Seattle welcomes new AirBridgeCargo B747 to Sea-Tac Airport

Port of Seattle celebrated a new cargo freighter service – and aircraft – from AirBridgeCargo (ABC) with a dedication event at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-TAC).
The ABC service will include two incoming flights per week from Moscow with outbound flights to Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton led a group including executives from AirBridgeCargo and Boeing as they welcomed a new 747-8F freighter, which was flown from the Boeing factory in Everett to Sea-Tac Airport.
Creighton said: “Seeing an airplane made in Washington by skilled Washington workers fresh off the assembly line is always a thrill, and the Port of Seattle is proud to play a key role in the strong relationship AirBridgeCargo has with so many of our Pacific Northwest business partners.
“AirBridgeCargo will expand Sea-Tac’s global reach with new direct freighter service to Moscow and Amsterdam. This service will be a boost to our regional economy as these new export options are now easily accessible.” 
Hendrik Falk, ABC vice president North and South America, said: “We are excited to include Seattle in our network so we can provide our customers an even greater range of coverage options from the US.
“We expect our new Seattle service will be in high demand among customers active in a variety of industries including: aerospace, machinery, fish and seafood, food, to name just a few.
"We see how much Sea-Tac Airport has accomplished in support of cargo operators and infrastructure, no wonder that the airport is gaining a much more prominent profile for cargo operators, with AirBridgeCargo proud to be among them.”
The addition of ABC marks the eighth new air carrier to announce service at Sea-Tac in 2016. This includes cargo carriers Lufthansa Cargo, operated by AeroLogic, ABX Air and DHL. Passenger service additions include Spirit, Volaris and Xiamen. Virgin Atlantic will start service to Sea-Tac in 2017. 
In 2015, the Port spent $23m in facility upgrades at Sea-Tac aimed to increase international trade-related business for cargo. The projects expanded two cargo areas to create enhanced capacity for larger freighter aircraft which allows Sea-Tac to accommodate additional cargo business. 
At a ceremony in Everett, the airline celebrated taking delivery of the aircraft, which is the fifth of an order for 20 B747-8Fs firmed up at the Farnborough Airshow earlier this year.
In total, the group now has ten of the aircraft in its fleet.
Alexey Isaykin, president of Volga-Dnepr Group, said: “The addition of Seattle to AirBridgeCargo’s growing international network and the delivery of our latest -8 freighter is not only strategically important to the development of ABC, it also allows our Group to fulfill its obligations under the long-term logistics support program agreement with Boeing and its partners for the transportation of aerospace cargoes.
"For Volga-Dnepr Group, we are confident our fleet of An-124 and B747 freighters will enable us to successfully compete and fulfill our commitments to our customers."
Marty Bentrott, vice president Russia, Central Asia and Middle East Sales for Commercial Airplanes, added: “We are confident that the tenth Boeing 747-8F delivered to Volga-Dnepr Group will help the company to implement its ambitious plans in the global cargo transportation market.
"In return, the Boeing Company intends to support and maintain this strategic partnership, which combines the strengths of our companies and our unique experience of developing joint solutions in the interests of aerospace industry customers. For us, Volga-Dnepr Group is not just a customer, it is a reliable partner with a proven track record demonstrated over our many years of cooperation.”

Tatyana Arslanova, Vice President, Strategic Management and Charter Cargo Operations at Volga-Dnepr Group, cuts the red ribbon to mark the handover of the new 747-8F to AirBridgeCargo, joined by Sergey Lazarev, General Director of AirBridgeCargo Airlines, and Alexey Isaykin, President of Volga-Dnepr Group.