AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) is the first Russian all-cargo airline to operate scheduled services in Europe, Russia and Asia. Scheduled service to North America is planned for 2008, in line with the network expansion and fleet modernization plans.
AirBridgeCargo Airlines was launched in 2002 by Volga-Dnepr Group. Operating initially as Volga-Dnepr Airlines’ scheduled operations division, ABC started flight operations in May 2004 between China and Europe. In two years, AirBridgeCargo had developed into a fully independent airline with a network covering Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Luxemburg, Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Nagoya, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
On October 18, 2006 ABC obtained a Russian Air Operator Certificate (AOC), thus becoming the second airline in Volga-Dnepr Group. In 2007, AirBridgeCargo Airlines became the first Russian carrier to join the IATA’s Cargo2000 (C2K) quality monitoring initiative, added St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, and Tokyo to its flight network, and significantly grew in fleet size, having taken delivery of 2 more B747-200F aircraft. The latest addition to the fleet of a new Boeing 747-400ERF in November 2007 makes ABC the first and the only Russian operator of this extended range modification of the Boeing 747 freighters’ family, and opens new opportunities to the airline. This brought the fleet of AirBridgeCargo to total of 6 airplanes including 4 Boeing 747-200F, 1 Boeing 747-200SF, 1 Boeing 747-300F and 1 Boeing 747-400ERF with two more -400ERFs to be delivered in February and April of 2008.
Being a Russian carrier, ABC is run by a multinational team of experienced managers. After the initial period of accelerated growth in 2004-2007, the company plans for 2008 are focused on service quality, schedule reliability, network optimization, and operational efficiency.
Team
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Alexey Isaikin, ABC President, also President and the founder of Volga-Dnepr Group of companies. Mr. Isaikin is known to the global cargo industry as a leader of the successful An-124 development project, a skillful manager with strategic vision. It is under the leadership of Mr. Isaikin that the Group has grown into a significant power in the world airfreight industry and developed a reputable brand recognized worldwide.
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Gennady Pivovarov, Senior Vice-President, Production & Engineering, ABC General Director. Before joining ABC in 2007, Mr. Pivovarov has taken senior management position in Volga-Dnepr Airlines, covering Operations & Engineering since 2000.
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Denis Ilyin, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Commercial has worked for Volga-Dnepr Group since 1995, former Director Operations at Volga-Dnepr Airlines. Mr. Ilyin joined ABC project in February 2004, taking the position of Director Operations of 747 fleet, with later promotion in 2005 to ABC’s Managing Director with responsibility for day-to-day management of the airline, including sales, production and finance. Current focus of Mr. Ilyin is on strategic long term development of the airline
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Robert Song, Commercial Director Global, Vice-President & Area Manager (Asia & Pacific). Mr. Song brings his experience of Air New Zealand Cargo regional manager, assuming responsibility for the achievement of the airline’s short- and medium-term commercial objectives, improvement of service quality and operational efficiency across the ABC network.
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Katsuhiko Sagami, Vice-President & Area Manager (Japan & Korea) brings in his rich industry experience and knowledge of the region to ABC operations in the very competitive markets of Japan and Korea.
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Andrew G. Morch, Vice-President & Area Manager (the Americas), former Director Operations, Americas, with KLM Cargo, is currently leading the preparatory work for ABC’s successful entry to the North American market.
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Sander van Woesik, Sales and Marketing Director (Europe, Middle East & Africa) was holding senior management positions in Polar Air Cargo and KLM-Cargo prior to joining ABC in May, 2004. With ABC organizational restructuring in Europe underway, Sander is implementing the transition aimed at strengthening AirBridgeCargo competitive standing in the key region of Europe
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Elena Gorina, Head of Sales (Russia- European part, and CIS), joined ABC from the position of Regional Manager for Sales Development of Lufthansa Cargo. Elena’s focus is on the fast growing Russia and CIS market- the area where her knowledge and experience fit perfectly with ABC’s development strategy
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Denis Brodnev, Regional Director (Russia- Siberia and Far East) contributes his expertise on developing the ABC’s future main hub in Krasnoyarsk for the company’s global network and providing feeder services to/from the remote regions of Russia- the underdeveloped markets with significant international and domestic growth potential |
Fleet
The current AirBridge Cargo Airlines fleet consists of five Boeing 747-200Fs and one Boeing 747-300 freighter. It is expected that during 2007-2013, AirBridge Cargo’s fleet will expand further with the addition eight more Boeing 747 all-cargo configured aircraft, including three new Boeing 747-400ERF and five Boeing 747-8 Freighter aircraft.
