Cargo News Milan Malpensa

On 17th October the giant of the skies, a Boeing 747-8F in Luxembourg’s Cargolux fleet, landed at Milan Malpensa. This was a noteworthy event because Malpensa Airport was the first European airport at which this new aircraft arrived, and even more so because it was no isolated incident as Cargolux has introduced a weekly flight to São Paulo from Malpensa, expanding its network.

This strengthens cargo services to the Americas, where Malpensa already serves Los Angeles, Memphis and Chicago. In the first half of the year freight flights were up 11.4 percent, carrying 23,000 more tons than in the same period a year ago.

The cargo sector has also extended its roster of airlines using Milan Malpensa Airport, with newcomers Jade Cargo and Silk Way, and added new routes, such as Cargoitalia’s to Lomé, Tongo and Luanda, Angola. There has also been an increase in Turkish Airlines cargo flights to Istanbul.

This again proves the supremacy of Milan Malpensa as the top Italian freight airport, with a market share of about 50 percent and excellent positioning on the European market.

Malpensa to New York

Thanks to the service provided by Alitalia, American Airlines, Continental Airlines and Delta, New York is the top intercontinental destination of flights from Milan Malpensa.

The 4 carriers offer a total of 21 weekly flights from Malpensa to New York, with a 2-class service.

Milan Malpensa to Middle East

Qatar Airways, voted The World’s Best Airline in 2011 has added 4 new flights to Doha from Malpensa, bringing the total to 11 per week.

From 1st January 2012, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there will be new daily flights. This important addition testifies the important role that Malpensa Airport plays in flights to and from the Middle East, with so many connections to a rather small area. In addition to Doha, Milan Malpensa serves Beirut, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Amman, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Muscat.

Worth noting are the excellent services offered by Etihad, rated Best Airline in 2011 for First Class and Emirates, which fly to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively. Newcomers are Oman Air’s flights to Muscat which begun last December, and Gulf Air’s to Bahrain, introduced in March.

Malpensa Flights to Africa

Tunisair has recently added another three weekly flights to Tunis, bringing the total to 9.

Egypt Air has added 2 more flights from Milan to Cairo, bringing the total to 11 flights per week.

And last July Ethiopian Airlines began serving Addis Ababa from Milan Malpensa.

Malpensa Airport Flights to Asia

Malpensa Airport is increasing flights to Asia. In recent months Cathay Pacific increased its service and now offers daily flights on brand-new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft offering three different classes, all recently revamped.

Air China has added direct flights from Malpensa to Beijing as well as Malpensa to Shanghai.

And from Malpensa Airport you can also now fly to another big Asian destination, flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines offers 2 weekly flights to Dhaka from Malpensa, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

India’s Jet Airways confirmed excellent results at Malpensa Airport as did Singapore Airlines, winner of the 2011 award for Best Business Class.

Malpensa Flights to European Capitals

Malpensa Airport is now closer to many capitals throughout Europe.

Vueling now has more flights to Barcelona, totalling 27 each week, while Air Europe returns to Malpensa Airport with 2 daily flights to Madrid from Malpensa.

Portugal’s airline TAP is adding 4 more flights from Malpensa to Lisbon each week bringing the total number of flights to Lisbon from Malpensa to 18 a week.

For northern European destinations, SAS has 2 daily flights to Copenhagen and another to Stockholm, while Aer Lingus is changing its flights from Malpensa to Dublin from seasonal to all year-round.

Albania is served by Belle Air, now flying daily year-round from Malpensa to Tirana, and by Albanian Airlines, offering three flights a week.

On 17th December the Russian airline, Rossiya, increased its flights to St. Petersburg from Malpensa to 5 a week.

Finally, more flights from Malpensa to Prague, Amsterdam and Paris on EasyJet, whose continental hub is at Milan Malpensa Terminal 2, serving 36 Italian and European destinations. Added to which, in the summer of 2012, there will be flights to Kos, Zakynthos (Zante) and Cefalonia, now open for booking on the airline’s website.