21 July 2006
Dubai: Etihad Crystal Cargo, the cargo division of Etihad Airways, said yesterday it will add the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to its freighter network.
The service to Addis Ababa will be incorporated into one of Etihad Crystal Cargo's existing freighter rotations to Khartoum.
Etihad said it is currently evaluating additional interline services throughout Africa which could feed into the Khartoum and Addis Ababa service.
Starting on July 28 , it will operate every Friday, departing from Abu Dhabi, and flying to Khartoum and Addis Ababa, before returning to the UAE's capital.
The service is being operated on Airbus A300-600 aircraft, which offers 44 tonnes freight capacity.
"Ethiopia is one of Africa's fastest growing economies, which is very much based on its blooming floriculture market.
"By adding Addis Ababa to our Khartoum rotation, we will be expanding our customer opportunities across the region, and also further developing our perishable services,? said Ingo Roessler, vice-president of cargo at Etihad.
Addis Express has been appointed General Sales and Services Agent (GSSA) for Etihad Crystal Cargo, which involves managing cargo sales and services across Ethiopia.
According to latest figures, Ethiopia's expanding floricultural market generated more than $21million in 2005. A new cargo terminal has been opened at Bole International Airport to cater for the booming sector, and further major expansions are planned for the future.
In addition to flowers, Etihad Crystal Cargo also expects to transport large volumes of meat from Ethiopia to Gulf destinations.
The majority of cargo that will be transported to Ethiopia will originate from Europe, South Asia, East Asia and South Africa, and consist of personal effects, hi-tech equipment, consumer goods, agriculture machinery and pharmaceutical products.
By Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2006. All rights reserved.
