Аeroflot marks 15th year anniversary of its cargo operations in Europe
Moscow, Russia, 2017-Jun-17 — /Travel PR News/ — Аeroflot marked 15 years of cargo operations in Europe with a gala celebration at its Regional Cargo Representation (RCR) in Germany for business partners and industry media.
Festivities at the historic town of Traben-Trarbach were led by Oleg Korolev, Director of Aeroflot’s Cargo Department. Senior representatives from Aeroflot’s European business partners including major freight-forwarding companies and leading cargo agents, as well as media, gathered to congratulate Russia’s flagship carrier on the milestone. The programme included a presentation on the RCR’s history and performance, a brief press conference and an informal cruise on the Mosel River.
Effective strategic planning, flexible tariff policies and strong management have established Aeroflot as a significant player on the European air cargo market despite periods of economic and political turbulence. Aeroflot plans to expand its presence in this key sector of global logistics further as the market continues to grow. The carrier’s freight traffic has grown faster than the global market average, driven in Europe by a revival of trade and increasing volumes of e-commerce. Aeroflot is also looking to develop multi-modal transport to meet demand from the European market.
Europe is the second largest cargo market globally. Aeroflot flights operate from almost all European capitals, with Germany being the largest market in terms of cargo volumes, with eight airports of departure. Key markets for Aeroflot’s European cargo operations are Russia, China, India and South-East Asia. As with passenger transit traffic, Europe-Asia traffic is a strategic priority. IATA forecasts that cargo volumes between Europe, on the one hand, and China, India and South-East Asia, on the other, will grow by an annual 4.5% through 2020. Russian carriers account for 7% of cargo traffic between Asia and Europe in total.
European and Asian markets are offered the full range of freight-forwarding products by the SkyTeam Cargo alliance, from general cargo to expert logistical solutions for special freight (e.g., hazardous, valuable or perishable goods). Courier and express cargo services are in constant demand. Aeroflot has formed numerous partnerships with European freight-forwarding agents and companies. Key sectors in the Russian carrier’s cargo traffic include high-tech goods, industrial equipment and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines and high-quality consumer goods.
Aeroflot’s success as a cargo carrier has been driven by continuous innovation and use of high-tech solutions. In line with the extensive digitalisation of the airline’s passenger operations, a strategic focus on developing e-cargo is a key driver of Aeroflot’s freight business. As part of its innovative approach, Aeroflot is introducing the e-Freight standard, electronic customs declarations, and online services for cargo booking, processing and tracking based on global platforms.
Aeroflot is a significant global cargo operator, characterised by strong performance and an ambitious growth programme. As global logistics rebounded in 2016 Aeroflot Group companies carried 204.4 thousand tons of cargo and mail. Cargo and mail traffic accounts for approximately 5% of the Group’s total revenue, indicating high growth potential going forward. Cargo volumes – the key industry measure – grew by an impressive 24% in 2016.
About Aeroflot
Aeroflot is Russia’s flagship carrier and a proud member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. Aeroflot and its partners serve 1,062 destinations in 177 countries worldwide. In 2016, Aeroflot carried 29 million passengers (43.4 million passengers as Aeroflot Group including subsidiaries).
In 2016, Aeroflot became the first Russian airline to be awarded Four Star Airline status by Skytrax in recognition of the high-quality of its customer service, and was also named Best Airline in Eastern Europe for the fifth time at the Skytrax World Airline Awards.
In 2017, Aeroflot was named the most powerful brand in Russia and the world’s strongest airline brand by leading valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance. Aeroflot was also named Best Major Airline in Europe by TripAdvisor travellers and recognised as the Favourite International Airline in China at the Flyer Award Ceremony 2017.
Aeroflot operates one of the youngest fleets in the world with 197 aircraft. Aeroflot is based in Moscow, at Sheremetyevo International Airport.
Aeroflot is among the global leaders in aviation safety, with a European Community Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) Index, the main globally recognized safety parameter, comparable to global peers.
The first Russian carrier to enter the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) register, renewing its registration for the seventh time in 2017, Aeroflot has successfully passed the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) and is fully ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 compliant.
SOURCE: Aeroflot
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