Senator Atlantic Airbridge begins weekly U.S.-Germany flights

Hamburg-based freight forwarder Senator International started weekly flights between Greenville-Spartanburg Airport in South Carolina (GSP) and Munich, beginning Nov. 5, however, the new route operates with half the frequency that the forwarder initially announced this July. It is the first-ever service between Munich and GSP, and will be operated with an Air Atlanta Icelandic Boeing 747-400F.

Senator International’s addition will significantly increase cargo capacity between Germany and the region, which includes the U.S. states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.

One obvious beneficiary is BMW Manufacturing Co.’s automobile plant in Spartanburg, which plans to use the new air cargo service for both imports and exports. When the route was announced, BMW spokesman Steve Wilson told GoUpstate.com that his company, “used several airports on the East Coast for delivery from Europe. Now, we are pleased we can consolidate this to the GSP airport for most of our airfreight delivery.”

BMW’s Spartanburg factory – already the automobile company’s largest facility in the world – will be expanded even more this year, with a US$1 billion addition that will increase annual capacity to 450,000 vehicles.

“With Munich, we now have our own optimal freight connection between the vital German and U.S. markets for the first time,” said Tim-Oliver Kirschbaum, the managing director of Senator International. “The hub in southern Germany was a very conscious choice for us. We see enormous potential here, and not only for this region.”