One would have thought that due to the continuing depressed market situ-ation that most would at the moment be wary about starting up a new all-cargo airline.
Especially one which entails using B747F equipment.
It seems however that that may just happen by the end of the year and Brussels Airport is to be the base.
New carrier - old players?
A company called Global Lift has been registered in June and is apparently an affiliate of Air Cargo Global, the Slovakian registered airline which many may remember started up on the back of the
now defunct Air Cargo Germany which at that time was headquartered at Hahn Airport in central Germany.
Since its inception back in 2013, Air Cargo Global (ACG) has been operating with two elderly Boeing 747-400 freighters, which have an average age of just over 18 years.
The oldest aircraft, registered as OM-ACG is a B747-409BDSF variant and is 25 years old.
One aircraft is from the defunct ACG and the other is an ex Nippon Cargo Airlines machine.
There were plans to operate line services to the Far East and Africa, but it seems this never really got off the ground.
Information is that ACG has been keeping their head above water by operating various charters and humanitarian flights from airports outside of Slovakia.
Brussels on the map as of end of 2016?
Charter work for 747F’s has also become rather rare and it seems that ACG’s owners Igor Bondarenko (60%) and ex Aeroflot Cargo CEO Andrey Goryashko (40%) are looking for new pastures.
Hence the forming of Global Lift which is meant to be based at Brussels-Zaventem Airport.
The new company is registered under two separate holding companies, also with a 60% - 40% split.
Transport Experts Belgium under Mr Bondarenko holds 60% and VCL and Partners under Mr Goryashko the remaining 40%.
CargoForwarder Global has requested Brussels Airport cargo management for a comment to these plans, but so far no reaction has been given.
It can only be assumed that if the carrier gets into the air that operations will be with the present two B747Fs running under the Slovakian AOC.
It would not make sense to bring in other aircraft.
Routes, customers, schedules - all still in the dark.
John Mc Donagh
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