Menzies Aviation new Handling Agent for AirBridgeCargo at Schiphol

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC), Russia’s largest scheduled all-cargo carrier, has announced today that Menzies Aviation will act as its handling agent at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) as per 5th October 2011. The new handling contract is set up for five years and covers ramp and cargo handling services.

AirBridgeCargo has established one of its major hubs at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport operating twelve scheduled Boeing 747 full freighter flights per week – processing some 70,000 tons per annum. Established May 2004, AirBridgeCargo is a subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr  Group serving 18 hubs in the world. Ludwig Hamburger, Vice President and Regional Director EMEA: “We are continuously developing ABC’s service quality in order to assure reliability and operational efficiency and therefore to always meet our customers’ needs. At Schiphol Airport we recently decided to collaborate with Menzies Aviation that will provide us with a bigger facility. We think that cooperating with this experienced and globally acting handling agent will help us to further develop our handling procedures. Above all, this will support us in optimizing and extending our route network which is part of our growth strategy.”

Menzies Aviation, a fully owned subsidiary of John Menzies plc, is a global provider of passenger, ramp and cargo handling services, operating at more than 117 stations in 27 countries and supported by a worldwide team of over 16,000 people. At Schiphol Airport Menzies Aviation employs more than 650 staff members, approximately 400 of which are active in cargo and full freighter handling. Craig Smyth, President and Managing Director Menzies Aviation: “The five year handling contract with AirBridgeCargo enables us to take a major step in strengthening our position in the ground handling market. We offer flexibility and dedication in management, staff and infrastructure in order to ensure a high-quality and efficient handling operation. We are looking forward to successfully establishing a long term collaboration with AirBridgeCargo Airlines.”

About Volga-Dnepr Group 

Volga-Dnepr is an international group of companies which specializes in charter and scheduled air freight services. The Group includes two largest Russian cargo airlines; Volga-Dnepr Airlines conducting charter operations using a fleet of AN-124-100s and IL-76TD-90VDs and AirBridgeCargo Airlines providing scheduled flights with a fleet of Boeing 747 freighters. Volga-Dnepr Airlines is the world leader in air transportation of unique and outsize cargo. Its fleet consists of 10 super heavy AN-124-100 “Ruslan” freighters and three IL-76TD-90VD. AirBridgeCargo fleet includes 11 Boeing 747 freighters.

The third major business area of Volga-Dnepr Group is maintenance and repair of Russian-made and foreign aircrafts. Volga-Dnepr Technics has established line maintenance stations in Moscow at Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports, in Ulyanovsk, Krasnoyarsk, and also in Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) and Leipzig (Germany).

For 20 years of its existence, Volga-Dnepr has been involved in logistics support of missions to liquidate the aftermath of natural disasters and critical emergencies throughout the world using its fleet of super heavy AN-124-100 and IL-76 aircraft and proprietary transportation solutions. Aircraft, processes and solutions of Volga-Dnepr were extensively used by government agencies of many countries suffering from man-made or natural catastrophes.

About Menzies Aviation

Menzies Aviation is a global provider of passenger, ramp and cargo handling services. The company has grown rapidly since its conception in 1995. Through a combination of organic growth, acquisitions and the development of niche opportunities, Menzies has established its selves as a major force in the international ground handling industry.

Operating at more than 117 stations in 27 countries and supported by a worldwide team of more than 16,000 people, Menzies serves over 500 airline customers handling over 700,000 flights, 71 million passengers and 1.7 million tonnes of cargo per annum. Delivering a consistent and reliable operation, focused on meeting the needs of our airline customers, is at the centre of everything Menzies does.