The Hindu Business Line : Cathay Pacific to launch new freighter services

MR RUPERT BRAY (left), Country Manager-India, Nepal, Bangladesh & Bhutan, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, and Mr. Ravi Ramaswamy, Cargo Sales Manager India, Nepal & Bangladesh, at a press conference in Mumbai and Delhi. — Shashi Ashiwal

Mumbai , Aug 9

Growing Indo-US and Indo-China trade has prompted Cathay Pacific Cargo to launch six new freighter services in India - three to connect Delhi, Hong Kong and Paris and three from Mumbai to Hong Kong and Paris. The six new freighters will be B747-400 Extended Range Freighters.

Mr Rupert Bray, Country Manager, told newspersons on Wednesday that the company currently lifts 155 tonnes of cargo a month.

"This will substantially increase once the new freighters join the fleet. Each of the 747s has carrying capacity of 100-112 tonnes of cargo."

The airline is looking at cargoes such as readymade garments, leather products, perishables, pharmaceutical products, aircrafts engines and industrial parts.

Cathay Pacific Cargo, headquartered in Hong Kong, has freighters flying to 29 destinations around the world.

Its total fleet consists of 14 Boeing 747 freighters, including six B747-400s and one 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter, which is the world's first freighter converted from a Cathay Pacific passenger aircraft.

The airline utilises cargo space on its 81 passenger aircraft, carrying a total of 60,000 tonnes of cargo every month. About 30 per cent of total revenue comes from cargo operations. "Our major revenue streams in the cargo segment flow in the China-US, China-Europe and China-India routes," Mr Bray said.

He said that the company sees lot of potential in the air cargo sector in India, which is growing at an annual rate of 19.7 per cent.

"India's exports to US stood at $26,000 million last year, while trade between India and China is expected to touch $20 billion by 2008. These are some of the indicators of the potential in air cargo sector in India."

He added that the airline was setting up a massive air cargo facility at Hong Kong, which will have the capacity to handle five million tonnes a year.