AirBridgeCargo Airlines (AirBridgeCargo or ÀÂÑ) – Russia’s first scheduled cargo airline – entered the global airfreight market in May 2004 with its first commercial Boeing 747 freighter flight from Moscow to Beijing. This milestone event was the successful culmination of two years of preparatory work that included creating a scheduled air cargo operations development strategy for Volga-Dnepr Group, setting-up the fleet, selection and training of pilots, and the establishment of a new management team.
Today, the airline operates scheduled air cargo services between Europe and Asia on the Trans-Siberian route. AirBridgeCargo Airlines flies directly from Europe (Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Maastricht, Paris, Milan and Zaragoza) and from Asia (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Zhengzhou, Tokyo and Seoul) to major airports in Russia (Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo). In addition to Moscow, air services are operated to Yekaterinburg and Krasnoyarsk in Russia.
In late 2008, AirBridgeCargo Airlines switched to a network business model following the creation of the airline’s own hub at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. This was followed by the opening on a second hub in the city at Domodedovo in 2010. Implementation of hub operations has enabled the airline to improve its product offering and to provide customers with a choice of daily services from any location in its European network to any of its destinations in Asia.
Services are operated using a fleet of Boeing 747 freighters. Notably, AirBridgeCargo is Russia’s first cargo airline to operate aircraft of this type. The airline’s fleet currently comprises 11 freighters of the Boeing 747 family, specifically 2 Boeing 747-200Fs, 1 Boeing 747-300F, 5 Boeing 747-400ERFs and 3 Boeing 747-400Fs. The company’s future fleet expansion will see the addition of new long-haul Boeing 747-8F next generation freighters.
With its fleet of aircraft equipped with state-of-the art technology, ABC is able to carry any type of cargo, including shipments that require special handling and a controlled temperature environment. Furthermore, to meet specific customer requests, AirBridgeCargo can develop customized cargo delivery solutions and, when necessary, arrange charter flights to any worldwide location using both its own fleet of Boeing 747s as well as the AN-124 and IL-76 outsize and heavyweight cargo freighters operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, another company of Volga-Dnepr Group.
Through a combination of high service levels and a competitive product offering, AirBridgeCargo has structured its route network in line with current market demand while maintaining reliable and mutually beneficial business relationships with its customers. These include major global and regional freight forwarders and logistics companies.
In addition to the airline’s own routes, AirBridgeCargo’s global delivery network is enhanced by access to the networks of its leading interline partners (NCA, Air Canada, Emirates, Cargolux and others) and a wide range of trucking services.
For more information please visit www.airbridgecargo.com
