Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific have expanded their Joint Business Agreement to include Swiss WorldCargo. Established in 2016, the JBA has allowed collaboration on distribution, pricing, contracts and handling of shipments between Hong Kong and Europe.
On Tuesday (May 31, 2022), Lufthansa Cargo announced, along with Cathay Pacific, that they have expanded their 2016 Joint Business Agreement (JBA) to include Swiss WorldCargo. The JBA has facilitated collaboration on distribution, pricing, contracts and the handling of shipments between Hong Kong and Germany, with handling in Hong Kong coordinated under one roof at Cathay Pacific’s Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport. With the addition of Swiss WorldCargo, the airlines will now work closely together on network planning, sales, IT and ground handling. Initially, the JBA partners will cooperate on routes from Hong Kong to Zurich and Frankfurt, with traffic to and from Hong Kong and Europe to following later this year. Cargo customers will have convenient access to the entire shared network via the booking systems of all three airlines.
In Today’s announcement, Lufthansa Cargo’s CEO, Dorothea von Boxberg, said,
“We are very pleased about the trilateral cooperation that has now begun, which brings three well-known cargo companies to the same table and makes an even more attractive offer to our customers. Cargo customers will appreciate the opportunities for faster and easier transportation. The expanded joint venture will bring numerous benefits to our customers, as our networks, our hubs and our fleet complement each other perfectly.”
Also commenting on the expanded Joint Business Agreement, Cathay Pacific’s Director of Cargo, Tom Owen, said,
“We are delighted to welcome Swiss WorldCargo to our joint business agreement. Cathay Pacific is always looking for more ways to offer our cargo customers greater choice and more options for their shipments whenever they fly their goods with us. The addition of Swiss WorldCargo's flights to the already large, combined network of Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa will bring Hong Kong, the world’s busiest air cargo hub, even closer to Europe and strengthen one of the world's great trade routes.”
Swiss International Air Lines’ Head of Cargo, Lorenzo Stoll, added,
“We are very pleased with this joint business agreement between Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific, thanks to which we can not only strengthen our already close cooperation, but also expand our network offering for our customers while remaining true to our high quality and flexibility.”
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is a premium airline that provides direct flights to and from Zurich and Geneva, keeping Switzerland connected with Europe and the world. Swiss WorldCargo offers an extensive range of airport-to-airport airfreight services for high-value, time-critical and care-intensive shipments.
Cathay Pacific Group is one of the world’s largest international cargo carriers and operates a dedicated freighter fleet to 45 destinations across Asia, North America, Australia, Europe and Africa. Cathay Pacific Cargo’s fleet includes 14 Boeing 747-8Fs and six 747-400ERFs (Extended Range Freighters). The Group also includes Air Hong Kong, an express all-cargo airline offering scheduled and charter services throughout Asia.
With revenue of €3.8 billion and 7.2 billion freight ton kilometers in 2021, Lufthansa Cargo is one of the world’s leading air freight companies, employing approximately 4,200 team members worldwide. The cargo carrier serves around 300 destinations in over 100 countries with a dedicated fleet of freighters, as well as belly-hold cargo capacity of passenger aircraft operated by Lufthansa German Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings Discover and SunExpress. In 2022, the airline will equip their fleet of dedicated freighters with Sharkskin technology to reduce drag, and expand their SAF program to further reduce CO2 emissions. The company also operates an extensive road feeder service network. Lufthansa Cargo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and is the Group’s logistics specialist.
Source(s): Lufthansa Cargo, Cathay Pacific, Swiss International Air Lines