May 24 - Airfreighting a 30 tonne control unit to Nigeria proved a tight squeeze for London-based Air Charter Service (ACS).

Dan Morgan-Evans, cargo assistant director of ACS's London office, said that the shipment required meticulous planning as the consignment only fitted inside the chartered IL-76 aircraft with millimetres to spare.

Morgan-Evans says: "When I first saw the dimensions, I knew it was going to be touch and go as to whether we could fit it into the Ilyushin, but the operator and I made all the necessary checks before we said yes. "

Using the IL-76 aircraft instead of the larger AN-124 saved the client around 50 percent on charter fees, said ACS.

Founded in the UK two decades ago, ACS is one of the leading names in cargo and passenger air chartering. Company turnover exceeds USD250 million per year; the company operates around 4,000 flights annually and employs over 140 staff.