LONDON – Qatar Airways Cargo will recommence belly capacity services to Penang, Malaysia, effective 2 February 2023. The reinstatement of the Penang service will add an extra 70 tons of weekly freight capacity.
Penang service re-commencement
Qatar Airways Cargo will operate an A330 passenger freighter to Penang via Qatar Airways’ passenger flights to Phuket. The service will operate four times a week.
This adds more than 70 tonnes of available capacity each week, that will feed into Qatar Airways Cargo’s extensive international network via its state-of-the-art Doha hub.
The service complements the existing seven weekly belly-hold flights to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, providing customers with over 200 tonnes of cargo capacity from Malaysia.
Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo commented: “Qatar Airways Cargo is implementing its meticulous Next Generation approach throughout its network, aiming for optimum resource deployment in alignment with customer requirements.”
“Our network planning team saw a perfect opportunity in the passenger A330 flight’s ground-time in Phuket, and have worked hard to establish a well-scheduled, interim passenger-freighter connection to Penang and back to maximise the cargo capacity into and out of Malaysia’s second-busiest cargo airport.
The ‘Next Generation’ initiative
Having enjoyed a year of impressive growth in 2022, Qatar Airways Cargo embarked on what it calls “The Next Generation” concept last year.
A key aspect of this concept was the further development of the operator’s digital services. The new web platform “Digital Lounge” was a part of this initiative, and allows cargo customers a more streamlined booking experience.
As part of the carrier’s omni-channel strategy, the platform offers users direct access to the main three bookings platforms of the industry.
“This Next Generation-style multi-modal strategy sees Qatar Airways’ Doha-Phuket passenger connection becoming a Phuket-Penang-Phuket passenger-freighter for four days of the week, before returning to Doha again as a passenger service with lower deck cargo,” explains Mr Halleux.
“The re-launch of our Penang connections in an innovative and unique manner illustrates our ambition and ability, at Qatar Airways Cargo, to provide connectivity to our customers in the best possible way,” he concluded.
With the exception of mail, the destination is open for all commodity types. Penang is the largest export contributing state within Malaysia, with mostly electronics/electrical equipment, general cargo and vulnerable cargo being sent by air.
About Qatar Airways Cargo
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s leading international air cargo carrier is based in Doha, State of Qatar. It serves a global network of more than 70 freighter destinations and 150 passenger destinations utilising freighters, belly-hold passenger flights, passenger freighters and mini freighters.
The airline’s freighter fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters, two Boeing 747-400 freighters, 26 Boeing 777 freighters and one Airbus 310 freighter. It also has an extensive road feeder service (RFS) network.
