Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, has announced it will be expanding its freighter network with a new route to Madrid. Starting on July 15, 2024, Etihad Cargo will operate two weekly Boeing 777 freighter flights between Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport (AUH) and Madrid-Barajas International Airport (MAD). The new route is expected to add over 200 tons of cargo capacity for Europe each week.
The launch of a twice-weekly freighter service between Abu Dhabi and Madrid will increase the airline’s total number of flights to Spain to 25 per week. Etihad Cargo offers its customers belly capacity on 10 Etihad passenger services to Madrid each week, 10 to Barcelona, plus three seasonal flights to Malaga launched as part of the airline’s 2024 northern summer schedule.
According to a company statement, “This expansion highlights the strategic importance of these destinations, particularly Madrid as a key European fashion hub, and aims to boost e-commerce connectivity from Asia to Europe via Etihad Cargo’s Abu Dhabi hub.”
“Launching Madrid as Etihad Cargo’s latest European freighter destination supports the growing demand for e-commerce flows between Asia and Europe,” said Stanislas Brun, Vice President of Cargo at Etihad Cargo. “Madrid’s role as a key fashion hub makes it an essential destination for the carrier’s freighter network.”
This new route complements Etihad Cargo’s existing European freighter network, which includes six weekly flights to Amsterdam and three weekly flights to Frankfurt. With the addition of Madrid to the network, the total number of Etihad Cargo’s freighter flights to Europe increases to 11 per week overall.
Additionally, Etihad Cargo customers can also benefit from additional belly hold capacity offered as part of the carrier’s 2024 summer schedule, which includes the launch of two weekly seasonal flights to Nice, France. Flights to Athens in Greece will also be increasing to 14 per week, with two operating via seasonal destination Mykonos and two via Santorini.
A new route to Antalya will operate with three weekly flights, and flights to Istanbul will increase from 10 to 14 per week starting on July 22, 2024. Additionally, Dublin will see three more flights from July 23, 2024, totaling 10 per week.
According to ch-aviation, Etihad Cargo operates a fleet of five Boeing 777-200F freighters and also has an additional seven Airbus A350Fs on order.
