Etihad Airways to Acquire Three Leased Airbus Freighters
Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways is acquiring three leased Airbus freighters next year, with plans to add three more in the medium term, a top official with the airline said yesterday.
"The airline is acquiring three freighters next year, all leased from Islanflug of Iceland. Delivery of the first will take place next month, and we are in negotiations for the other two," said Robert Strodel, head of cargo for Etihad.
"For the medium term, we are looking at six freighters. Initially, we will lease the aircraft. When the risks are reduced and our revenues go up, we plan to purchase additional aircraft outright," he told Gulf News.
The first of the three leased freighters is an A300-600, delivery of which is scheduled for next month.
"We hope to get the second freighter, an A310-300, by April 2005 and the third, an A300-600, by August," said Strodel.
Etihad, which marked its first full year of operations last month, boasts a growing cargo business. Last month, Etihad carried some 2,900 tonnes of cargo. That figure is expected to reach 9,000 tonnes per month within a year.
Strodel said Etihad's market share in Abu Dhabi's cargo business is currently about 20 per cent.
"This includes delivery and transit at the Abu Dhabi International Airport," Strodel said.
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