Etihad Cargo is boosting its China operations with additional capacity to Guangzhou, a major transport and trading hub.
The freight carrier said it will introduce an additional 30 tonnes of belly capacity via two new weekly direct passenger flights to Guangzhou from October 10, subject to regulatory approvals.
"With this latest addition to the carrier's network, Etihad will become the first international airline to operate long-haul passenger and cargo services to the top three Chinese gateways since the start of the pandemic," the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Aviation Group said.
In July, the carrier announced the introduction of direct passenger flights to Beijing, bringing the total number of direct passenger and freighter flights for China to 15.
With the introduction of an additional two direct passenger services per week to Guangzhou using a two-class Boeing 777, Etihad Cargo will offer 1,520 tonnes of total cargo capacity into and out of China per week.
In addition to offering cargo capacity on passenger flights, Etihad Cargo also operates six Boeing 777-200 freighter flights for Shanghai and five dedicated freighter services for Hong Kong per week.
Continued China expansion
"China remains a key strategic market for Etihad Cargo. The Chinese market contributes over 20% of the carrier's cargo operations, and Etihad Cargo is further reinforcing its commitment to the market by expanding operations into Guangzhou," said Martin Drew, senior vice president of Global Sales & Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group.
"This is the latest step in Etihad Cargo's commitment to its customers, providing more capacity along key routes to enable greater cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and China," he added.
Etihad Cargo exports a wide range of products from China to the UAE, Europe and the US, with electronics being the most widely transported product.
Earlier this year, Etihad Cargo also launched a dedicated Mandarin version of the carrier's website and booking portal, making the booking process easier for customers located in China.
