Having established its first route to North America, AirBridgeCargo is eager to set up a link between China and the US market. Before the end of the year, the Russian cargo airline plans to kick off flights between Asia and the US.
AirBridge started its long-awaited first scheduled US service in early May with the launch of B747-400F flights from its base in Moscow via Amsterdam to Chicago. The operation runs three times a week.
The Chicago route over Amsterdam, one of the carrier's two European hubs, is first and foremost a link between Europe and the US, although the carrier offers service from the US to Central and East Asia. To tap fully into flows between Eastern Asia and North America, AirBridge is planning to mount flights that will go over its Siberian hub at Krasnoyarsk, proceeding to the US on a trans-polar route.
According to Robert Song, vice-president for Asia and Pacific, the operation will kick off before the end of the year, presumably during the fourth quarter.
"The timing depends on the delivery of the 747-8s that we have on order," he said. The airline is looking at a frequency of three flights per week or more. "If we have aircraft available, we will go daily. Two times a week is not attractive," Song said.
At this point, the cargo airline has a fleet that consists of eight 747-400 freighters and three 747-200Fs. It has ordered five 747-8s. Four 747-400ERFs came on board last year, which enabled the carrier to add a number of new destinations, including Seoul and Zhengzhou.
Cargonews Asia
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