New Dubai cargo player

BUDGET carrier flydubai will launch a cargo division on 1 January 2012.

Flydubai Cargo will transport goods to all of the low-cost carrier’s 46 destinations, as well as additional cities in India and Pakistan.

“Not only is it unusual for a low-cost carrier to have a cargo division, it is also rare for an airline as young as flydubai,” Gaith Al Gaith, chief executive officer of flydubai, said. “It is initiatives such as this that set us apart and ensure we continue to lead the way in low-cost aviation, while also supporting Dubai’s position as a logistics hub.”

With 60 per cent of all shipments expected to be transit cargo, flydubai has signed interline agreements with other airlines when moving items outside of its network.

Flydubai expects to carry 1,500 tonnes of cargo each month on its 737-800 NG aircraft. In particular, demand is growing for auto parts travelling from Dubai to countries in the former Commonwealth of Independent States, handicrafts from Kathmandu (Nepal) and fruit and vegetables around the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

“Flydubai has an exemplary on-time record and transporting cargo will be no different. It will also be fully security screened before being loaded onto the aircraft, ensuring safe flights for all our passengers and crew,” Al Gaith added.