AirBridge Cargo adds two more 747-8 freighters

Russian all-cargo carrier expands capacity with new Boeing planes to meet customer demand.    AirBridge Cargo Airlines (ABC), the scheduled freight airline of Moscow-based Volga-Dnepr Group, has taken delivery of two new 747-8 all-cargo planes from Boeing.
   The two planes will be placed in service by winter on routes between Asia and the United States, the company said. ABC’s fleet now consists of eight 747-8 freighters, five 747-400 Extended Range freighters and two 747-400s. The 747-8 is cheaper to operate than its predecessors because it burns less fuel and allows for longer maintenance cycles while providing 16 percent more cargo capacity.
   ABC’s fleet expansion reflects continued demand for its services, which have been relatively strong compared to the overall air cargo market. In September, the airline transported 42,480 tons across its network, a 28 percent increase over September 2014, and a 35 percent increase in freight-ton kilometers. Overall, during the first three quarters of 2015, ABC achieved 18 percent growth in tonnage, carrying 344,130 tons of cargo.
   ABC recently delivered race cars and spare parts to China for the 62nd Macau Grand Prix on a 747-400 charter flight from Luxembourg.
   Meanwhile, Volga Dnepr said a chartered AN-124 recently carried a Mitsubishi Electric-made satellite for Turkish satellite operate Türksat AS from Japan to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.