RUSSIAN carrier AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) achieved a five per cent hike in tonnage (340,000 tonnes) in 2013 – the highest ever volume across its network linking Europe, Russia, Asia and North America.
Russia’s largest international scheduled cargo airline reports that the uplift improvement on all of its major routes was matched by a five per cent increase in revenue.
ABC’s freight-tonne-kilometres (FTKs) climbed 15 per cent, while its average load factor of 72 per cent brought a marginal 1.7 per cent gain over the previous year.
Despite challenging market conditions, ABC completed a fleet renewal plan which began two years ago, by taking delivery of a fifth B747-8F in December.
As part of the modernisation programme, the carrier removed four older aircraft, two B747-200Fs, one B747-300F and a B747-400ERF. A B747-400ERF will leave its fleet this year.
Denis Ilin, executive president, says: “Striving for excellence in the face of a changing and challenging economic environment has made us better at what we do.
“Our young, modern fleet will allow us to further expand the routes and services we offer to customers and to maintain the quality of our product. We now have the youngest freighter fleet in the [all-cargo] industry,” he enthuses.
