Panalpina adds 747 freighter service

Panalpina adds 747 freighter service    Panalpina announced in Huntsville, Ala. on Wednesday that it will initiate an additional own controlled air cargo service connecting Luxembourg with destinations such as South Africa, Dubai and Hong Kong.
   The service will also cover the transpacific route to Huntsville, complementing the freight forwarder's existing transatlantic air freight service called Dixie Jet.
   The new all-cargo service will be operated by Atlas Air using a Boeing 747-400. It will consist of key rotations, including Luxembourg to Johannesburg, South Africa; Luxembourg via Dubai to Hong Kong; as well as Hong Kong to Luxembourg and Hong Kong to Huntsville. For the service, Panalpina and Atlas have signed an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) lease agreement covering a multiyear period.
   Panalpina said the additional freighter capacity will provide flexibility for its schedules and routings, allowing the company to adjust rotations according to market and shipper needs.

Weyeneth

   'We will be able to provide upper and lower deck capacity when and where needed, providing customized value add solutions to various industry verticals at high service levels,' said Karl Weyeneth, chief operating officer for the Panalpina Group, in a statement.
   Also on Wednesday, Panalpina celebrated the 20-year anniversary of its Dixie Jet service linking its hubs in Luxembourg and Huntsville. The company noted that when it started the service it was the first time a forwarder offered a scheduled cargo service between Europe and North America. During the next two decades, the service has been extended up to several weekly flights, and destinations were added.

Ribar

   'The world of the air cargo industry has changed fundamentally over the last 20 years, and yet our Dixie Jet service is still booming,' said Panalpina's Chief Executive Officer Monika Ribar. 'The service is a pillar of our worldwide airfreight network and customer demand for this product is very high.'
   Dixie Jet is also operated by Atlas Air using a Boeing 747-400 freighter. The service provides regular flights between Panalpina's airfreight hubs in Luxembourg and Huntsville. It offers several weekly frequencies, serving the U.S. Southeast via an exclusive Road Feeder service. The service links Luxembourg with Huntsville and additionally serves Mexico City, Guadalajara and London Stansted. ' Chris Gillis