CargoLogicAir’s B747 freighter fleet increases to four

CargoLogicAir’s fleet now consists of three mature Boeing 747-400 freighters and one newer 747-8F (CLA)

CargoLogicAir (CLA), a specialist British all-cargo airline owned by Alexey Isaikin, president of Russia’s Volga-Dnepr Group, has taken delivery of its fourth Boeing 747 freighter, as revenues and volumes have doubled in the period January to September of 2018.

The secondary market Boeing 747-400ERF has joined the airline’s fleet on an operating lease and will initially be used to meet growing customer demand on CLA’s USA routes. The delivery also keeps CLA, the UK’s only main-deck cargo airline, on track with its five-year growth strategy, which is based on the airline operating a fleet of five freighters by 2020.

“2018 has been our busiest year of operations so far with volumes and revenues doubling in the first nine months compared to last year. The delivery of our fourth 747F enables us to meet peak season demand, especially in our core US market, and increase our options in terms of frequencies and new routes as we head into 2019. We … expect to be adding new destinations to our network in the first quarter of next year”, explains David Kerr, chief executive of CargoLogicAir, without revealing details or any figures.

Additional aircraft capacity “will also enable customers to benefit further from connections into the international network of CLA’s strategic partner, AirBridgeCargo Airlines [part of Volga-Dnepr Group], extending its reach to more markets in Europe, Russia, the Americas and Asia Pacific,” the airline adds.

With its main operating base at London Stansted, three-year-old CLA’s route network connects the UK with the prime export markets of Europe, North America, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region.

CLA says its network is specifically designed to support those industry sectors which require scheduled main-deck cargo airlifts to serve their key markets, such as Houston and the United Arab Emirates for oil and gas shipments; Atlanta for pharmaceuticals, aerospace and automotive cargoes; Mexico City for automotive parts and components; and Hong Kong’s e-commerce market serving the UK and Europe. CargoLogicAir also carries regular shipments of off-sized cargoes and provides charter operations to deliver humanitarian emergency aid to regions of the world affected by natural disasters.

CargoLogicAir’s fleet now consists of three mature Boeing 747-400 freighters and one newer 747-8F. The airline now employs almost 200 people.