Etihad Cargo has operated its inaugural service from its Abh Dhabi hub to Boston, Massachusetts. The flight arrived on 31 March, the first of four flights per week. Boston is Etihad Cargo’s fourth US destination and will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner offering cargo capacity of 50 tonnes per week. Etihad Cargo will offer tailor-made solutions for commodities including perishables, medical instruments, pharmaceuticals, and aircraft parts.
Etihad Cargo says its expansion into this market will significantly enhance trade in lobsters and other seafood, as well as critical pharmaceuticals, including medical devices and oncology treatments, from Boston to Abu Dhabi and the rest of the world.
Etihad Cargo’s US network already includes double daily flights to New York JFK, daily services to Chicago O’Hare and Washington DC and a weekly freighter to Chicago. The Boston route brings total flights to the US to 33 per week.
Etihad Cargo vice president, Stanislas Brun, said: “Boston is an important destination for food and pharmaceuticals, as well as a centre for innovation and development. Etihad Cargo’s Abu Dhabi-Boston service will support the region’s export economy, particularly in facilitating the global distribution of its world-class seafood and breakthrough medical products, and further strengthen trade ties between the US and UAE.”
Etihad Cargo also expanded its network with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, to incorporate all the carrier’s stations in the US. The carrier said this would allow it to deliver consistent, high-quality, end-to-end air cargo solutions for its CEIV-certified products, including PharmaLife, FreshForward and specialised services like LiveAnimals and SkyStables.