The Group, which owns Volga-Dnepr Airlines - the world's largest charter airline for the movement of outsize and heavyweight cargo ' and AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Russia's leading international scheduled cargo airline, reported a 25% rise in cargo tonnage for the year compared to 2007. The Group transported 267,000 tons of cargo over the 12-month period, while FTKs rose 32%.
According to these provisional results, the Group is now rated 12th in the global ranking of air cargo carriers and is the largest Russian all-cargo airline group.
During the past year, the Group continued its aircraft fleet improvement program:
- two brand new B747-400ER Freighters were delivered from the Boeing manufacturing plant in Seattle to replace older B747-200Fs in the AirBridgeCargo Airlines fleet;
- the company continued to operate two modernized IL-76TD-90VD freighters and provided funds for construction of another three airplanes of the same version to the Tashkent Aviation Factory under an agreement with the Russia United Aircraft Corporation (ОАK);
- negotiations commenced with OAK for an order for new AN-124-100М-150 aircraft 2008 saw Volga-Dnepr Group consistently realizing its development strategy based on the concept of offering a 'cargo supermarket' of all-cargo solutions. This combines the advantages of charter and scheduled air cargo operations and long-term relationships with key customers and partners worldwide.