On regional feeder flights, the company uses different aircraft types, including IL-76 freighters to serve the oil and gas market on .
Flight crew
AirBridge Cargo's flight crew has been trained to operate Boeing 747 aircraft in Lufthansa's Flight Training Centre in Germany. All pilots were selected for their previous experience of Boeing aircraft operations. A check crew, all with experience of working with the Boeing 747, accompanied each flight during the initial months of operation. Now the flights are operated by AirBridge Cargo pilots, two of whom are certified flight instructors.
Technical services
As a result of the tender organised by AirBridge Cargo, Lufthansa Technik, the largest MRO provider in the world, was chosen to supply a range of overhaul, maintenance and engineering services to AirBridge Cargo's Boeing 747 freighter fleet. AirBridge Cargo is planning to create its own MRO, providing services supported by Lufthansa that will allow AirBridge Cargo to undertake periodic checks and overhaul maintenance in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk.
Flight network
AirBridge Cargo's present schedule offers 14 flights per week ex-Frankfurt, Germany, and six services a week ex-Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Russia, providing daily and twice daily services to Moscow (SVO), two services a week to St. Petersburg and six flights a week to Krasnoyarsk. As well as its current three flights a week to and from Japan, AirBridge Cargo operates seven services a week to and from Shanghai and four flights a week to and from Beijing (China). It also serves Hong-Kong with seven flights each week.
By combining high quality customer service and a competitive product offering, the airline is developing its network and flight frequencies in line with customer demand, based on the strong business relationships established with major global and regional freight forwarding and logistics organizations.
In 2006, AirBridge Cargo has launch its first Domestic flight Moscow-Krasnoyarsk and in 2007 commenced scheduled operations to Hkabarovsk.
In November 2007 AirBridge Cargo will start scheduled operations to the United States and add a further European gateway to its network.
It is planned that the flight network will develop in three key directions:
1. Global network development
Since its inception, AirBridge Cargo has paid great attention to the formation and development of the airline's global network by building partnerships and interline agreements with other international cargo airlines.
AirBridge Cargo has interline agreements with a number of airlines all over the world.
Regional network development
A regional network in Russia, served by Russian-built cargo aircraft, is one of AirBridge Cargo's unique offerings. Direct access to the fast growing Russian markets via regional airports plays an important role in generating traffic for the company's services and its business development. The existing network of ground transportation routes in Russia, China and Europe also widens the choice of destinations offered by AirBridge Cargo to its clients.
2. Development of cargo transportation hubs
To develop the potential offered by Russia's unique geographical position as a natural crossroads for trade between Europe, Asia and America and to help further develop the Russian economy, AirBridge Cargo is supporting the construction of multi-destination hubs in Krasnoyarsk (Yemelyanovo) and Moscow (Domodedovo).
In 2004, the Krasnoyarsk (Yemelyanovo) hub commenced operation. This hub offers AirBridge Cargo clients unique transport opportunities through regional flights in Russia and CIS countries.
In 2007, the commissioning of the new terminal in Krasnoyarsk (Yemelyanovo) and the introduction of the first new 747-400ERF will allow AirBridge Cargo to launch direct services to the Americas and Southeast Asia from Krasnoyarsk. In further prospective AirBridge Cargo Airline is also considering services to India, Thailand and Israel.
Sales and key clients
AirBridge Cargo markets its services via its own sales organisation in Russia and China and with the support of GSA partners in other key countries. In Europe, it operates via general sales agents: Air Cargo Trader (UK, France, Luxembourg), International Aviation Services (Netherlands), NordicGSA AB (Sweden, Norway, Finland), ASA - Airlines Sales Agency (Germany), WingCargo (Denmark), Brussels Aviation Consulting (Belgium), RTW Air Services SA (Switzerland), ACS Air Cargo Services AS (Norway), Intermodal Aviation (Italy) and A.D. Services & Computers Ltd (Israel), utilizing their extensive networks and significant experience of selling scheduled cargo services.
In North America, ABC's GSA representatives are Platinum Air Cargo and Heavy-weight Air Express.
In Japan, AirBridge Cargo's GSA is Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA).
Today, the airline works with leading regional forwarders and global network logistics companies such as Panalpina, DHL, Schenker, Kuehne + Nagel, TNT, UPS, KWE, Nippon Express, Daher, and carries cargo for major organisations including Rosoboronexport, Exxon Mobil, Schlumberger, Acer, Boeing, General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Jaguar.
