75th Anniversary: ACW through the decades

1990

• McDonnell Douglas debuts the MD-11 with launch customer Delta Air Lines.

1991

• Pan American World Airways goes out of business.
• The demise of the Soviet Union creates new business for massive, military-built freighters to haul oversized, heavy cargo.
• Airbus launches the four-engined A340 in October.
• Northwest and KLM win antitrust immunity and begin offering joint service.

1992

• The International Air Cargo Forum is reorganized as The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA)
• Michael Chowdry launches Atlas Air, dedicated to leasing 747-200Fs to carriers under long-term contracts.

1993

• Boeing debuts the 747-400F in March with a record-high 129-tonne payload capacity, with Cargolux as the launch customer.
• TNT Express Worldwide begins the first intra-Asia dedicated air express network.

1995

• Lufthansa sets up separate Lufthansa Cargo company.
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is formed.

1997

• Airlines and forwarders form the “Cargo2000” consortium in response to criticism of airfreight service quality.

1998

• Hong Kong’s Kai Tak International Airport closes; all airport operations move to the more spacious Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on an artificial island.

1999

• Germany’s Deutsche Post buys the Swiss forwarder Danzas in March; DP later purchases U.S.-based forwarder AEI.
• China Southern Airlines begins 747-400F service to expand international cargo operations as China prepares to join the WTO.
• UPS raises $5.47 billion in its initial public offering of stock, then the largest IPO in U.S. history.