Etihad Cargo is all set to expand operations in China and India by introducing a direct route between Shanghai and Chennai. The twice-weekly freighter service from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi will be routed via Chennai starting December 8, 2022.
This additional freighter service will provide additional capacity into two key global markets.
Martin Drew, Senior Vice President, Global Sales & Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group, said: “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. As part of Etihad Cargo’s commitment to supporting this key market, the carrier has opened freighter capacity from Chennai to support increased demand from customers in the region.”
This latest addition to Etihad Cargo’s network follows the introduction of twice-weekly direct flights to Guangzhou. 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.
Etihad Cargo operates 79 weekly flights to India and 11 flights per week to mainland China, providing a total capacity of around 2,000 tonnes from both powerhouses.