British Airways World Cargo (BAWC) has reported commercial revenue (flown revenue plus fuel surcharges) of £250.6 million for the first half of the financial year beginning 1 April 2009. This represents a decrease of 30.9 per cent against the same period last year, including a favourable exchange movement year-on-year, the carrier said. Volumes of 2,240 million cargo tonne kilometres (CTKs) for the half year represent a decrease of 8.1 per cent versus the same period last year, driven by an … [Read more...] about Revenue down 31% for BAWC in 1H
Air Freight Asia
Airbus’ A330-200 Freighter makes maiden flight
Airbus’ new A330-200 Freighter took to the skies Thursday during a four hour maiden flight over Toulouse. This milestone marks the start of a 180 hour flight-test and certification campaign, and paves the way for first delivery of the type to launch operator, Etihad Crystal Cargo, in the summer of 2010, Airbus said. India’s Flyington Freighters start-upwas to originally have been the launch customer but exchanged slots due to the global recession. The aircraft has already … [Read more...] about Airbus’ A330-200 Freighter makes maiden flight
Panalpina third quarter slides 40%
Basel-based freight forwarder, Panalpina said net profit for the three months was US$3.7 million, a 40 per cent slide in year-on-year revenue. Earnings before interest and tax fell to US$10.7 million in the three months to 30 September from $57.2 million a year ago and net forwarding revenue declined to $1.4 billion from $2.36 billion a year earlier. Volumes are down from last years by 25 per cent for air cargo and 18 per cent for sea freight, which the group attributed to the chronically weak … [Read more...] about Panalpina third quarter slides 40%
Aryan Cargo Express to fly early 2010
India’s newest air cargo carrier, Aryan Cargo Express Pvt. Ltd, is likely to start flying early next year, according to managing director Mukut Pathak. “The launch window is between 15 January and 1 February,†he said, adding that the period between February and March is peak season for air cargo. The airline firm will start services with two Airbus A310 freighters it has leased from a Turkish firm. As India recovers from an economic slowdown, domestic air freight has been … [Read more...] about Aryan Cargo Express to fly early 2010
Air NZ places order for 14 A320s
Air New Zealand said Tuesday that it will consolidate its short-range fleet around Airbus aircraft saying it will buy 14 new Airbus A320 aircraft to replace its current domestic fleet of 15 Boeing 737-300 aircraft. Air New Zealand's general manager for short haul operations, Bruce Parton, told Dow Jones the decision was motivated by technical factors, such as the width and cargo system of Airbus aircraft, as well as price. The first A320 will arrive in January 2011, Air New Zealand said, with … [Read more...] about Air NZ places order for 14 A320s
Bad in the commercial aviation industry
We know times are bad in the commercial aviation industry, but this seems to indicate that thesituation for air cargo is actually much worse then originally feared. The pervasive fear that airfreight was being siphoned off to other, cheaper modes of transport demonstrate that air cargoexecutives’ fears are actually worse than first imagined. … [Read more...] about Bad in the commercial aviation industry