SkyTeam, the global airline alliance partnering Aeroméxico, Air France, Alitalia, Continental, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Korean Air and Northwest, sets itself apart by offering an exclusive experience for all passengers. Issued monthly, SkyTeam NewsFlash provides media key updates on alliance activities. Please read on for this month's SkyTeam news.

SkyTeam Cargo carries the standard in excellence - SkyTeam Cargo continues to excel as a leader in the cargo shipping industry. SkyTeam Cargo was honored as "Best Air Freight Alliance" at the 2005 Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards (AFSCAs) ceremony in Hong Kong 27 April, receiving more votes than rival alliance WOW.

More than 12,500 readers of Cargonews Asia, some of the world's most influential shippers, voted in the AFSCAs, which recognize companies that are the best service providers in 41 industry-specific categories. With its focus on growing its network and services to best suit customers' needs and set industry standards, the cargo alliance's recent industry recognition further supports the value of the SkyTeam Cargo network to its customers.

"SkyTeam Cargo focuses on alliance synergies that trim costs, increase revenue, and improve customer service," said Nam-Sun Kim, managing vice president, Sales, Hong Kong for Korean Air.

Through the alliance, Aeroméxico Cargo, Air France Cargo, Alitalia Cargo, CSA Cargo, Delta Air Logistics, KLM Cargo and Korean Air Cargo, have reduced lease costs through co-locating cargo operations, as well as implemented universal handling procedures and a single point of contact, allowing customers access to the global network offerings of all SkyTeam Cargo carriers.

For more information, please visit to http://www.skyteamcargo.com.

SkyTeam's network accommodates expansion - Rapid economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region has lead to an increase in business and leisure travel volume. As business expands globally, SkyTeam's network provides passengers greater access to key regions of strategic business growth.

The American Express Business Travel Survey of Corporate Travel Management Service, issued 13 April in Shanghai, predicted China will become the world's third largest market for corporate travel in five years. In 2004, Hong Kong experienced a record-breaking achievement of 21.8 million visitor arrivals according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

SkyTeam currently serves 15 cities in China, including Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Recently, SkyTeam member Continental announced new service to Beijing, currently making Continental the only U.S. carrier offering daily nonstop service from New York to the People's Republic of China. Air France, Alitalia, KLM, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines also serve Beijing.

On the other side of the region, the surge in outsourcing corporate support services has caused a significant increase in business travel to India. Revenue from foreigners traveling to India is expected to reach six billion USD this year and to grow to 24 billion USD by 2015, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

The newest service to India in the SkyTeam network is Delta Air Lines' service to Chennai (formerly Madras), the gateway of southern India and a developing center of business and industry for the Asia-Pacific region, from New York via Paris. Currently, Air France codeshares on this route. In addition, Northwest will launch new service from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport to Bangalore via the KLM/NWA hub at Amsterdam on Oct. 30, 2005 and Air France will serve Bangalore nonstop from Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport beginning Oct. 31, 2005. Continental will also launch new service - the first nonstop service to India from the United States - from Newark International Airport to Delhi on Nov. 1, 2005. SkyTeam also currently serves the capital city of Delhi; Mumbai (formerly Bombay), the largest city in India and the major commercial center; and Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).

Another booming business economy and SkyTeam destination, Dubai, has also experienced growth in passenger traffic in recent years. Dubai International Airport reported six million passengers traveled through its terminal in the first quarter of 2005, a growth of 12.7 percent over the same period last year. Currently, six SkyTeam carriers provide customers access to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

SkyTeam continues to serve these and other destinations with increasing passenger demand. The alliance monitors travel and business trends and forecasts the needs of its customers, expanding network offerings to provide the greatest access and dependability worldwide. For more information on SkyTeam's network, visit www.skyteam.com.