Emirates SkyCargo launches services to Islamabad

The service will be operated with its recently-inducted Airbus A310-300F freighter every Tuesday, departing Dubai at 10:00 hours to reach Islamabad at 14:00 hours local time; returning at 15:30 hours to reach the hub by 17:50 hours.

Boosting existing capacity, the new service will help Islamabad export larger volumes of surgical equipment and leather goods as well as readymade garments; and import raw materials and spares needed to support Pakistan's manufacturing industry.

Emirates SkyCargo's A310F did its first-ever commercial run on the Dubai - Istanbul route last Friday, and is scheduled to serve a very busy summer for the cargo division. It will serve Istanbul every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday; Chennai every Wednesday; and Amman every Saturday.

Hiran Perera, Emirates' Vice President Cargo - Freighters said: "We always were keen to launch freighter services to Islamabad, but were constrained by fleet capacity. Now with the A310F in our fleet, the city is finally on our freighter route network. Islamabad is an important cargo destination and helps Emirates SkyCargo serve its hinterlands such as Sialkot, Faisalabad and Gujranwala."

He added: "We are extremely pleased with the freighter's performance in the last four days. It has been inducted at a very opportune moment, as demand is peaking in several destinations on our network. We are now able to rationalise payloads on our regional routes."

Emirates SkyCargo also serves Islamabad with belly-hold capacity in the airline's passenger jets five times a week, offering more than 80 tonnes of payload, which is now augmented to 120 tonnes by the new freighter service.

Emirates SkyCargo launched services to Amman, Istanbul and Chennai with its dedicated Boeing 747 freighter services in 2003 - Chennai in May; Istanbul and Amman in September. To Istanbul, Emirates SkyCargo imports textiles, electronics and garments, while exporting Turkish perishables and garments across its network. The new freighter service will import personal effects mainly from the Gulf countries, as well as machinery and equipment from UK and the U.S. to Chennai and export finished garments and leather goods from the city. The freighter service to Amman serves Jordan's readymade garments industry.

The wide-bodied A310-300F has a gross payload of 39 tonnes and offers excellent performance capabilities, equipped as it is with state-of-the-art technology. The aircraft also has Auxiliary Centre Tanks to increase its range, enabling one-stop operations from Dubai to the U.S. and countries in the South Pacific.

Two more A310Fs are scheduled to enter Emirates' fleet by the end of the year.