Emirates SkyCargo operates final charter flight for Tokyo Olympics racehorses

Earlier this month, Emirates SkyCargo operated the last of 16 Boeing 777F charter flights that had carried horses between Liege and Tokyo for the Olympics.

The final charter transported 40 racehorses from Tokyo International Airport to Liege Airport on a Boeing 777 freighter aircraft.

The company explained: “Emirates SkyCargo transported 316 horses on eight flights from Liege to Tokyo and 323 horses on an equal number of flights for the return journey, over a period of seven weeks.”

The carrier also transported a total of 336 horse stalls, more than 160 tonnes of special equipment, and food and drink for the “equine champions”.

Additionally, each special charter flight had between nine and 11 grooms traveling with the horses. There were a total of 157 grooms on the flights.

Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of cargo, commented: “Emirates SkyCargo is delighted to have successfully wrapped up the horse charters for the world’s most prestigious sporting event. It was a monumental effort from our team requiring months of planning and coordination with our partners and authorities to make sure that these international equine champions were given the best care and flight experience. We drew upon our extensive experience flying horses for sporting events across the world for the last two decades to operate the 16 flights between Liege and Tokyo.”

Emirates SkyCargo said it worked with Peden Bloodstock and the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) to carry safely transport all of the horses.

“As it was also the first time Emirates SkyCargo operated cargo flights with horses to Haneda Airport, the air cargo carrier coordinated extensively with the local authorities to make sure that the unloading and loading of the horses took place smoothly,” it added.