Air Cargo Germany completes first year

THERE must have been many in the air cargo industry who reckoned it would not survive the year, but 12 months after its first flight on 28 July 2009, Air Cargo Germany insists that it is developing according to plan, and “sticking to a cautious and healthy growth”, in the words of chief executive officer, Michael Bock.

In late June it added a third aircraft to its fleet – a B747-400BCF leased from Martinair, one of four that the Dutch carrier parked in 2009 when it took over a similar number of -400ERFs from Air France and KLM. The aircraft made a good fit with ACG’s existing two aircraft, which are B747-400SF conversions.

A further Martinair BCF is due to be handed over to Air Cargo Germany in September, bringing its fleet up to four aircraft, but that is all the fleet expansion that is envisaged for now. Though Bock admits that it is a “buyer’s market” for capacity at present, with all the parked freighters bringing down lease prices, he insists that ACG will not be tempted into over-rapid expansion.

The third freighter was used to expand flights from Hahn to Shanghai from four to seven weekly, with the carrier’s thrice weekly flights to Hong Kong remaining unchanged. Bock says that the fourth freighter will enable Hong Kong to be boosted to five times a week, while a new thrice-weekly service to Seoul’s Incheon airport will also be started.

For the full story read the latest free digital edition of Air Cargo News, dated 24 July, here.