Air Cargo Newsletter from today morning:
Like the Phoenix, British air cargo operator MK Airlines Ltd. rose up from the ashes and resumed flights today (Friday May 20).
Air Cargo News FlyingTypers received confirmation of this from a high-ranking manager of Swiss logistics company Panalpina. Background of the carrier's second life after MK had grounded their fleet some days ago (ACN FT reported exclusively) will be given Monday or Tuesday next week pending on the approval of the new majority owner.
According to sources close to MK the savior of the carrier is a British-based investor that secured the cargo airline's take-off by injecting fresh money.
Founder and CEO Mike Kruger will keep his seat at the carrier's top management ranks, ACN FT learned.
Newly-born MK will mostly serve routes within Africa, between Europe and Africa as well as Far East and Europe. "Although they have an aging fleet of eight B747-200Fs and even an old kerosene consuming DC-8F they can be
profitable on the long run if they streamline some processes and become somewhat more efficient," Panalpina's executive said.
"In a way they have the spirit of old German Cargo, the forerunner of Lufthansa Cargo," he added.
One of the first flights of 'Phoenix' MK goes from Urumchi in Northwest China to Parchim airport in Germany and on to Luxembourg this Sunday.
This has been announced by both Panalpina and Jonathan Pang, chairman of Chinese LinkGlobal Logistics.
Meanwhile LinkGlobal and Australian asset manager Goodman announced at the commercial property “Expansion Fair” held last week June 18-19 in Hamburg, Germany that they teamed up to enhance Parchim airport by building logistics facilities and bringing in cargo traffic.
This includes the payment of €13 million Euros to the owner of the airport, the county of Parchim in Northeast Germany.
After the county receives the money the airport will officially be transferred from public ownership to the property of Chinese LinkGlobal Logistics