Cargoitalia receives first MD-11 freighter

Cargoitalia receives first MD-11 freighter    Italian all-cargo airline Cargoitalia has received the first of three MD-11 freighters.
   The freighter, which is undergoing certification with Italy's civil aviation authority, was formerly operated by Alitalia Cargo. The other freighters are expected to arrive in June and later this year, the airline said.
   Cargoitalia's first scheduled flights will operate twice weekly in a route covering Milan, New York, Toronto, Milan, Abu Dhabi and Milan. Other markets and routings are under consideration by the airline.
   'Our discussions with freight forwarders throughout Italy have been very positive,' said Roberto Gilardoni, Cargoitalia's commercial director, in a statement. 'The market is clearly very supportive of the return of an Italian-owned, long-haul, all-cargo airline. We look forward very much to the start of our scheduled operations.'
   The new Cargoitalia is the result of amalgamating the original Cargoitalia, which suspended operations in 2008, with the recently purchased Alitalia full cargo business. Cargoitalia's new owners are Aerolinee Italiane S.p.A. (66.7 percent) and Intesa SanPaolo (33.3 percent). Aerolinee Italiane in turn is owned by the Leali family (62 percent), other private investors (8 percent), and Ricera S.p.A. (Benetton), Selin S.p.A. (van den Heuvel) and Banca Intermobiliare, each having 10 percent stakes.