AirBridgeCargo Airlines will launch a scheduled flight between Moscow and Rickenbacker International Airport on April 5, 2018.

The new flight will be operated every Thursday with a Boeing 747 freighter, offering up to 139 tonnes of capacity. It will fly non-stop from ABC’s Moscow Sheremetyevo hub to Rickenbacker and return via Liege.

“With a view to continue expansion of our footprint in the USA, Columbus has been on the radar of our business interests for quite a while,” said Sergey Lazarev, general director of ABC. “Rickenbacker’s strengths, such as proximity to distribution centres of various companies, including the fashion and apparel industries; airport and ground handling infrastructure and facilities; and the existing network of partners in the Columbus region, ensure we can provide our clients with reliable and efficient service.”

The Russian airline will become the fifth freighter operator at Rickenbacker, joining Cargolux, Cathay Pacific Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo and Etihad Cargo as carriers operating up to 15 weekly international flights at the cargo-focused airport.

“We’re excited Rickenbacker’s advantages have translated to success for our forward-thinking logistics partners, which in turn drives the success of the Columbus region,” said Joseph Nardone, president and CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which operates Rickenbacker. “Rickenbacker has grown phenomenally during the past five years, and the next five years look even more promising.”