Abu Dhabi, UAE — Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, has operated the carrier’s inaugural flight to Ezhou Huahu Airport.
Etihad Cargo’s Boeing 777-200 freighter arrived in Ezhou on Friday, making the carrier the first international airline to operate flights to the airport.
Located in the Hubei Province of China, Ezhou Huahu Airport was developed as Asia’s first and the world’s fourth professional cargo airport.
Equipped with a 23,000-square-metre cargo terminal and a 700,000-square-metre freight transit center, the airport serves as a gateway for air trade between China and the rest of the world.
The airport is expected to open ten international cargo routes and 50 domestic routes by 2025, with an annual cargo and mail throughput of 2.45 million tonnes.
Etihad Cargo’s expansion to Ezhou Huahu Airport follows the carrier’s announcement that it has expanded its reciprocal block space agreement with SF Airlines to increase cargo capacity between China and the rest of the world via Etihad Cargo’s hub in Abu Dhabi.
This partnership has given Etihad Cargo’s partners and customers greater accessibility to 25 domestic Chinese destinations, including Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Nanjing. SF Airlines benefits from Etihad Cargo’s global network for its express product.
Luo Guowei, Party Secretary and Chairman of Hubei International Logistics Airport Co. Ltd., said, “The introduction of a weekly freighter service between Abu Dhabi and Ezhou will play an important role in promoting seamless connectivity between China and countries and regions along the ‘Belt and Road’.”