Etihad Airways, the UAE national carrier, has signed an agreement with China’s SF Airlines in order to strengthen ties and further cooperation to increase cargo capacity between China and the rest of the world via Etihad Cargo’s hub in Abu Dhabi.
In April 2023, Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, and SF Airlines signed a reciprocal capacity agreement to connect their respective networks.
“The new partnership saw the launch of two weekly freighter services between Abu Dhabi Airport and Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in the Hubei Province of China and added a fourth Chinese gateway destination to Etihad Cargo’s expanding global network,” according to the statement.
Antonoaldo Neves CEO – Etihad Airways
“As the national carrier of the UAE, Etihad Airways is committed to supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming a global logistics and express hub. The agreement between Etihad Airways and SF Airlines will contribute to achieving the emirate’s ambitious strategic plans. It was a pleasure to welcome such prominent visitors from SF Airlines’ leadership to the country’s capital. Etihad Cargo looks forward to expanding the agreement between the two airlines to not only benefit the partners and customers of both airlines but also broaden the strong ties between the UAE and China.”
The new memorandum of understanding (MoU) expands the cooperation between the two airlines and strengthens their commitment to exploring additional opportunities to achieve mutual growth and expand their respective networks via the Abu Dhabi and Wuhan mega-hubs.
Under the new agreement, Etihad Cargo and SF Airlines will review the schedule of services between Abu Dhabi and Wuhan to increase frequencies, thereby ensuring the airlines can meet increasing capacity demands from customers and partners in the UAE, China, and around the world.
Mr. Li Sheng, Vice President of SF Group, Chairman of SF Airlines, said that, “Working with Etihad Airways has been a significant milestone and achieved fruitful results. The elevation of two companies ties to a strategic partnership.”
“By expanding this cooperation between SF Airlines and Etihad Airways, we will continue strongly supporting and improving both parties’ service capabilities, and provide global consumers with more convenient and reliable services,” Mr. Sheng added.
