AirBridge Cargo starts China/Russia/Europe link

AirBridge Cargo starts China/Russia/Europe link

   AirBridge Cargo, the Russian scheduled cargo airline launched by the Volga-Dnepr group, started last week its first Boeing 747 commercial flight from Beijing to Luxembourg via Novosibirsk, Russia.

   The airline’s fleet comprises two Boeing 747-200 freighters, the first of which flew from Beijing May 12.

   “AirBridge Cargo is unique in being the only scheduled Russian maindeck cargo operator capable of moving outsize shipments into the Russian marketplace that do not require a full charter,” said Stan Wraight, executive director of AirBridge. “This is of particular value to the oil and gas and mining sectors.”

   Initially, AirBridge is operating four flights a week, two services from Shanghai and two frequencies from Beijing via Moscow and Novosibirsk to Luxembourg. When the second aircraft enters service in June, AirBridge will introduce additional Shanghai services and open a new route from Tianjin.

   The Russian airline has said that it aims to provide a scheduled round-the-world service via the United States in 2005.