Lufthansa Cargo is significantly expanding its network in the summer flight schedule. Pending regulatory approval, the cargo carrier in the Lufthansa Group is to operate MD-11 freighter services to the three new destinations of Shenzhen, Kolkata (Calcutta) and Barcelona from 27 March. The Aerologic joint venture cargo carrier, based in Leipzig, is to lay on direct connections from the Lufthansa hub in Frankfurt to Houston, Texas, and Lahore in Pakistan. "These new flights will make the network even more attractive to our customers," said Dr. Andreas Otto, Lufthansa Cargo Board Member Product and Sales. "We will now be serving more than 20 cities in Asia direct with our freighters and expanding our position in the world's major air cargo market." Thanks to its status as a Special Economic Zone and its location in the Pearl River Delta, the Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen ranks among the most important industrial centres in the world. Lufthansa Cargo is already prominently represented in Shenzhen through its stake in Jade Cargo International, which is based there. From 27 March, the City will be served thrice-weekly by Lufthansa Cargo freighters. The return flights link at the Lufthansa hub in Frankfurt into direct connecting flights to Barcelona in Spain, another of the newcomers in the summer timetable. With this service, the Airline is offering fast and direct connections especially for transports from China to Spain. The textile industry in particular ensures continuing demand on this route. To accommodate that demand, Jade Cargo International will continue to operate the route with twice-weekly services with Boeing 747 freighters. The new services to the Indian metropolis of Kolkata will additionally strengthen the dense Asian network. The twice-weekly connections ex Frankfurt raise the number of destinations served by Lufthansa Cargo freighters in India to six in the summer timetable. The Aerologic joint venture is further improving connections between Frankfurt and the American south with its Boeing 777F freighters. A direct flight on Saturdays between Frankfurt and Houston is now available to Lufthansa Cargo customers. Lahore will also extend the Aerologic route network: In the summer flight schedules, Boeing freighters will be operating flights on Sundays from Frankfurt to the City in northern Pakistan.(lufthansacargo)