NEWSWEEK NEWSBRIEFS


CARGO traffic at Russia’s Domode- dovo Airport increased by 4.3 percent to 196,984 tons in 2012. Operated flights for the year totalled 253,500, itself a 4.2 percent increase on the 2011 figures. The overall success of the year was mirrored by an im- pressive final push, as December’s cargo traffic peaked at 6.5 percent, or 19,719 tons.


HACTL achieved its second-best annual throughput, with traffic in the fourth quarter of 2012 rising by 6.2 percent on 2011. The final quarter of the year was positively impacted by traffic feeding through from five new carriers signed up by Hactl since September: Air Astana, Globus Airlines, SF Airlines, Uni-top Airlines, and Vladivostok Air.


North America propels freight figures C


argo traffic rose 3.5 percent year-on- year at North American airports in November, a surge that contributed to the 1.8 percent, year-on-year, freight hike seen around the globe


in November.


Domestic cargo volumes were particularly buoyant during the month, surging 2.4 percent from November 2011 totals; international cargo grew at a more modest 1.5 percent, according to newly released Airports Council International (ACI) data.


Airports in the Asia-Pacific region also saw a growth in airfreight, recording an increase of 2.9 percent when compared with figures for the previous year; the Middle East also showed a slight level of growth.


Even so, African, Latin American-Caribbean and European airports posted declines during the month, with freight volumes falling 4.6 percent, 1.7 percent and 0.9 percent, year-on- year, respectively.


In a statement, ACI attributed the slight increase in total cargo traffic to the holiday rush. Rafael Echevarne, ACI’s economics director, said the increase is somewhat misleading, however. “Though airfreight markets posted an overall


net gain for the month of November, the results are mixed across regions with overall flat growth in freight volume throughout 2012 as compared to the previous year,” he commented.


“Irrespective of the general rise in business confidence,” Echevarne added, “it is still too early to project sustained growth based on the present conditions and risks.”


Unwarranted optimism or not, ACI’s November statistics are markedly better than the council’s October results. International cargo volumes tumbled 1.2 percent, year-on-year, in October, while total freight remained flat.


ATC acquisition sees Platinum expand


FRANKFURT-BASED ATC Aviation has ac- quired the US general sales agent Platinum Air Cargo, as the European firm seeks to expand its worldwide presence. The acquisition will see Platinum Air Cargo slowly transition its brand over the course of the next 12 months to bring it- self under the umbrella of its new parent company. “I am very pleased to have reached this agreement, which will strengthen both com- panies and offer the combined enterprise more promising market prospectives,” said ATC’s CEO Ingo Zimmer.


Founder and president of Platinum, Don Cochran, adds: “The ultimate winner will be our airline clients. They will benefit from the uniform, integrated global network that our merger with ATC brings, as well as our in- tended IT harmonisation with ATC’s global, integrated platform.”


“Over the past 10 years, Platinum has established itself as the premier GSA in the US, and this team is extremely well posi- tioned for future growth in the Americas. The synergies gained will see Platinum take the next big leap into becoming a truly global actor,” concluded Zimmer.


ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES


AIRBUS has named Fabrice Breiger the new chairman of its corporate foundation board. Breiger, currently the aircraft manufacturer’s president and CEO, will be stepping into the role last occupied by Tom Enders who has headed the foundation since 2008.


AIRASIA has promoted Siegtraund Teh to group chief commercial officer. Teh will be taking on the role previously occupied by Kathleen Tan, who was herself recently promoted to the role of CEO of AirAsia Expedia. Teh has been part of AirAsia’s com- mercial team since 2007, holding a variety of increasingly senior roles.


UNITED CARGO has announced the appointment of Jim Bellinder as its new vice president. Bellinder holds 26 years’ worth of industry experience


CARGOLUX AIRLINES has appointed Paul Helminger its new chairman. Helminger’s appointment follows a 35 percent acquisition in the airline by Luxembourg state from Qatar Airways.


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ACW 21 JANUARY 2013


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