WFS signs Singapore and ATA Italia agreements C


argo handler World- wide Flight Services


(WFS) has consolidated its UK operations after winning a three-year


contract to provide handling ser-


vices for Singapore Airlines Cargo at Heathrow Airport and UK regional airports. WFS is also to work more closely


with Italian handling agent ATA Italia after signing a co-operative


agreement to jointly market cargo, ramp and passenger ground han- dling services to airline customers across Italy. From January, WFS will handle some 46,000 tonnes of cargo a year for Singapore Airlines which operates two Boeing 747 Freighter services a week from the UK, each


with a payload of 100 tonnes. WFS will also provide cargo uplift for Singapore’s twice daily Air- bus A380 flights and twice-daily Boeing 777-300 from London to Singapore. They offer between 10 and 27 tonnes of cargo capacity per flight. Cargo handling will be at Heath-


row’s World Cargo Centre in WFS’ Building 550, which is being upgraded to provide new equip- ment and systems, more cargo acceptance doors and refurbished offices for Singapore Airlines Car- go’s Heathrow team. WFS’ vice president for UK and


Ireland, Patrick Roberts, says the contract is a, “significant addition,” to business in the UK and Ireland. “Having provided cargo handling


Swissport Cargolux deal


SWISSPORT is to provide Cargolux Airlines International with cargo handling services at selected destinations in Eu- rope and the US as of January 2015, with more to follow at a later date, after signing a global strategic partnership agreement covering a five-year period.


This is the second such agreement Swissport has entered during 2014. On 1 May it started a five-year agreement with Saudi Airlines Cargo to handle full freighter operations at Brussels Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Swissport head of global cargo, Nils Pries Knudsen says: “Swissport and Cargolux are a perfect fit, as both companies set their priorities on high-quality services and reliability as a partner.”


President and chief executive officer at Cargolux, Dirk Reich says: “The close cooperation with Swissport is a great pleasure and a commitment to provide even better services to our demanding customers.”


services to Singapore Airlines Cargo in Manchester for some 20 years, we are extremely proud that this now makes us the airline’s sole handler in the UK and Ireland.” Meanwhile, the WFS agreement


with ATA Italia will enable the two companies to provide ground han- dling service to airlines at Italy’s major airports, as well as explore


other business development opportunities in Italy. WFS president and chief exec-


utive officer, Olivier Bijaoui, says: “This is an important agreement because it provides an opportu- nity to increase our presence in the growing air cargo and ground handling markets in Italy, and will hopefully lead to further opportu- nities with ATA Italia.” ATA Italia president, Mario


Sisto, anticipates the partnership will enable the two companies to exploit the potential of the Italian market and look at new opportu- nities outside of the country. “We are sure that our customers and the market in Italy will see a strong benefit from this new agreement,” he says.


NEWSWEEK WORLDNEWS


STEWART INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT has reopened its 11,817 foot runway 9-27, following resurfacing work. The runway resurfacing is part of a $100 million capital project to increase cargo capacity at Stewart. In October New York state governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced his inten- tion to move cargo facilities at John F. Kennedy International Airport to Stewart.


AIRBRIDGECARGO AIRLINES has moved a horizontal stabiliser for a Boeing 737 from Shanghai (China) to Chicago (US). The five individual pieces were delivered onboard two 747s, before being trucked to the Boeing factory in Seattle (US).


Transaero’s China deal and new Beijing route


THE Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) new partnership agreement signifies Transaero Airlines’ creasing interest in China.


in-


Under the terms of the partnership, ICBC will provide a range of legal and marketing services for Transaero. It is hoped that these services will attract funding for Transaero. Transaero and ICBC Leasing have already signed a con- tract for six Airbus A321 aircraft. The first of these is due to join Transaero’s fleet in 2015.


The airline recently launched the first Russia-China cargo service, flying between Novosibirsk (Russia) and Beijing. Transaero delivered 22.4 tonnes of mail while performing the first flight on this route using a Tupolev Tu- 204C aircraft. The airline will serve this route on a regular basis. Transaero chief executive officer, Olga Pleshakova, says


“Transaero assigns a high priority to developing relations with the People’s Republic of China.” “We regard the launch of scheduled cargo flights to China


as another step in facilitating the development of business links between the two countries.” Transaero, which launched in 1991, operates a fleet of


103 aircraft. The airline has the largest widebody fleet in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern Europe. It is the first airline in Russia to operate A380s, a 747-8, a A320 new engine option (neo) and A330neo.


In the first 10 months of 2014, Transaero’s cargo vol- umes rose by 1.8% year on year.


ACW 15 DECEMBER 2014 5


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