SKYTEAM ALLIANCE EXPANDS INTO CARGO

SKYTEAM ALLIANCE EXPANDS INTO CARGO    SkyTeam, the airline alliance created in June comprising Aeromexico, Air France, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air, said Thursday it has expanded to provide cargo service through SkyTeam Cargo.
   The announcement was made by senior executives of the airlines at the International Air Cargo Association's Air Cargo Forum in Washington.
   The partnership will provide a global route network, common service options, sales and service standards and an interfaced information technology system. Sky Team Cargo forms a global route network from 12 major cargo hubs, and provides a combined fleet of 1,070 aircraft making 6,810 flights to 411 destinations in 100 countries.
   SkyTeam Cargo will offer three brands of shipping options: Equation, Dimension, Cohesion and Variation.
   Equation will launch Jan. 1 in markets served via the Air France Cargo hub at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Equation offers express service with no weight or size limits per shipment for non-perishable goods. The service offers departure on first flight available, up to 90 minutes to two hours before departure, and delivery 90 minutes to two hours after landing.
   Dimension, the alliances primary service, provides basic on-time, airport-to-airport delivery.
   Cohesion is aimed at shippers who work on a just-in-time basis. The alliance will collaborate with shippers and forwarders to provide logistics solutions.
   Variation will provide specialized services for valuable, live and perishable goods and shipments requiring special handling.
   The SkyTeam alliance was founded in June.