Do ASL rumors, West Atlantic acquisition point to shedding of European AOCs ahead?

Will the changes in ownership at West Atlantic and ASL Aviation lead to some shedding of AOCs and other changes in the European contract airline landscape? Following the acquisition of West Atlantic by Spain-based Swiftair parent LUSAT, the combined group will have five airlines in Spain, Greece, Sweden and the UK, operating a combined active […]

• Caryn Livingston
• June 28, 2019

European, Middle Eastern carriers see growth return in May first look

After a particularly weak April for air cargo traffic, carriers based in Europe and the Middle East saw growth return in our first look at May results. Among those carriers based outside Europe and the Middle East, only China Southern Airlines reported a year-over-year increase for May traffic, of 1.1%. Turkish Cargo reported the strongest […]

• Brianne Ledda
• June 25, 2019

MNG and ULS keen to add A330P2Fs

MUNICH – Turkish carriers MNG Airlines and ULS Airlines Cargo are both considering A330P2Fs to renew their Airbus freighter fleets and could introduce at least five of the freighter-converted aircraft to Turkey over the next few years. On the sidelines of Air Cargo Europe 2019, executives from MNG told Cargo Facts the carrier is planning […]

• Jeff Lee
• June 5, 2019

Far from stellar, Lufthansa Cargo questions if 2019 will be a normal year, or a crisis year

FRANKFURT, Germany – After two stellar years of growth for air freight, increasing trade friction is making Lufthansa Cargo feel more cautious about its outlook for 2019. Long-term, however, the German combination carrier maintains a positive outlook and continues to invest in its freighter fleet and cargo infrastructure. At its annual press conference in Frankfurt […]

• Frederic Horst
• March 18, 2019

Freighter fleet analysis part I: European metal

Were “innovation” to be defined by a cargo airline’s propensity to add the latest production and conversion freighter models, airlines in Europe would do quite well. Unfortunately, that remains a rather unconventional way to define innovation. Still, over the course of 2018, carriers with European Air Operator Certificates (AOC) have surfaced as early adopters of […]

• Charles Kauffman
• December 6, 2018

Lufthansa Cargo reports solid 3Q earnings despite drop in September traffic

The Lufthansa Group reported revenues from its Logistics business segment up 11% y-o-y in 3Q18, to €594 million. EBIT for the unit in 3Q18 was €25 million, up 19% from €21 million for the same three-month period in 2017. Higher revenues were a response to a more favorable pricing environment, which boosted cargo yields, and […]

• Charles Kauffman
• October 30, 2018

Amazon behind recent DP-DHL weakness?

Deutsche Post-DHL Group’s first quarter earnings indicated that the company was facing some headwinds in its Post-eCommerce-Parcel division, but an internal memo obtained by German newspaper Handelsblatt indicates that e-commerce giant Amazon has been behind much of DHL’s recent weakness in that sector for more than a year. The newspaper cites two main factors in […]

• Caryn Livingston and Charles Kauffman
• June 25, 2018

Cargo growth disappears in the Middle East

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways reported 2016 cargo volume unchanged from 2015 at 593,000 tonnes. This is in stark contrast to the incredible growth Etihad has reported in previous years, but right in line with what is happening in neighboring Dubai, where Emirates is reporting a similar halt to growth. In the five years from 2009 […]

• David Harris
• February 9, 2017