Etihad Cargo boosts belly hold cargo capacity with expanded winter schedule

Etihad Cargo will offer customers and partners more belly hold cargo capacity across the carrier's global network, announcing new routes and increased frequencies from September 2023. The airline's winter schedule will introduce 29 weekly passenger flights to new destinations and will have an increase of 90 passenger flights to existing routes, resulting in a total of 119 passenger flights per week. Etihad Cargo's customers and partners will benefit from additional belly-hold cargo capacity onboard passenger aircraft in addition to scheduled freighter flights.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer at Etihad Airways, commented: "Etihad Cargo's partners and customers will benefit from additional belly hold cargo capacity and improved connectivity to key markets with the launch of the carrier's winter schedule. The airline's growing passenger network, combined with Etihad Cargo's scheduled and charter freighter services, will boost cargo capacity across Europe, Asia and North America, strengthening the links between Abu Dhabi and key global markets and ensuring Etihad Cargo can meet increased demand for cargo capacity. Etihad Cargo remains committed to achieving growth, adding depth to the carrier's network and remaining the air cargo partner of choice through the continuous evaluation of its network and enhancement of its eight-strong premium product range."

Etihad Cargo will offer additional cargo capacity to two new European gateways — Copenhagen in Denmark and Düsseldorf in Germany. The airline will also operate four passenger flights per week to Copenhagen. The addition of three weekly passenger flights to Düsseldorf and three more passenger flights to Munich will bring the total number of flights for Germany to 28 per week, including four freighter services for Frankfurt. As a result of the high demand for the three weekly passenger flights to Lisbon introduced for the busy summer months, it will be extended and operated during the winter schedule. Additional cargo capacity will also be available for key routes via increased passenger flight frequencies, including four additional flights to Rome, bringing the total number of flights per week to 11, and three additional flights to Madrid and Milan, bringing the total number of weekly flights for each destination to ten. 

Etihad Cargo will also strengthen its commitment to the Asian market, introducing additional cargo capacity via new routes and increased frequencies. The airline will operate five passenger flights per week to Osaka, a second Japanese gateway destination for the carrier. The airline will also add three more flights to Beijing and four more flights to Shanghai per week, providing additional cargo capacity and adding further depth to its Chinese network. To meet increased cargo capacity demand in the Indian market, Etihad Cargo will offer more belly hold cargo capacity across new passenger routes to Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, operating seven flights per week to each destination. Seven new passenger flights to Chennai will bring the total number of weekly flights to 21, supported by a twice-weekly freighter service. Eight additional flights to Kochi, two new flights to Islamabad, seven more flights to the Maldives, five additional flights to Cairo and seven more flights to Phuket per week will provide Etihad Cargo's customers and partners with additional belly hold cargo capacity and options when transporting goods to these key Asian destinations. The airline will also introduce seven direct flights to Colombo per week.

As part of its commitment to achieving growth and expanding reach into key markets, Etihad Cargo recently announced the commencement of a freighter service to Ezhou Huahu Airport, making Etihad Cargo the first international carrier to operate services to China's first professional cargo airport. The carrier will continue to explore new partnerships and opportunities further to support the capacity requirements of its partners and customers.