AirBridgeCargo Airlines

Infobox_Airline
airline=AirBridgeCargo Airlines
Авиакомпания «ЭйрБриджКарго»
logo=AirBridge Cargo logo.gif
logo_size=233
IATA=RU
ICAO=ABW
callsign=AIRBRIDGE CARGO
parent=Volga-Dnepr (100%)
founded=1993
headquarters=Moscow, Russia
key_people=
hubs=
focus_cities=
frequent_flyer=
lounge=
alliance=
fleet_size=6 (+9 orders)
destinations=8
website= http://www.airbridgecargo.com/

AirBridgeCargo Airlines, LLC ( _ru. ООО «Авиакомпания «ЭйрБриджКарго») is a cargo airline and subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr Airlines based in Moscow, Russia. It operates scheduled cargo services on routes between Asia and Europe, all via Russia. Its main base is Sheremetyevo International Airport, with a hub at Domodedovo International Airport, both in Moscow.cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 69 | date= 2007-04-03]

History

The airline was established in 1993 and started operations on 1 April 2004. It was established by charter freight specialist Volga-Dnepr Group as its scheduled freight arm. April 2004 saw the delivery of one of two Boeing 747-200F freighters being acquired from Alitalia. In May 2004 it started commercial operation on routes from Luxembourg to Beijing and Luxembourg to Shanghai via Moscow and Novosibirsk.The second Boeing 747-200 commenced scheduled services in October 2004. Airbridge Cargo began services to Nagoya and Hong Kong after it got its third Boeing 747F in 2005.. AirBridge Cargo also intend to lease Ilyushin Il-76 and Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft for regional feed services from hubs in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk.

In November 2006 AirBridge Cargo received its own air operator's certificate.

Destinations

AirBridge Cargo operates scheduled cargo services from Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Maastricht and Luxembourg via Moscow and Krasnoyarsk, to Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Nagoya (Centrair) [ [http://www.airbridgecargo.com/eng/net_sched/schedule/ AirBridgeCargo Airlines Winter 2007 Schedule] browsed on 2008-02-09.] . It also operates domestic services between Moscow and Saint Petersburg and between Krasnoyarsk and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

In late 2005 AirBridge Cargo launched a three times weekly freight service between Amsterdam and Moscow, largely to transport flowers from the Netherlands into Russia. The route would be expanded with the acquisition of third Boeing 747 [Airliner World October 2005]

Starting in February 2008, the cargo airline will begin the first direct cargo operations between Russian and the United States. They will fly to Houston, Texas via Montreal, Canada. [ [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/339895_cargo16.html Russian carrier flies 747-400ER ] ]

AirBridge Cargo also flies scheduled flights from Moscow Shermyetevo/Domodedovo/Saint Petersburg Pulkovo International Airport to Seoul Incheon International Airport

In October 2008, the airline anounced they will be replacing one flight from and to Amsterdam with a flight to Maastricht as of October 9th.

Fleet

The AirBridgeCargo Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of February 2008):
*4 Boeing 747-200F
*1 Boeing 747-300SF
*1 Boeing 747-400ERF

On order: 2 Boeing 747-400ERFOn order: 5 Boeing 747-8F

As of August 2006: [Flight International, 3-9 October 2006] On order: 0 Ilyushin Il-96-400T

Orders for additional 2 Boeing 747-200 and 2 Boeing 747-400ERF are placed for delivery 2007-08Fact|date=April 2007

The airline operates 3 Boeing 747-200F aircraft and 1 Boeing 747-300SF and has contracts to add a further 2 Boeing 747-200Fs in January and March 2007. Two Boeing 747-400ERF aircraft are due in autumn 2007 and February 2008 and talks to acquire a third for April 2008 delivery are advanced. [Airliner World, February 2007]

Five Boeing 747-8 Freighters have been ordered, with purchase rights taken for a further five aircraft. Delivery of the new aircraft will start in 2009 at the rate of one a year. [Flight International 20-26 March 2007]

External links

* [http://www.airbridgecargo.com/ AirBridge Cargo]
* [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=ABR&al_op=1 AirBridge Cargo Fleet]

References