Panalpina, Atlas renew air agreement

Panalpina, Atlas renew air agreement

Frei

   Logistics company Panalpina and cargo airline Atlas Air said Monday they have renewed a cooperative deal where Panalpina controls capacity on Atlas-operated freighters between Panalpina's European and U.S. hubs, as well as other destinations.
   The service links Panalpina's hubs in Huntsville, Ala., and Luxembourg, but also provides service to Mexico, Scotland and West Africa, key oil and gas hubs in Panalpina's network. Under the 15-year-old arrangement, Panalpina not only manages capacity on the freighters, but also sets flight schedules according to customer demands. Panalpina can also arrange charter and emergency service.
   Atlas Air provides Boeing 747 freighters for the service, which includes three flights from Luxembourg to Huntsville and back per week, and two flights from Luxembourg, to Huntsville, Mexico, back to Huntsville and Luxembourg, with a stopover in Prestwick, Scotland. Panalpina offers connecting air freight service (outside of the Atlas Air agreement) to West Africa, connecting the key oil and gas hubs in the United States and Scotland.
   Other industries that typically use the service are the high-tech, health care and automotive sectors.
   'We are continuing the (service) because a thorough evaluation of the service package has justified our confidence to operate such a service commercially viable and we also see a high demand from our customers,' said Robert Frei, global head of air product and procurement at Panalpina. 'In addition, as the Atlas Air planes are registered in the United States, we can offer our customers direct flights from Mexico to the U.S.'