Silk Way West Airlines, a global cargo airline based in Baku, Azerbaijan, has commenced new weekly flight services to Houston this week.
The airline will operate the flights to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), one of the busiest airports in the United States.
Silk Way West Airlines will also continue to operate regular flights to Chicago and Dallas, expanding its growing route network in the Americas.
“We are thrilled to launch our new weekly flights to Houston, one of the most important cargo gateways in the United States, which will provide additional capacity and faster transit times for our customers,” said Fadi Nahas, Vice President Commercial of Silk Way West Airlines.
“Our growing presence in the Americas demonstrates our commitment to providing reliable and efficient cargo solutions for our customers in this region.”
“This new route will also enhance our ability to connect customers to key markets in Central Asia and the Middle East.”
About Silk Way West cargo operations
Silk Way West Airlines is a cargo airline based in Baku, Azerbaijan. The airline was founded in 2012 and is a subsidiary of Silk Way Airlines. Silk Way West Airlines operates scheduled and charter cargo flights to various destinations in Europe, Asia, and North America.
The airline’s fleet consists of various Boeing aircraft, including 747-8F, 747-400F, 767-300F, and 747-400BCF models.
Silk Way West Airlines has a cargo capacity of over 13,000 tons per month, and its cargo operations include the transportation of various goods such as perishable goods, live animals, dangerous goods, and oversized cargo.
Silk Way West Airlines has previously received numerous awards for its services, including the “Best Cargo Airline in Central Asia and Caucasus” award at the Cargo Airline of the Year Awards in 2018 and 2019.
2023 progress
January
The Azerbaijan cargo carrier started off the New Year by firming its footprint in the Japanese market; signing an Air Cargo Memorandum of Understanding with Nippon Express Holdings.
The agreement strengthened Silk Way West Airlines’ presence in the Japanese market whilst also helping Nippon Express Holdings to expand its business globally by providing cargo capacity across a worldwide network.
Silk Way West Airlines has served Japanese air cargo market since 2018 via weekly flights connecting Baku with Kansai International Airport. As the largest cargo airline in the Caspian Sea region the agreement will see the carrier play an increasingly important role in the region’s freight network.
February
In February, the airline expanded its network in the Middle East and Central Asia. It commenced regular cargo flights twice a week to and from the Saudi Arabian city of Dammam, as well as to and from Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
Over the past decade, Silk Way West Airlines has served both destinations several times per year through charter services, shipping general cargo including textiles, cars, perishables and other goods.
With the launch of these routes to Dammam and Tashkent, the airline further cemented its position in the Middle Eastern and Asian continental freight network.
Summary
The bolstering of international networks this year has perhaps demonstrated the carrier’s ability to quickly capitalise on surging international demand.
The latest announcement of Houston operations, which will supplement the carrier’s existing Chicago and Dallas cargo services comes as the latest move by the Azerbaijan operator to strengthen its international networking.
