Etihad Cargo has taken delivery of three new Boeing and Airbus wide-body freighters, expanding the carrier’s fleet to nine aircraft, marking a 62 per cent increase in tonnage uplift capability.

The latest arrival, a Boeing 747-8F, was unveiled at a special Etihad Cargo event held at Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies’ (ADAT) Hangar 6 recently.

In conjunction with Atlas Air, the freighter is being deployed on a new round the world scheduled routing taking in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Chicago, Miami, Viracopos, Quito and Amsterdam.

Two other freighters that recently joined the fleet include one Boeing 777F and one Airbus A330F.

James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, said:  “These modern, fuel-efficient aircraft represent an important step in the growth and development of Etihad Cargo.

“As Etihad Cargo continues to work closely with its partners and expands in step with the growth and development of Abu Dhabi, these freighters will significantly enhance our capability to deliver a world-class service to our customers.”

Last month Etihad Cargo signed a multi-year aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance agreement with Atlas Air to provide and operate the Boeing 747-8 Freighter with its 138-ton cargo capacity for the new ‘round the world’ routing schedule.

“This is an important partnership which reinforces Etihad Cargo’s position as a truly competitive and global cargo carrier,” Hogan said.

William J Flynn, president and chief executive officer, Atlas Air Worldwide said:  “We are delighted to help Etihad Cargo extend its reach with next-generation performance in payload, fuel efficiency and total cost per tonne-mile. Together with our global operations and our reliable, high-quality service, Etihad Cargo now has additional flexibility to take advantage of market opportunities.”

Abdul Khaliq Saeed, president Mena of the ADAT and Mubadala Aerospace MRO network, added:  "It’s a pleasure to bring the Boeing 747-8 Freighter to ADAT’s state-of-the-art hangar for our national airline.  We share a common vision with Etihad Airways – taking Abu Dhabi’s aviation industry to new heights. The 747-8 Freighter services will further strengthen Abu Dhabi's position as a cargo hub around the world.”

Etihad Cargo will continue to deploy capacity across new and existing trade lanes over Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas, a statement said. – TradeArabia News Service