News / Etihad Cargo looks to bolster belly business as investments 'pay off'

Etihad Cargo is positive about the momentum it has built this past twelve months, according to its newly installed chief cargo officer.

Speaking to The Loadstar on the sidelines of IATA’s World Cargo Symposium in Dubai last week, Stanislas Brun said: “We are happy with how things are progressing, and on the passenger side we are adding 16 destinations, with Atlanta, Prague, Hanoi, and Taipei coming online this year,” he said.

“With 68% of our volumes being moved by belly capacity, it is vital we bolster this side of the business. And this will be helped with the arrival of additional aircraft this year, with 99 already in the fleet.”

Like other carriers, Etihad was facing delays in the delivery of new aircraft, but Mr Brun suggested things were back on track, having just last week received an A350.

Focusing on cargo capacity and how to optimise it, the cargo executive said that while the carrier “certainly couldn’t be unhappy” with its current position, the significant volume of available capacity prompted him and his team to explore the most effective strategies for maximising its utilisation.

Another area in which Etihad Cargo has been particularly active has been in developing its cool chain capabilities, with Mr Brun saying the investments made had “certainly paid off,” and increased the customer base.

He continued: “The investments we’ve made in Abu Dhabi and in CEIV certification are clearly paying off. We’re seeing a growing preference among pharmaceutical shippers to choose Etihad, which speaks volumes about the trust we’ve built in this critical sector

“We’re now reaching all continents within this vertical and the momentum in our pharma activity is very encouraging. The plan is to continue investing, especially as we’re seeing interest from customers who haven’t traditionally shipped with us. The potential for growth is significant.”