SHORT SHOTS

Qatar Airways opens new Dallas freighter route
The Doha-based national carrier of Qatar has announced that it will start a twice weekly Boeing 777F service from Doha to Dallas Fort Worth as of January 19th.
The new all-freighter service will up the estimated 400 tons of export cargo carried each month in the belly holds of QR’s passenger services by a further 600 tons per month.
Dallas will be Qatar’s sixth freighter destination in the Americas.

AirBridge Cargo continues its strong 2015 growth
Latest November figures published by ABC show that the Moscow-headquartered all-cargo airline has generated 27% more cargo in November 2015 compared to the same month in 2014.
The airline states that it moved 50,000 tonnes in November over its global network which covers Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
This continued upswing brings ABC’s tonnage for the period January - November 2015 up to 439,000 tonnes. An increase on the same period 2014 of 20 percent.
The FTK performance until November 2015 rose by 25% making it one of the highest increases in the industry and placing it high in the ranks as one of the fastest growing air cargo carriers across the globe.

Kalitta Air gearing up for Boeing 767F operations
The Detroit-based all-cargo airline is readying itself to begin B767-300ERF cargo operations after having acquired two B767 aircraft, which had belonged to the now defunct Thai carrier - Business Air.
Both aircraft are undergoing P2F conversion in Tel Aviv with the Bedek Aviation Group.
Kalitta also has acquired a further two ex-JAL B767s, which will be used solely as spare parts back up for the two freighters.
Up until now Kalitta has operated with a B747 fleet of which it has five B747-200Fs and ten B747-400Fs.

FLYmii looks at Portuguese domestic cargo market
The Portuguese carrier which is based in Funchal and which recently restarted passenger operations using Airbus A320 aircraft has announced that it is looking at a revised business model which would enable it to also offer air cargo operations throughout Portugal.
The carrier does not yet disclose which aircraft are being considered.
FLYmii had earlier (2008) tried to start services using B737-800 passenger aircraft. The service at that time, named “fly MI,” failed to get off the ground.

Vision adds Boeing 737-300QC to its fleet
Vision Air International, a Pakistani passenger and cargo carrier with its base in Karachi has added a Boeing 737-200 QC (Quick-Change) aircraft to its fleet consisting of two 737s.
The QC version can be used either for all cargo operations or passenger flights depending on demand. Vison which has a further B737-200F and a B737-300 pax aircraft, operates charters within Pakistan and the Arabian Gulf area.

FedEx firms up another B767F option
The Memphis based air freight and parcels giant has firmed up an additional option for a new B767F aircraft.
The U.S. carrier already operates thirty B767-300Fs and has a further seventy-five 767 freighters on order with Boeing, making it the largest B767F operator worldwide and ensuring that Boeing’s production line for the type stays open in the near future.

John Mc Donagh