Avient operates scheduled services from its European hub in Vatry (France) to 17 points in Africa and the Middle East. The airline recently commenced services to Baghdad ' the first direct scheduled freighter services from Europe ' in collaboration with Iraqi Wings Air Cargo. Avient also operates frequent charters worldwide. In 2008, Avient uplifted 44 million kilos of cargo.
The airline currently has a fleet of DC10-30F and IL76F aircraft, supported by its own curtain-side and refrigerated vehicles feeding its Vatry gateway from key points throughout Europe. The airline is looking at upgrading its fleet in the near future.
Explaining the addition of two further GSSAs to its network of 55 offices in 34 countries, Simon Clarke, Avient's Chief Operating Officer, says: 'We have previously had limited representation covering the Scandinavia and Nordics region as a whole, but we have decided that the best way to fully exploit the potential of these markets is to create a localized presence in each country. This led us to appoint Cargo Care International and Airline Services GSA as strong operators in their markets.'
Both Airline Services GSA and Cargo Care International will utilize Avient's own road feeders from Amsterdam and Frankfurt, with the probable addition of their own direct feeders, to connect to Avient's departures from Vatry.
Says Airline Services GSA MD Jari Aaltonen: 'This is a great challenge, and opportunity for us to sell main-deck capacity to Finnish customers. Avient's representation fits well with our portfolio of high-quality airlines.' Adds Anders Herrgaard Jepsen, MD of Cargo Care International: 'I have had considerable experience in selling African services in Denmark. There is great potential, with regular shipments of diplomatic cargo, pharmaceuticals, ships' spares and oil-related freight, and a UNICEF relief distribution center here.'
Cargo Care International was launched in 2007, and represents 10 airlines. Airline Services GSA was founded in 1997 and represents 9 airlines. The EGSAC network now comprises 32 members with 127 bases in 33 countries, collectively working with 150 airlines.
