ACR extends international footprint

Transhipments to US and Europe gain support A RANGE of recent general sales agency appointments has seen Airline Cargo Resources extending its footprint internationally. On the UK route its recent acquisition of the general sales agency for South African carrier Nationwide Airlines has opened a valuable gateway at Gatwick. The airline operates AB676-300 three times a week on the Johannesburg – Gatwick route. “Using this gateway, we have direct access into the UK, Europe and the Americas, and have seen steady and growing support,” says senior general manager Jeff Gaitskill. The Gatwick gateway development ties in well with the plans of another of the airlines in its stable - Air Namibia - which will start flying from Windhoek to Gatwick from July this year. The service will operate three times a week using an MD11. Air Namibia already operates an MD11 on the direct Frankfurt route and twice daily using a B737 to Johannesburg and Cape Town. Developing the US route has been a priority, and ACR’s appointment as offline GSSA for American Airlines in southern Africa has added impetus to its ambitions in this market. “All cargo flying into London can now connect into North America using the AA network, which offers more than 25 flights a day on the London-US route,” says Gaitskill. “This includes non stop direct flights into New York, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Raleigh/Durham, all serviced with wide body, ‘cargo friendly’ aircraft like B767 and B777 aircraft capable of uplifting over 12 tons per flight.” ACR has also recently taken on the offline GSSA for Air Jamaica. It offers direct flights from London to Kingston, Montego Bay, and Havana, Cuba using a fleet of A340s out of London. “We’ve seen a significant rise in London and USA traffic,” said Gaitskill, “with more and more freight agents contacting us for information.” On the southern African route, a weekly Ethiopian Airlines freighter is on the cards, he added.