Lufthansa Cargo ready to abandon Italian operations

LUFTHANSA Cargo is set to withdraw its two MD-11Fs from Milan by the end of the year, after finding that its Italian operation could not operate at a profit.The airline commenced direct services from Italy earlier this year after identifying a gap in the market following the demise of Alitalia Cargo and the cessation of operations by Cargoitalia.Despite proclaiming northern Italy as a hotbed of airfreight exports and Italy as the second most important European market, disastrously low rates and insufficient volumes have caused a rethink.Air Cargo News has learned that the airline will return the two MD-11Fs to rejoin the rest of the fleet at Frankfurt.With Cargoitalia now commencing operations, also with MD-11Fs, the market is no longer the golden opportunity Lufthansa foresaw.Cargolux Italia, however, is pressing ahead with plans to expand services from Milan in 2010.

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