newstodate.aero
Apr 9, 2008 (newstodate): Malmo Airport, in southern Sweden, is on the offensive to attract new cargo carriers to regain growth in volumes.
After a strong performance in 2007 where total cargo volumes grew 58 percent to 60,102 tonnes, the airport has seen its volumes receding during the first months of this year, down 30 percent in January and 29.1 percent in February.
-Behind this temporary decline in volumes is the demise of the Malaysian carrier Transmile that operated a weekly flight from Shanghai and another weekly flight from Nanjing via Dubai to Malmo Sturup Airport since March, 2006, says Christian Berg, Malmo Airport marketing manager.
-The Transmile traffic that ceased in January, 2008, acounted for some 20 percent of our total volumes, and this is not easily compensated for, says Mr Berg.
-But there is a manifest demand among Swedish industrial companies including H&M and Ericsson for direct uplift capacity from Malmo Sturup to destinations in the Far East as well as to North America, and we are deeply in negotiations with carriers to meet this challenge.
-We are aware that Stockholm Arlanda has had some successes in landing several Far Eastern cargo carriers lately, but customers here prefer a local option to the 10 hours trucking time required to connect to carriers at Stockholm Arlanda.
-We expect to be able to announce one or more new cargo carriers in 2008, providing flights to the Far East and, hopefully, to North America as well, says Mr Berg.
After a strong performance in 2007 where total cargo volumes grew 58 percent to 60,102 tonnes, the airport has seen its volumes receding during the first months of this year, down 30 percent in January and 29.1 percent in February.
-Behind this temporary decline in volumes is the demise of the Malaysian carrier Transmile that operated a weekly flight from Shanghai and another weekly flight from Nanjing via Dubai to Malmo Sturup Airport since March, 2006, says Christian Berg, Malmo Airport marketing manager.
-The Transmile traffic that ceased in January, 2008, acounted for some 20 percent of our total volumes, and this is not easily compensated for, says Mr Berg.
-But there is a manifest demand among Swedish industrial companies including H&M and Ericsson for direct uplift capacity from Malmo Sturup to destinations in the Far East as well as to North America, and we are deeply in negotiations with carriers to meet this challenge.
-We are aware that Stockholm Arlanda has had some successes in landing several Far Eastern cargo carriers lately, but customers here prefer a local option to the 10 hours trucking time required to connect to carriers at Stockholm Arlanda.
-We expect to be able to announce one or more new cargo carriers in 2008, providing flights to the Far East and, hopefully, to North America as well, says Mr Berg.