Emirates has added cargo capacity to the United States with the launch of a daily service to Fort Lauderdale.
The route, which started on December 15, is operated by a Boeing 777-200LR. It can hold 15 tonnes of cargo per flight. It will be the second route in Florida where Emirates SkyCargo offers belly-hold capacity after the theme park city of Orlando was added last year.
The new capacity comes as global cargo volumes decline because of slowing economic growth.
Emirates carried 1.3 million tonnes of cargo during the first half of the 2016-2017 fiscal year, unchanged from a year earlier, even as its cargo capacity rose by 9 per cent during the same period.
“Cargo provides an additional revenue source given the significant belly-hold capacity of Emirates Boeing 777s,” said John Strickland, an aviation consultant at London-based JLS Consulting.
Net profit at Emirates airline dropped by 75 per cent to Dh786 million in the first half of this financial year compared with the previous year.
“The bleak global economic outlook appears to be the new norm, with no immediate resolution in sight,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman of Emirates airline and Group.
Emirates has been expanding its US network for the past few years despite the Open Skies dispute between the big three Arabian Gulf carriers – Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways – and the three US legacy carriers – Delta, United and American.
The US airlines have accused their regional rivals of receiving government subsidies and unfair competition – a claim that has been denied by the Gulf trio. “The impact of the new US regime for Gulf carriers will depend on whether it looks at the broader benefits to the US economy of direct air services and the jobs created from the large aircraft orders with Boeing and its sub suppliers or whether it listens solely to the complaints of the big three US carriers,” Mr Strickland said.
Emirates SkyCargo offers about 2,000 tonnes capacity a week from the US. During the 2015-2016 financial year, it handled more than 90,000 tonnes of exports from the US.
The Fort Lauderdale service is expected to open up trade opportunities and provide additional connectivity to Emirates’ cargo customers, according to the Dubai company.
Emirates offers belly-hold cargo capacity on passenger flights to Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington. The carrier also operates freighter services to Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Houston, Los Angeles and New York.
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