Air Express

CATHAY Pacific is to bring back into operation one of its five parked 747-400 freighters.

The freighter has been undergoing maintenance and was due to start operations in late January 2010. The freighter will not be part of the airline’s scheduled freighter fleet, but will be saved for special charters.

As reported previously in Air Cargo News, Cathay Pacific has just invested CNY1.7 billion (US$248 million) in Air China Cargo (ACC), which will allow it to control 49 per cent of the company. The Hong Kong-based carrier will pay for the investment using four 747-400 freighters and two spare engines.

Christopher Pratt, chairman of Cathay Pacific, said: “The joint venture airline will provide the two most important cargo-generating regions in the mainland with two highly competitive and efficient home-based carriers – Cathay Pacific in the Pearl River Delta and ACC in the Yangtze River Delta.

“As a strong home-based cargo airline with a firm foothold in the Yangtze River Delta, ACC will ensure an efficient capture of cargo movements that may otherwise divert to rival hubs in the region. It makes good sense for Cathay Pacific and Air China to team up for this joint venture.”

LUFTHANSA lost €112 million (US$152 million) in 2009, compared to a profit of €542 million ($734 million) in 2008. Operating profit fell 90 per cent to €130 million ($176 million) from €1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2008. Revenues fell 10 per cent to €22.3 billion ($30.2 billion) compared to €24.8 billion ($33.6 billion) in 2008.

A more detailed report will be released on 11 March.

For the first time, earnings also included those of recently purchased Austrian Airlines and also bmi, which contributed €28 million ($37.9 million).

“The figures speak for themselves,” said Lufthansa chairman and chief executive officer Wolfgang Mayrhuber. “Whereas recent months have seen stabilisation of demand, revenues remain at rock-bottom.”

CHINA Cargo Airlines (CCA), a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, has taken delivery of its first 777 freighter.

The aircraft will operate between Shanghai and Luxembourg. CCA is expecting to introduce an additional three 777 freighters before August that will operate alongside its current six MD-11, two 747 and three A300 freighters.

THE US has admitted that it will miss the August deadline to screen 100 per cent of bellyhold cargo on international flights.

Gale Rossides, acting director of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), told the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee that, at best, 65 per cent would be fully screened and that it would be two years before the 100 per cent target could be reached.

However, she said that they would be able to screen 100 per cent of all bellyhold cargo originating within the US.

The TSA has been telling the US government that the August deadline was not achievable but the issue has become both highly emotional and political both with the US public and its politicians. The TSA has therefore been reluctant to give any delay estimates. The two-year estimate is the longest given so far.

BOEING has unexpectedly chosen not to renew Oregon-based Evergreen International’s five-year contract to operate the manufacturer’s four 747-400 Dreamlifters. Instead the contract goes to New York-based Atlas Air for nine years starting in September.

The specially modified Dreamlifters are an integral part in the production of the 787 Dreamliner shipping parts from suppliers around the world to be assembled in the US.

Boeing chose Evergreen in 2005 and even up to the New Year, according to Evergreen’s chairman, Tim Wahlberg, Boeing was happy with its service and had given no hint to suggest that the contract review would be anything but routine.

“We were on time all the time. We ran a perfect operation,” says Wahlberg. “We’re very price-competitive. We believe [the switch] was unrelated to our operation. We’re really disappointed that Boeing hasn’t come clean on what the deal is. It hurts our reputation.

Boeing refused to comment on the change of contract.

“We don’t know the facts,” says Wahlberg. “We thought it would be nice if Boeing would have explained the facts to us. I don’t know what to say.”