ABU DHABI: The cargo division of Etihad Airways generates over $1 billion in annual revenues and is one of the world’s most successful air cargo operations, said James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways at an event recently.
In his opening address at the World Cargo Alliance (WCA) Conference which took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Hogan said that Etihad Cargo has developed into a billion dollar business and continues to improve its services and innovative products to meet its customers’ requirements.
He added that by working with its partners through the Etihad Airways Partner alliance, it manages to maximise the profitability of each carrier by combining resources, networks and capabilities for the benefit of all of its customers.
By combining aircraft fleets and networks, Etihad Cargo is recognised as the fifth largest cargo operator in the world by working in close harmony with Jet Airways Cargo, airberlin Cargo, Air Serbia, Alitalia and Air Seychelles Cargo, he said. Hogan said that Etihad Cargo accounted for 88 per cent of cargo imports, exports and transfers at Abu Dhabi International Airport in 2015, a year in which it carried 592,090 tonnes of freight and mail, up four per cent on 2014, said a statement.
He noted that it currently operates a freighter fleet of four Boeing 777F, three Boeing 747s, and four Airbus A330s. An additional Boeing 777 freighter is due to arrive this month with a further Airbus A330 freighter scheduled to arrive in 2017.
Hogan spoke about how the Middle East region continues to outperform global growth rates for cargo and plays an increasingly important role in the flow of world trade and goods, with its geographical importance enhanced as traffic shifts from traditional and established markets to emerging commercial centres in the Middle East, Asia, South America and Africa.
He said: “Our hub of, Abu Dhabi is at the crossroads of the world, and as a combination carrier, Etihad Airways is perfectly positioned to capitalise on the growing passenger traffic, and the increasing volumes of cargo and goods transported between expanding and emerging markets.” Etihad Cargo offers maindeck and bellyhold services and an extended reach across a network of passenger and cargo-only destinations.
Partnerships with other freighter operators, including Atlas Air and Avianca, provide strong support to the main operation, and the division is continuing to explore opportunities for co-operation with like-minded cargo operators. The airline currently operates to 14 freighter-only destinations that include Bogotá, Brazzaville, Chittagong, Djibouti, Dubai World Central, Eldoret, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Houston, Sharjah and Tbilisi, it added.
