ATRAN Airlines (ATRAN), an express carrier within Volga-Dnepr Group, has accomplished its first European live-animal transportation from Spain to Russia. Boeing 737-800BCF charter flight has delivered 533 boxes with one-day-old chicks, weighing over 2,200 kilograms, in support of the local agricultural program.

The project was organized with great contribution from AirBridgeCargo Airlines’ team, one of another carriers within Volga-Dnepr Group which has extensive AVI experience and competence.

Steven Frederix, Live Animal Transportation Manager Europe, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, comments: ‘Following ATRAN’s successful European AVI certification earlier this year and receipt of a Type 2 Transport certificate which allows the company to deliver live animals to, from and across Europe, the ATRAN team of logistics practitioners has organized a dedicated flight containing 42, 640 one-day-old chicks. The delicate animals were handled and transported in accordance with IATA LAR (Live Animals Regulations) and European Council 01/2005 regulations maintaining a 24-26 C in-flight ambient environment at all times in order to ensure animals’ welfare’.

Vasiliy Zhukov, Commercial Director of ATRAN Airlines, comments: ‘We have been approaching the AVI market for a long time, seeing the demand and customers’ interests in B737 high-quality services. After implementation of our internal road map which covered certification, personnel training, and expansion of the fleet, we are now ready to offer specialist live-animals transportation services for our customers to and from Europe’.

The flight has been organized aboard Boeing 737-800BCF which has recently joined the company’s fleet ramping up its cargo capacity and totaling the number of freighters to 7. Thanks to the Volga-Dnepr Group’s Cargo Supermarket concept ATRAN’s customers have access to a unique freighter fleet of the Group consisting of An-124-100/150, Il-97TD-90VD, Boeing 747F and Boeing 777F.