LONDON – Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Aviation Group, will further reinforce its commitment to the US market with the introduction of an additional three weekly flights to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) from 24 April 2023.
The additional flights will bring Etihad Cargo’s total cargo capacity to over 600 tons out of the US per week.
The flights will be operated with both Airbus A350 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, two of the most efficient in the world, with significantly less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than previous-generation twin aisle aircraft.
Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo, Etihad Aviation Group commented on the US market route expansions, saying:
“The introduction of double-daily direct flights from our Abu Dhabi hub to New York comes in response to increased demand from customers, and Etihad Cargo will continue to explore opportunities to expand its global network and introduce the required capacity,”
“The addition of more flights per day to New York combined with Etihad Cargo’s services to other key US destinations and comprehensive road feeder service network will enable Etihad Cargo to fully support its customers in the transportation of their cargo to online and offline locations throughout this key market.”
Etihad Cargo currently operates 11 flights per week to John F. Kennedy International Airport, which will increase to 14 weekly flights on 24 April 2023, and daily flights to Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Dulles International Airport, Washington.
Etihad Cargo also operates two dedicated Boeing 777 freighter flights per week to Chicago via Amsterdam, supported by an offline network.
Other market expansions
The news of the bolstering of US cargo operations for Etihad Cargo has following similar expansions by the cargo operator in both the Indian and Chinese markets.
In the first week of December 2022, the carrier reinstated a twice-weekly freighter service from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi via Chennai.
This service taps into two other key market sectors; namely India and China. Mr Drew noted the significance of both these world markets to the UAE, stating at the time: “The Indian market is currently booming.”
“The country’s industrial production is rising and manufacturing output is rebounding, driven by increases in the production of machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and metals, among others.”
In addition to the feeder service from Shanghai via Chennai, India, the carrier also introduced a new twice-weekly direct service to Guangzhou, China.
With the introduction of this destination to the carrier’s network, Etihad Cargo became the first international airline to operate long-haul cargo and passenger services to the top three Chinese gateways — Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou — since the beginning of the pandemic.
With respect to its expanding operations in China, India and now the United States, Etihad Cargo has continuously reviewed its global network, adding destinations and frequencies, and is optimising freighter utilisation to support key trade lanes and customer demand.
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