DHL Express is expanding its network between the US- Middle East and Asia. The new dedicated B747-400F operated by Polar Air Cargo will connect the DHL Cincinnati hub with Bahrain and Hong Kong hubs, providing additional cargo capacity of 80 tons. The new direct service started on June 7 will shorten delivery times for DHL customers by a full day for shipments from the U.S. to Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait , Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Ian Clough, CEO of DHL Express US., stated: "These ongoing improvements in the connectivity of our U.S. operation along key trade lanes like the Middle East ensures continued service excellence for our customers while paving the way for profitable growth ... Being positioned in Bahrain, a key entry point to the Middle East, our new route will provide additional capacity for U.S. exporters."

According to Reuters, Qatar Airways is on the verge of buying a 35-percent stake in Cargolux, to become a long-term investor in Europe's largest all-freight airline. The Luxembourg government and other groups took over Swissair Group's 33.7 percent of the company as a temporary measure at the end of 2009. Since then Cargolux has been looking for a long term investor to take over the stake.

Iberia is launching all-cargo service between Madrid and Brussels with twice weekly service this month, as well as expanding the all-cargo only route between Madrid and Gran Canaria to Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, once a week. Both the Brussels flights and those to Mauritania will be operated with B737-F aircraft. The two new flights will expand Iberia's annual cargo capacity by 21 percent to 60,000 tons.

FedEx is adding more B777Fs to its fleet as it expands all-cargo service. The airline took delivery of its 12th B777F this month and expects to have a fleet of 44 777Fs by 2019. FedEx took delivery of its first B777F in October 2009 and began service with the new aircraft in January 2010 between the Shanghai-Memphis markets. Since then it has launched 777F flights between Memphis, its world hub, and Hong Kong, Osaka, Shenzen, London, and Seoul, and between Hong Kong and Paris. The aircraft is also flying from the U.S. to the United Arab Emirates.

Source: AirWaves Weekly