February 4 - Saudia Cargo continues to perform well despite the difficult economic climate, comments Nabil Khojah, ceo of the standalone air freight business of Saudi Arabian Airlines.
The airline carried 557,800 tonnes of cargo in 2013, an increase of 8 percent compared with 2012, while scheduled air freight revenue for the same period rose up by 6 percent on the previous year.
In a strong finish to 2013, the cargo carrier achieved record results for both scheduled revenue and charter cargo services, with increases of 12 percent and 141 percent respectively in December.
Khojah said the airline's success has been its expanding freighter network. Through the introduction of new routes and increased capacity on selected destinations across the globe, Saudia Cargo has been able to grow its share in a number of markets, recording significant growth in revenue in the Indian subcontinent (+32%), UAE (+11%), Belgium (+83%), Germany (+23%), UK (+10%) and Hong Kong (+18%).
Saudia Cargo operates a fleet of 15 large freighters and sells the bellyhold capacity on 145 passenger aircraft for the Saudi Arabian flag carrier, spanning a rapidly expanding global network of 225 destinations.
In addition to its scheduled freighter services, the cargo airline also provides cost-effective and practical worldwide charter flight solutions from a growing fleet of dedicated charter aircraft.
Khojah notes freighter success
