Flydubai boosts cargo fleet for faster movement of medicines, goods

A Flydubai aircraft is parked on the tarmac of Dubai International Airport, on April 6, 2020. (File/AFP)

• Etihad Cargo announced five more routes using Etihad Airways passenger aircraft to facilitate the movement of essential supplies into the UAE

DUBAI: The UAE’s flydubai has allocated six Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft to work as all-cargo flights to facilitate the movement of essential goods across its network and beyond, state news agency WAM reported on Wednesday.
“We recognize that air cargo has an important role to play in supporting the continuity of the supply chain and the efforts at a government and a private sector level to ensure the movement of essential supplies, especially during these unprecedented times,” flydubai’s Chief Commercial Officer Hamad Obaidalla said.
The air cargo sector has been a crucial partner in transporting medicines, medical equipment, perishables, valuable goods, courier, spare parts, electronic items and mail to covid-19 hotspots.
The airline has operated flights to Azerbaijan, Egypt, India, Kuwait, Lebanon, Montenegro, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
“We are working towards expanding our operations beyond the flydubai network to enable more goods to be transported to those who need them the most,” Mohamed Hassan, the vice president of Cargo Operations at flydubai, said. Meanwhile, Etihad Cargo announced five more routes using Etihad Airways passenger aircraft to facilitate the movement of essential supplies into the UAE and offer further east-west connectivity between major markets.
Etihad Cargo’s new routes between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne, Chennai, Kerala, Karachi and Amsterdam would be serviced by Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft.
These flights will ensure the continuation of fresh imports to the state including meat, fish and seafood, fruits, and vegetables, as well as pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, the carrier said.
“We are also playing our part in supporting international requirements for essential freight, carrying significant consignments of goods between other nations,” Abdulla Mohamed Shadid, Managing Director Cargo and Logistics at Etihad Aviation Group, said.
Etihad Cargo will now operate more than 90 turnaround flights per week to 29 destinations in 5 continents.