CAL, Israel's private cargo airline, has been authorised as the country's second designated cargo carrier on services to the USA and will begin two weekly flights to New York in the middle of next month.
El Al already operates cargo flights to the USA with its own Boeing 747 freighters. CAL's US flights will operate with a stopover in Luxembourg.
CAL - Cargo Air Lines - is an Israeli co-operative group formed in the mid-1970s to undertake the transport of perishables and general cargo. Until last December, the company had wet-leased aircraft from El Al, but now operates independently with a 747-200F. Initial services have been to Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Liege, Belgium.
The airline is negotiating the acquisition of a second 747 freighter and regularly uses an Airbus A300-600 freighter operated by Belgian carrier City Bird.
Data released by the Israeli ministry of transportation show that CAL's entry into the market last year has boosted air freight to and from Israel by 10%. At the same time, there has been a 15% decrease in charges.
Source: Flight International
