Booming EU exports boost AirBridgeCargo volumes 17 percent in first quarter

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) could well be the world’s fastest-growing all-cargo airline, posting a 17 percent increase in volume in the first quarter of 2017 to 158,000 tonnes. ABC’s first-quarter load factor also rose, year-over-year, to 70 percent for the first months of 2017.

Europe’s export boom, driven largely by the low value of the euro, pushed tonnage from the region up by 22 percent, y-o-y, in Q1 2017, especially to Asia, which recorded a 24 percent y-o-y rise in tonnage.

The carrier’s expansion of its Asia network and market growth drove regional tonnage up 19 percent in the quarter. In addition to its newest route to Taipei, ABC provides 747F service to and from Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Hanoi, Taipei, Phnom Penh, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing and Zhengzhou.

Special products were also a fast riser, with pharmaceutical shipments up by 70 percent, y-o-y, while demand for off-size cargo service rose by 15 percent over the same period.

While Sergey Lazarev, AirBridgeCargo’s general director, pointed to a strong global market, he also accredited the carrier’s product development strategy, which was, “implemented to ensure we comply with our customers’ expectations.” Lazarev said that ABC would “continue to stay in close contact with our customers to provide the network services and product solutions they require, and this will be supported by further growth of our fleet and more focus on carrying special cargoes.”