- Emirates will add a third daily flight to Amman, Jordan, beginning Aug. 1. Emirates SkyCargo will support international trade opportunities. The main commodities being exported include fruits, vegetables, pharmaceuticals, clothing and electronics. Goods being imported include seafood, meat, pharmaceuticals and automotive spare parts.
- Singapore’s Tigerair signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for the purchase of up to 50 A320neo aircraft. The deal covers 37 firm orders plus 13 options. The aircraft will be operated by the airline across its Asia-Pacific route network.
- Japan Airlines (JAL) and JAL Express (JEX), which is wholly owned by JAL, have reached an agreement to merge, effective Oct. 1. JAL, as surviving company, will merge with JEX, and JEX will be dissolved. The consent of the general shareholders meeting of each participating company is not a requirement for reaching a merger agreement.
- Budapest Airport is adding eight new routes and welcoming four new airlines. On March 30, Norwegian will add its fifth route, a three-times-a-week service to London Gatwick. The same day will mark the beginning of Air Serbia at the airport, when the carrier commences Budapest’s second link to Belgrade, Serbia. The airport will also welcome UP, the low-cost subsidiary of Israeli airline El Al, and its flight from Tel Aviv on April 2. Jet2.com’s twice-weekly service to Leeds Bradford will return on April 3. transavia.com France, a new airline for Budapest, links its base at Paris Orly Airport beginning April 15 and a second new airline, Vueling, will offer Easter flights (April 17 and 21) to Barcelona, before its full three-times-a-week service begins on June 20. Wizz Air will add its 36th service, with the addition of a seasonal weekly flight to Alicante, Spain, from June 14 to Sept. 13, as well as a twice-weekly service to Kutaisi, Georgia, beginning Sept. 30.
- DHL Express Qatar hosted a dinner in Doha, Qatar, in recognition of employees who have had excellent performance and for employees who have been in the service of the company for a long period.
- Crane Worldwide Logistics’ Johannesburg office, the company’s first African location, celebrated its one-year anniversary.
- International freight forwarder FPS Australia opened a new sales office in Albury, New South Wales, to serve the growing economy in the area.
- EL AL Israel Airlines reported a net profit of US$25.4 million (18.4 million euros) in 2013, a contrast to the US$18 million (13 million euro) loss in 2012, as well as 4 percent growth in revenue totaling $2.1 billion (1.5 billion euros). The company continues with its investment plan, including the purchase of eight new Boeing 737-900 aircraft for the Israel/European route. Two of these are already in service and two more will be utilized for the summer traffic. The other four 737s will be in service by 2016.
- Boeing partnered with the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation (Iraqi Airways) and U.S.-based non-profit organization Another Joy Foundation to transport a consignment of toys on board the airline’s newly delivered Next-Generation 737-800. The shipment is part of Boeing’s Humanitarian Delivery Flights program and includes boxes of dolls, toy cars and trucks that Another Joy Foundation will distribute to underprivileged children in Iraqi orphanages.
- Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) announced that Vx Capital Partners LLC has ordered its second AEI B737-400SF passenger-to-freighter conversion. The aircraft was built in 1996 and will be converted at Airod Aerospace’s Kuala Lumpur facility, which is one of five authorized AEI Conversion Centers worldwide. This order will bring Vx Capital’s AEI B737-400SF freighter fleet to two.
- Iberia is increasing its flight frequency between Madrid and Panama to offer a daily flight. Beginning June, it will add a weekly flight to the five frequencies it now operates, and by July, it will offer daily flights.
- Leipzig/Halle Airport will cooperate with Kansai International Airport in Japan in the future, according to a strategic partnership agreement signed in Osaka, Japan, by Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG and the New Kansai International Airport Company Ltd. The partnership with Kansai is the third cooperation arrangement with an Asian airport for Leipzig/Halle. The aim of the partnership is to continue strengthening the position of both airports in the global air cargo market.
- World Freight Network (WFN) is celebrating 10 years in business. WFN links together 266 independent freight forwarders in 120 countries.
- Boeing delivered the first 777-200LR aircraft to Turkmenistan’s national flag carrier, Turkmenistan Airlines. The airplane is the first of two 777-200LRs Turkmenistan Airlines has on order. The delivery coincided with the opening of a new terminal at the Ashgabat International Airport.
- Panalpina’s specialized division for large-scale projects is one of the fastest-growing areas of its business. Known as Panprojects, the division experienced 20 percent year-over-year turnover growth in 2013 and now has over 400 employees.
- Air France, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, TMA Cargo and XL Airways have awarded cargo handling contracts to Worldwide Flight Services in France. At Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, the new contracts with AirBridgeCargo, TMA and XL Airways are effective immediately.
- Jan de Rijk Logistics signed a prolongation agreement for road feeder services with Lufthansa Cargo. Jan de Rijk Logistics will provide European trucking services to Lufthansa Cargo at its Frankfurt Airport hub.