Northwest Airlines To Sign Lease With Alaska CargoPort™
And Increase Anchorage Cargo Space By More Than One Third
Anchorage, AK (August 23, 2000) — Continuing its aggressive operational growth strategy, Northwest Airlines Cargo announced today that it will sign a lease with the Alaska CargoPortä for 63,000 square feet of space for cargo office and warehouse operations at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The announcement was made during a luncheon at the Top of the World Cargo Summit being held in Girdwood, Alaska. Governor Tony Knowles and representatives of the partners involved in the CargoPortTM, The Lynxs Group and Williams Companies, participated in the announcement.
The lease includes four (4) wide-body aircraft parking positions, representing 300,000 square feet of aircraft ramp direct warehouse access, with the option to expand to eight (8) wide-body aircraft parking positions. The added ramp capacity will allow Northwest freighters to park nose-to-nose, providing for a faster, more efficient, cargo cross-load operation.
The current Northwest Airlines Cargo facility in Anchorage covers approximately 46,000 square feet and offers parking positions for three wide-body aircraft.
The new facility announcement comes on the heels of Northwest Airlines Cargo’s recent acquisition of two additional Boeing 747-200 aircraft, which boosts its fleet of Boeing 747-200 main-deck freighters to a total of twelve (12).
“We are excited about this new facility in Anchorage and the potential it gives Northwest to grow our global freighter network,” said Jim Friedel, Vice President and General Manager, Northwest Airlines Cargo.
“Anchorage has long been a vital part of our cargo operations. This new facility confirms Northwest’s long-term commitment to work with our Anchorage community partners to develop our airfreight business,” added Friedel.
“Northwest Airlines helped connect Alaska to the rest of the world back in 1947, using DC-4 aircraft flying the Great Circle Route. Today, more than 50 years later, Northwest Airlines Cargo’s increasing investment in Alaska means vital contributions to local and state economies,” said Governor Tony Knowles. “When the 747s of their cargo fleet touch down in Alaska every day, they bring jobs and economic opportunity. We’re happy to see Northwest Airlines expanding its Alaska presence,” Knowles added.
“The Northwest Airlines announcement is a major milestone in Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport’s strategic program to attract and expand cargo activity,” said airport director Morton V. Plumb, Jr. “It is especially interesting to note that a major transpacific cargo airline finds it more efficient to perform cross-loads at ANC rather than at an Asian location. At the end of the day it demonstrates that using ANC can improve systemwide profits and flexibility. The Airport has provided the site and operational environment in which this type of cargo activity can flourish,” added Plumb.
“Our agreement with Northwest Airlines is the culmination of exactly the kind of activity we designed the Alaska CargoPort™ for: multi-aircraft cargo transfer and handling using the attributes of Anchorage,” said Ray Brimble, owner of Lynxs Holdings, LLC. “Since Northwest Airlines is the most experienced carrier over the northern east-west routes, it’s not surprising that they were the ones to recognize and take advantage of Anchorage’s unique global location. The Alaska CargoPort™ provides superior ground facilities to enhance Alaska’s geographic advantages,” added Brimble.
Randy Newcomer, president of Williams’ Alaska operations, said, “Williams supports economic growth in Alaska. We’ve had a presence here for two decades through our North Pole refinery, retail stores and Port of Anchorage distribution terminal. Our interest in the Alaska CargoPortä is our latest investment in the state and allows us to build on our relationship with companies like Northwest that already purchase our jet fuel.”
In addition to housing Northwest Airlines Cargo operations, the new 63,000 square foot facility will also house Northwest’s flight operations, line maintenance, and plant maintenance departments.
Northwest Airlines is the largest freighter aircraft operator among U.S. combination airlines. The freighter markets served include Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila and Guam in the Asia/Pacific region, and New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Anchorage in the United States.
The Lynxs Group develops CargoPortsä, which are unique air cargo facilities with intermodal access. These low-cost, high-service facilities are specifically designed to address the needs of cargo carriers and the airports that serve them. CargoPortsTM provide warehousing with direct rampside access, parking for wide-body aircraft, fueling stations, office space and other amenities. Currently, the Lynxs Group is developing and operating eight CargoPortsTM across the United States.
Williams Company, through its subsidiaries, connects businesses to energy and communications. The company delivers innovative, reliable products and services through its extensive networks of energy-distributing pipelines and high-speed fiber-optic cables. Company information is available at http://www.williams.com.
For more info, contact Carol Fischer at 612-727-7237 or Scott Ingham at 206-660-6658).