Image used from Wikimedia Commons for representation.
Qatar Airways Cargo, is eyeing to become the second largest cargo operator in the world by next year. The cargo division of the Qatar’s national carrier is currently the third largest cargo operator.
“We are the third largest cargo operator in the world after Cathay Pacific. we hope that by next year our ranking will become number two. We are serving over 60 exclusive cargo destinations,” said Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways at a press conference held last week in Chiang Mai, Thailand. “We fly to over 150 passenger destinations and when we add our freighter destinations we fly to more than 196 destinations,” he added.
The company is continuously expanding its fleet size and its network across the globe. In September, the company took delivery of its first Boeing 747-8 Freighter and recently it took the delivery of the second 747-8 Freighter.
“We are ordering more aircrafts. We are taking delivery of second Boeing 747-8 freighter. The cargo business is booming” Salam Al Shawa, Senior Vice-President Marketing and Corporate Communications, Qatar Airways told The Peninsula speaking on the sidelines of the press conference held last Thursday. Apart from Boeing 747-8 Freighters, Qatar Airways Cargo also has eight Airbus A330 freighters and 13 Boeing 777F freighters. To continue on its trajectory of rapid growth and expansion, the company will take delivery of more freighters over the next two years.
“Air freight plays a key role in the development of the global economy, and Qatar Airways will continue to seek new opportunities to invest in and grow our cargo business, to benefit not only our customers but the air cargo industry as a whole,” Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways had commented recently.
The cargo carrier provides its customers a young and modern fleet of belly-hold aircraft and freighters across a truly global network. Qatar Airways Cargo recently announced the commencement of Boeing 777 freighter services to Pittsburgh, its seventh freighter destination in 2017 and thirteenth in the Americas, starting on 11 October.
Qatar Airways Cargo has made substantial investment in its operations at its Doha hub to ensure all cargo deliveries are processed efficiently and seamlessly.
Special facilities and well-trained personnel ensure expert handling over a wide variety of product categories, which include express products, livestock, valuables, automobiles, perishables, pharmaceuticals, over-sized cargo and general cargo that requires air freight carriage.
The cargo carrier offers QR Charter, utilising its most modern fleet of Boeing 747-8, Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 freighters. Its portfolio of distinctive products currently includes QR Pharma, QR Fresh, QR Live and QR Express offering efficiency and compliance in the handling of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and perishable cargo, transportation of live animals as well as time-critical shipments.
The cargo carrier recently received two awards in Asia: the ‘Overall Carrier of the Year’ award by Payload Asia and ‘Best Cargo Airline in Customer Services’ by the India Cargo Awards.
