newstodate.aero
Mar 19, 2014 (newstodate): Brussels Airport is keen to grow its standing in the global air cargo business where it is still low on the radar.
-It is indeed correct that we are not well known enough in the Asia market. Although we are known by airlines and airports, we are lacking reputation with the big forwarders who have been concentrating on operations at Amsterdam and Frankfurt in the past 10 years, says Steven Polmans, Brussels Airport Company Head of Cargo.
-This is one of the reasons why we are trying hard to promote ourselves in Asia. Last month we organized a road show in India together with Expeditors, this week we are in Tokyo with Finnair Cargo, organising an event to promote the route and their BRU gateway. More of these initiatives are planned in the next months.
-2013 was not a full year of operations, as we only started in April with Finnair Cargo's two transit cargo flights. But we can say that from the beginning volumes have been strong, averaging around 1,500 tons per month.
-But in the first months, this included the transit cargo on board for the Finnair Cargo freighter flights from USA. Today, we only have turn-around flights in Brussels and so volumes handled now comprise only local and regional cargo uplifted or offloaded at Brussels, says Mr Polmans.
During the coming summer schedule, Finnair Cargo's second European hub at Brussels will be served with two weekly MD-11F freighter rotations from Helsinki in addition to a weekly A340 passenger aircraft service and four daily narrow-body flights, connecting to Finnair's over 90 weekly flights between Helsinki and 13 Asian cargo gateways.
-It is indeed correct that we are not well known enough in the Asia market. Although we are known by airlines and airports, we are lacking reputation with the big forwarders who have been concentrating on operations at Amsterdam and Frankfurt in the past 10 years, says Steven Polmans, Brussels Airport Company Head of Cargo.
-This is one of the reasons why we are trying hard to promote ourselves in Asia. Last month we organized a road show in India together with Expeditors, this week we are in Tokyo with Finnair Cargo, organising an event to promote the route and their BRU gateway. More of these initiatives are planned in the next months.
-2013 was not a full year of operations, as we only started in April with Finnair Cargo's two transit cargo flights. But we can say that from the beginning volumes have been strong, averaging around 1,500 tons per month.
-But in the first months, this included the transit cargo on board for the Finnair Cargo freighter flights from USA. Today, we only have turn-around flights in Brussels and so volumes handled now comprise only local and regional cargo uplifted or offloaded at Brussels, says Mr Polmans.
During the coming summer schedule, Finnair Cargo's second European hub at Brussels will be served with two weekly MD-11F freighter rotations from Helsinki in addition to a weekly A340 passenger aircraft service and four daily narrow-body flights, connecting to Finnair's over 90 weekly flights between Helsinki and 13 Asian cargo gateways.