July 25 - Saudi Airlines Cargo has issued its performance figures for the first six months of 2013 revealing that it handled 270,000 tonnes of cargo, up 4 percent year-on-year over the equivalent period of 2012. Revenues were up by six percent year-on-yea
Saudi Airlines Cargo attributes the positive growth during the first half of the year to increased freighter capacity from Dhaka, Bangladesh and the commencement of B747 freighter services to Mumbai in India and Kano, Nigeria. The carrier also started operating its first B747-8 freighter in June 2013, which is currently scheduled on a Riyadh-Hong Kong-Riyadh-Frankfurt-Saudi Arabia rotation.
Revenues from charter activity was lower than anticipated in the trading period due to a shortage of aircraft availability, says Saudi Airlines Cargo. Effective July 2013, however, the carrier increased its fleet to 15 aircraft, three of which will be dedicated to offering ad hoc charter capacity.
"Although the current market is a bit soft, we still expect to achieve a 10 percent growth during the second half of the year," commented Nabil Khojah, ceo of Saudia Cargo. "This is principally due to the boost in our charter activity, optimisation of our freighter network, adjustments to freighter schedules and increases in the number of freighters to some of our key destinations," he added.
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