Etihad Cargo To Launch Services To Moscow

Etihad Cargo, the freight business of UAE carrier Etihad Airways, will launch twice weekly services to Moscow from August 13, 2014, the airline announced.

The dedicated cargo service will operate every Wednesday and Friday to Moscow’s Domodedovo airport using an Airbus A330-200F freighter, with a capacity of 64 metric tonnes.

Kevin Knight, chief strategy and planning officer at Etihad Airways, said: “Russia is a key market for Etihad Cargo and our new freighter service will allow us to capitalise on the growing trade between Russia and the UAE.

“The UAE is home to almost 25,000 Russians, 400 Russia-UAE joint venture companies and we believe this new cargo routing will complement our existing bellyhold operations to and from Moscow.

“Furthermore, by offering heavy uplift maindeck capability for the first time to the Russian capital, and linking this with our existing cargo operations in Abu Dhabi, customers now have more choice for transporting larger goods to what is one of the largest markets in the world.”

Etihad’s freighter unit is rapidly expanding operations, and recently began services to Hanoi in Vietnem and the Ugandan city of Entebbe.

It currently offers services to 108 destinations internationally, operating a fleet of 10 freighters, consisting of four Airbus A330-200F, three Boeing B777F, and three Boeing 747F.

Etihad Cargo carried 268,713 tonnes of freight and mail in the first half of this year, up 25 per cent year-on-year, and remains “on track” to become a billion dollar business in 2014, the Abu Dhabi carrier said last month.