Martinair to cease Australia flights
Amsterdam-based airline Martinair will cease its twice-weekly 747-400BCF flights into Australia in December.
The last flight (MP9171) will operate from Schiphol Airport Amsterdam to Sydney on December 22, 2008.
The specialist carrier operated its first DC10 cargo flight from Schiphol Airport to Sydney November, 1987.
Harm Winkeler, vice-president Asia Pacific for Martinair, said different developments led to the decision to cease operations to Sydney.
"First and most important was the airline's decision to further develop its growing Latin America and Africa markets, which is only possible with changes in our present network," said Winkeler. "The unprecedented increase in fuel prices put pressure on the economic viability of our Sydney operation, which has been exacerbated by the increasing trend to air/sea for cargo from Europe to Australia.
Grenville Stevens, Sydney-based manager for Martinair in Australia, said the carrier had built many strong relationships over the 21 years it has been operating to Sydney and the decision was disappointing but necessary in the current economic climate. He said the Martinair Sydney office will remain functional up to the end of February 2009 to finalise administration and ensure a smooth transition to offline status.
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