Qatar Airways and South America,
Freight forwarders looking to expand their South American offering may need to add Qatar Airways to the mix. From the 16th January the airline will be adding another four destinations to the mix. It is not just the destinations though it is also the type of aircraft.
New destinations in South America
- Campinas, Brazil (VCP)
- Santiago, Chile (SCL)
- Lima, Peru (LIM)
- Bogota, Colombia (BOG)
All four of these destinations will be serviced by a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 Freighter. Twice weekly flights to Bogota will operate via Luxembourg and Miami. Capturing the US market and European markets on the same high capacity freighter aircraft. On the flight back to Doha it will drop off in Liege confirming the airlines commitment to Europe. Utilising the trucking facilities in Liege to distribute cargo across Europe.
Qatar Airways have re-iterated
Air cargo is a crucial element in the global transport system that supports international trade and the free flow of goods around the world. The addition of these four new routes in South America further reinforces our position as one of the world’s leading air cargo providers, operating one of the largest networks in the world with the youngest and most environmentally efficient fleet in the industry.
Mr Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive
Qatar Airways anticipates that General Cargo, Pharma and Perishables will make up the majority of goods shipped into South America. Along with some Live animal movements and High-Value cargo.
We are very excited about our expansion in South America. The Americas are a very important market for us and there is a huge demand for South American fresh produce in Asia. With the introduction of our twice-weekly Boeing 777 freighter services, we offer exporters in South America a direct route for their cargo and a global network. Importers also stand to gain from the huge capacity to bring in their cargo to South America.
Mr Guillaume Halleux, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo
Freight Forwarders perception of Qatar Airways
European freight forwarders already have Qatar Airways on their radar. The bad old days of cheap rates backed up by a cheap and shoddy service are long gone. Today the airline continues to invest heavily in both aircraft and ground operations.
Doha itself has received a substantial investment as a hub of operations. Positioning itself as the Middle East’s transhipment hub of choice and competing directly against Emirates airlines.
US Freight forwarders have also become used to Qatar Airways services and the additional services through Miami and Dallas will help solidify their position. Presently the airline operate 18 freighter and 13 belly-hold operations across the Americas. Indeed they have completed a year operating cargo flights between Asia and North America. With four times weekly freighters operating directly on routes from Asia.
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