newstodate.aero
Feb 18, 2009 (newstodate): Sweden's Jonkoping Airport remains one of the few airports to retain an optimistic view on its airfreight business progress.
-We have seen cargo volumes slightly down in 2008, but we have also seen an increasing number of cargo flight movements, and only last week we have had two requests for handling charges from new potential customers, says Hazze Sandstrom, Jonkoping Airport manager.
-We are also very encouraged by the change of ownership of the airport by the end of this year from state to communal hands. The new owner, Jonkoping commune has confirmed its decision to secure a position as the main logistics center for Southern Sweden, home to many leading Swedish manufacturing and exporting companies, and the airport will certainly play a crucial role in this strategy.
-Jonkoping Airport has seen its cargo volumes growing from zero in 2005 to 5,220 tonnes in 2007, boosted by Icelandair Cargo's decision to operate its Boeing 757-200F aircraft with Icelandic horses to Jonkoping. The crisis forced Icelandair Cargo to suspend the service in the latter part of 2008, but the year still generated more than 4,500 tonnes of cargo and mail.
-TNT is operating Jonkoping as a Scandinavian hub with flights coming in from Brussels en-route to Helsinki, and TNT flights operate between Jonkoping and Oslo, Norway, and Billund, Denmark, feeding cargo to and from the gateway at Jonkoping that is also a hub for Post Sweden's air services as well as for time:matters.
-So despite the current down-turn in the industry that is of course also felt by the region's businesses, we remain quite confident of progress in 2009 and beyond, says Mr Sandstrom.
-We have seen cargo volumes slightly down in 2008, but we have also seen an increasing number of cargo flight movements, and only last week we have had two requests for handling charges from new potential customers, says Hazze Sandstrom, Jonkoping Airport manager.
-We are also very encouraged by the change of ownership of the airport by the end of this year from state to communal hands. The new owner, Jonkoping commune has confirmed its decision to secure a position as the main logistics center for Southern Sweden, home to many leading Swedish manufacturing and exporting companies, and the airport will certainly play a crucial role in this strategy.
-Jonkoping Airport has seen its cargo volumes growing from zero in 2005 to 5,220 tonnes in 2007, boosted by Icelandair Cargo's decision to operate its Boeing 757-200F aircraft with Icelandic horses to Jonkoping. The crisis forced Icelandair Cargo to suspend the service in the latter part of 2008, but the year still generated more than 4,500 tonnes of cargo and mail.
-TNT is operating Jonkoping as a Scandinavian hub with flights coming in from Brussels en-route to Helsinki, and TNT flights operate between Jonkoping and Oslo, Norway, and Billund, Denmark, feeding cargo to and from the gateway at Jonkoping that is also a hub for Post Sweden's air services as well as for time:matters.
-So despite the current down-turn in the industry that is of course also felt by the region's businesses, we remain quite confident of progress in 2009 and beyond, says Mr Sandstrom.