- Chapman Freeborn Airchartering and Volga-Dnepr Airlines helped usher Argentina into the space age by transporting the country’s first satellite from San Carlos de Bariloche Airport to its launch site in French Guiana. The ARSAT-1 satellite and its custom-built transport container, weighing about 40 tonnes, were carried onboard an An-124-100 freighter under the Ruslan International joint venture. ARSAT-1 is a geostationary communications satellite that is scheduled to be launched later this month.
- The new owner of the former Transmile Air Services has completed a restructuring program and rebranded itself as Raya Airways. Raya had been acquired and ultimately spun off from the Transmile Group in July. With its new name, the Kuala Lumpur-based carrier will move forward in transforming its fleet, replacing its eight 727-200Fs (plus one 757-200F ACMI-leased from DHL Air) with five to eight 757 freighters that are scheduled to arrive in the next 12 months.
- Two 747-400Fs and one 747-800F, operated by Russia’s AirBridgeCargo and Japan’s Nippon Cargo Airlines, delivered the first shipments of Formula One racecars, spare parts, racing equipment and TV broadcasting gear from Japan to Sochi International Airport in preparation for the Russian Grand Prix, scheduled for Oct. 10-12, in Sochi, Russia, site of last February’s 2014 Winter Olympics. More freighter flights by the two carriers are scheduled for this week to deliver a total of 700 tons of Formula One cargo by the time the race begins.
- Brazil-based supply chain start-up Modern Logistics has secured funding of more than US$30million from private-equity firm DXA Investments that will allow it to launch a nationwide air logistics network. In the next five years, the São Paulo-based airline/3PL plans to operate a fleet of up to forty 737-400 freighters to carry cargo between 15 logistics hubs in Brazil’s major industrial centers.
- Air Canada Cargo has been given an “Outstanding Community Contribution Leadership Award” by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) during the Western Region Forwarders Choice Awards event on Sept. 26. Stephen Phillips, regional manager for cargo sales, Western Canada, said the airline was recognized for its support of local community initiatives, such as the Air Canada Foundation’s Breakfast Clubs of Canada, Pathways to Education, and Ride to Conquer Cancer.
- UTi Worldwide has opened a combined freight-forwarding and contract logistics facility at Airways Distribution Park in Southampton, U.K. The new 30,000 square foot space specializes in freight forwarding to all verticals, including pharmaceutical, fashion and beauty.
- In the first eight months of 2014, Russian carrier Polet Airlines reportedly saw cargo volume fall 82.7 percent to just 14,000 tonnes. Polet has been in a long-running legal battle with lessors Ilyushin Finance Company and Sberbank Leasing over the carrier’s two An-124 aircraft.
- American Airlines Cargo is now offering cargo service to and from Memphis, Tenn., (MEM). The expanded service will provide customers with more options for shipping cargo into and out of the city.