Buoyant Saudi Airlines adds routes and freighters

NEW freighter services to Europe, Africa and South East Asia are all under consideration at Saudi Airlines Cargo, as the newly independent cargo company continues to adopt a more commercial approach to its business.

Michael Meagher (right), its executive vice-president for the past year, describes it as a “sleeping giant”, and reckons it still has plenty of potential to make more use of its favourable geographical position.

The first innovations in the carrier’s freighter schedule came as a result of the downturn in the first half of 2009, when, like many operators, it saw a 30 per cent fall in cargo volumes. That spurred it to reduce freighter flights to China and seek new destinations. New routes to Istanbul, Lagos and Cochi in India were the result. All started as weekly, but Istanbul and Lagos have now been boosted to twice weekly.

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