Qatar Airways Cargo has started Boeing 777 Freighter services to Macau – the carrier’s fourth freighter destination in Greater China – as part of a new twice-weekly service to the Asian island.
The carrier has also introduced transpacific freighter services, providing direct flights over the Pacific from Macau to North America.
The airline’s Boeing 777F operates twice a week from Doha to Macau. From Macau, it departs across the Pacific to Los Angeles and Mexico City. On the return leg, the freighter flies over the Atlantic to Liege before arriving at the carrier’s hub in Doha. One hundred tonnes of cargo capacity is offered on each flight leg.
Macau becomes Qatar Airways Cargo’s fourth freighter destination in greater China after Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The cargo carrier also transports belly cargo on passenger flights to seven destinations in Greater China. In North America, the carrier has an extensive network of nine freighter destinations and 11 belly cargo destinations.
China and the Americas are key markets for Qatar Airways Cargo, with many of the major industrial and manufacturing centres in the Guangdong province of China located on the West/Macau side of the Pearl River Delta.
Electronics, garments and e-commerce goods are the major commodities exported out of Macau, while imports into Macau consists primarily of consumer goods. The transpacific flights also increase capacity to and from North America, further benefiting customers.
Qatar Airways chief officer cargo, Guillaume Halleux said: “We have launched our newest freighter destination, Macau, just in time for the holiday season when air freight demand is high and the market is strong. The new services will connect manufacturing industries and exporters from the region to North America directly and quickly, without requiring a stopover at our hub in Doha.
“The launch of these services demonstrates our commitment to our customers in helping their businesses grow, while also enabling us to expand our presence in these key regions.”
Last month, the cargo carrier received two Boeing 777 freighters. Qatar Airways Cargo is now the second largest cargo carrier in the world.
