Mike King, Special Correspondent | Mar 09, 2012 10:51AM EST
A new deal between TNT and Emirates SkyCargo will boost capacity on air cargo routes from Asia to Europe and reduce TNT’s exposure to long-haul routes.
TNT Airways, TNT Express’s airline subsidiary, has signed a code share and block space agreement with Emirates SkyCargo that will see Emirates place its airline code and use space on TNT Airways’ B777 freighter flights on New York JFK to Liege and Hong Kong-Dubai-Liege lanes.
Frequency on the Hong Kong-Dubai-Liege route will be raised from four to six times a week, while the JKF-Liege service will operate five times weekly.
Marie-Christine Lombard, TNT Express chief executive, said the deal would help optimize fleet deployment, and is “an important step toward reducing TNT’s intercontinental fixed capacity.”
“TNT Airways is the operating airline, which gives us and our customers the required visibility and control,” she added.
Ram Menen, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of cargo, said the agreement would boost connectivity between the U.S. and Middle East, as well as Dubai and Hong Kong, and create new trade routes from Liege via Emirates SkyCargo.
Contact Mike King at michael@borderline.eu.com.
