German carrier introduces Frankfurt-Rome freighter rotation using A321 aircraft to capitalise on ITA Airways’ intercontinental network during peak
Lufthansa Cargo is adding a winter freighter flight to Rome to manage rising volumes during the Christmas peak season.
The flights, which started on 29 November, will operate once a week between Frankfurt and Rome-Fiumicino using one of the airline’s Airbus A321 freighter aircraft.
The flight arrives in Rome in the morning and connects with flights from sister company ITA Airways to Buenos Aires, Guarulhos, or Rio de Janeiro.
This means shipments will arrive in South America by Sunday morning.
“This new routing means more flexibility and alternative value-driven capacity for your global business,” Lufthansa Cargo said in a LinkedIn post.
“In addition, our cooperation with ITA Airways now offers you direct capacity from Rome not only to South America but also to Asia and Africa.”
Lufthansa Cargo started marketing the cargo capacities on ITA Airways routes and added Rome as its fifth hub in June.
Rome-headquartered ITA Airways has officially been part of the Lufthansa Group since the beginning of the year.
The Group initially acquired a 41% stake in the Italian airline, with the aim of acquiring further shares.
Lufthansa Cargo has been gradually taking over the marketing of the Italian airline’s belly capacities on all continental and intercontinental routes under its own Air Waybill (AWB) prefix.
By November, the capacity cooperation agreement between Lufthansa Cargo and ITA Airways was almost fully implemented, except for connections to and from the US and Canada.
ITA cargo shipments are now also being transported under Lufthansa Cargo’s own AWB number 020 on flights originating in Rome.
