Lufthansa Cargo has suspended its co-operation with Hinduja Cargo Services covering flights to the Indian subcontinent from its Sharjah hub in favour of direct services from Frankfurt.
The agreement is being terminated because demand for cargo flights to the region has "grown beyond expectations". Direct flights from Germany yield time savings of "7-8hs" for customers, reports Flight International's sister on-line service Air Transport Intelligence.
Lufthansa Cargo's services to India have been operated from Sharjah by Hinduja since 1997, using Boeing 727-200Fs, but direct services to eight destinations in the region from Frankfurt have now begun using Boeing MD-11Fs.
The company declines to confirm it is terminating the agreement, saying only: "We are talking to the Hinduja Group about the future of co-operation in India." Lufthansa Cargo holds 40% in New Delhi-based Hinduja.
One of the joint venture company's 727s crashed in July 1999 after take-off from Kathmandu, killing five crew.
Source: Flight International