Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Aviation Group, is expanding its China and India presence as it announced reinstating twice-weekly freighter service from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi via Chennai starting December 8.

The additional freighter service will provide additional capacity into two key global markets. 

"The Indian market is currently booming," said Martin Drew, senior vice president of global sales & cargo at Etihad Aviation Group.

"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 up freighter capacity from Chennai to support increased demand from customers in the region," Drew added.

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.

In addition to expanding operations in China and India, 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.