market and to growing the region’s budget air travel business,” said company chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST:Dubai launches budget carrier flydubai