SEATAC – AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Russia’s largest cargo airline, took deliver of a new Boeing 747-8F freighter last week at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, allowing for the cargo carrier to expand service to Seattle.

AirBridgeCargo will schedule two incoming flights per week from Moscow to Sea-Tac with outbound flights to Amsterdam and Frankfurt respectively.

Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton led a group including executives from AirBridgeCargo and Boeing as they welcomed the new plane which was flown from the Boeing factory in Everett to Sea-Tac. The group held a briefing inside the plane to commemorate the service which recently began.

“Seeing an airplane made in Washington by skilled Washington workers fresh off the assembly line is always a thrill, and the Port of Seattle is proud to play a key role in the strong relationship AirBridgeCargo has with so many of our Pacific Northwest business partners,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “AirBridge will expand Sea-Tac’s global reach with new direct freighter service to Moscow and Amsterdam. This service will be a boost to our regional economy as these new export options are now easily accessible.”

AirBridgeCargo is the scheduled freight arm of the Volga-Dnepr Group, which operates some of the world’s largest aircraft, including the iconic Antonov 124, that makes several visits to Sea-Tac each year. AirBridge has a strong connection to the Pacific Northwest economy, flying an all-Boeing freighter fleet.

“We are excited to include Seattle in our network so we can provide our customers an even greater range of coverage options from the United States,” said Hendrik Falk, AirBridge vice president North and South America. “We expect our new Seattle service will be in high demand among customers active in a variety of industries including: aerospace, machinery, fish and seafood, food, to name just a few. We see how much Sea-Tac Airport has accomplished in support of cargo operators and infrastructure, no wonder that the airport is gaining a much more prominent profile for cargo operators.”

The addition of AirBridge marks the eighth new air carrier to announce service at Sea-Tac in 2016. This includes cargo carriers Lufthansa Cargo A.G. (operated by AeroLogic) ABX Air and DHL. Passenger service additions include Spirit, Volaris and Xiamen. Virgin Atlantic will start service to Sea-Tac in 2017.

–  Port of Seattle