SHANGHAI (June 14) – Qatar Airways Cargo will serve the trans-Pacific, Australian and South American markets with its freighters within the next nine months, according to Ulrich Ogiermann, chief officer of cargo at Qatar Airways, at the Air Cargo China conference and exhibition.
According to the carrier, the expansion will be made possible by the creation of a new European freighter hub.
“As of July 1, we will make a strong focus on Luxembourg and strengthen our presence there,” said Ogiermann. “We currently have five flights per week. We’ll go up to initially 13 and then 18 flights per week in and out of Luxembourg.”
Ogiermann added that New York and Halifax would be added to the freighter network in July 2016.
Qatar Airways Cargo also launched QR Live, its product dedicated to the transportation of live animals.
“We already have a solution for horses, but now we’re enlarging this product and we put it under one complete product management with a whole team that is very skilled with regard to the transportation of animals,” said Ogiermann. “So we have a specialist solution not only for horses, but also for pets, exotic animals and livestock.”
QR Live features specially trained staff, a purpose built 4,200m2 facility designed for the animals’ comfort and safety, temperature-controlled zones on freighters with seats for grooms, as well as various options for charter services.
“This is something that we think is not only market-niche, but it’s also something where we want to improve the conditions under which animals are transported,” said Ogiermann. “That’s something that is very important to our heart.”
