Boosted by its cargo handling business, Aviapartner posted a 35 per cent jump in turnover for the financial year ended 31 December, 2007.

Aviapartner realised a consolidated turnover of €378.6 million in 2007, in comparison with 2006 when it posted a turnover of €280.5 million.

The airport handler attributed the revenue growth to a 44 per cent rise in turnover in its cargo business unit which was boosted in April last year through the acquisition of Amsterdam cargo handler, Aero Groundservices.

It also saw additional customers in its portfolio at Paris-CDG and Lyon, and the full impact of the MK Airlines contract effective since mid-July 2006 in Ostend, it said.

The percentage of full freighters in the Aviapartner Cargo turnover rose from 24 per cent to 45 per cent in 2007, a result of among others, the acquisition of Aero Groundservices.

Aviapartner's passenger and ramp handling services represented about 55 per cent of turnover in 2007, while cargohandling represented 34 per cent.

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl), has announced growth in tonnage throughput for March and the first quarter 2008 but has warned the industry challenges cannot be underestimated.

A total of 236,619 tonnes were handled in March, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.4 per cent. Cumulative tonnage for the first quarter was 614,533 tonnes, up 6.5 per cent year-on-year.

Export volume showed a year-on-year growth of 11.8 per cent and 5.1 per cent in March and in the first quarter, with tonnage reaching 132,052 tonnes and 330,690 tonnes, respectively.

Hactl said that although there were early signs of a weakening US economy, "export tonnage to the US remains fairly decent, with a growth of 19.6 per cent year-on-year in March and 6.1 per cent in the first quarter". Th e export volume to Europe increased by 8.4 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter respectively.

Hactl said cumulative import tonnage for the first quarter was 163,420 tonnes, up 0.9 per cent against the same period last year.

"While there are still some signs of growth in various cargo sectors handled by Hactl throughout the course of the first quarter, the challenges ahead are not to be overlooked, in particular the creeping fuel price which is becoming a major concern to all players in the cargo supply chain," said Hactl's general manager of marketing and customer service, Lilian Chan.

"Apart from that, the sub-prime situation in the US and the associated possible turbulences affecting the world economies will impact upon the cargo outlook in the coming months."

Swissport Cargo Services extended its airfreight activities to Vienna Airport at the beginning of April. Th e new operation is set to handle some 25 000 tonnes of cargo a year; and the present warehouse capacity should be extended to over 3,300 square metres by 2009. Th e first customers of the new Swissport Cargo Services operation include Lufthansa, Air France/KLM, Alitalia and DHL.

Swissport will extend its present passenger services at Kiev Airport to ramp activities on June 1 after the company recently won a ten-year license.

At Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Flybe, Asiana, Dallo, Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air Transat and Lufthansa all commence new partnerships with Swissport within the next month.

Swissport has also signed up Jet2.com, Albanian Airlines and Volare at Athens Airport from April 1.