Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, is enhancing its freighter network with a new route to Madrid. Starting July 15, 2024, Etihad Cargo will operate two weekly Boeing 777 freighter flights between Abu Dhabi and Madrid, adding over 200 tonnes of cargo capacity for Europe.
The introduction of this twice-weekly freighter service between Abu Dhabi and Madrid will increase the total number of flights to Spain to 25 per week. Etihad Cargo offers belly capacity via ten passenger flights to Madrid, ten to Barcelona and three seasonal flights to Malaga launched as part of the airline's summer schedule. This expansion underscores the strategic importance of these destinations, particularly Madrid as a key European fashion hub and aims to enhance e-commerce connectivity from Asia to Europe through Etihad Cargo's Abu Dhabi hub.
This new route complements Etihad Cargo's existing European freighter network, which includes six weekly flights to Amsterdam and three weekly flights to Frankfurt. With the addition of Madrid, the total number of Etihad Cargo's freighter flights to Europe will increase to 11 per week. Customers will also benefit from additional belly hold capacity offered as part of the carrier's summer schedule. This includes the launch of two weekly seasonal flights to Nice, increasing flights to Athens to 14 per week, with two operating via seasonal destinations Mykonos and two via Santorini. A new route to Antalya will operate with three weekly flights, and flights to Istanbul will increase from ten to 14 per week starting July 22, 2024. Additionally, Dublin will see three more flights from July 23, 2024, totalling ten per week.