(TAN): Qatar Airways Cargo, one of the leading air cargo carriers, has announced its plans for major expansion of services in South America. Scheduled services to Campinas, Brazil (VCP), Santiago, Chile (SCL), Lima, Peru (LIM) and Bogotá, Colombia (BOG) will join the airline’s global freighter network on 16 January 2020 and will be serviced by a Boeing 777 freighter.
The twice-weekly flights to Bogotá from Doha will operate via Luxembourg and Miami, while the service from Bogotá to Doha will operate via Liège, offering 200 tonnes on each leg. The twice-weekly flights to Campinas from Doha will operate via Luxembourg with the service from Campinas to Doha, operating via Santiago, Lima, Dallas and Luxembourg, also offering 200 tonnes on each leg.
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These new destinations will commence close on the heels of the recent arrival of the airline’s twenty-first brand new Boeing 777 freighter on 25 November 2019. The new freighter increased the airline’s freighter fleet to 28 aircraft. Qatar Airways Cargo also has an order for five additional Boeing 777 freighters, placed at the Paris Air Show 2019, with deliveries starting from April 2020 onwards.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “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.”
General cargo, pharmaceuticals, and perishables will form the majority of goods imported and exported to and from South America along with some movements of live animals and high-value items like telecommunication equipment, electronics and other valuable cargo.
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The award-winning cargo carrier has an extensive network in The Americas serving 18 freighter and 13 belly-hold cargo destinations in the region. The carrier recently completed a year of successful transpacific operations, now operating four-times weekly freighters direct from Asia to North America.
Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, Mr. Guillaume Halleux, said, “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.”
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Qatar Airways Cargo has made substantial investment in its operations at Doha hub and globally 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, such as express, livestock, valuables, perishables, oversized cargo and general cargo that require air freight carriage. Its portfolio of distinctive products currently includes QR Pharma for pharmaceuticals, QR Fresh for perishables, QR Live for live animals, QR Express for time-sensitive cargo, QR Mail for postal consignments globally and QR Charter offering cost-effective global charter solutions. Value-added services are also available to offer its customers fast confirmation and priority or guaranteed uplift to and from Qatar Airways Cargo’s online destinations.
