Saudia launches new Indian freighter service

Saudia Cargo has launched a new freighter service between Delhi, Riyadh and its home base Jeddah, as the Indian city continues to grow in importance for the airline.
The twice-a-week service utilises a 747-400 freighter and departs from Delhi every Thursday and Saturday.
Delhi has over the years become a key market within the Saudia network, it said.
“With garments and pharma being key commodity drivers, this service has been timed so as to have quick connections from [our] dual hubs of Riyadh and Jeddah to serve the needs of our customers,” it added.
Saudia said the inaugural freighter departed with a full load of a variety of commodities such as pharma, garments, fabrics and other exports bound for destinations in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Saudia regional director cargo Indian subcontinent Keku Gazder said: “This freighter was a long standing demand from many of our customers who wanted us to bring to Delhi a sustainable service product that serves their requirements especially to destinations within the Middle East, Europe and Africa in particular.”
With the start of the Delhi operation, Saudia Cargo now operates four weekly freighters into India in addition to serving eight passenger destinations with over 60 widebody passenger flights weekly to destinations worldwide.