One of the leading Middle East-based air cargo carriers, Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudi), has become the 26th major international airline to join Cargo 2000. Cargo 2000 is an IATA-backed (International Air Transport Association) initiative established to develop and implement a new quality management system for the worldwide air cargo industry.

Commenting on Saudi’s involvement, the carrier’s Vice President Cargo Sales & Services, Fahad Ali Hammad, said: “The expectations of freight forwarders and logistics companies of the airlines they use are getting bigger and setting a challenge for us all. It will be very difficult for one airline to conform to each and every freight forwarder’s required standards. With Cargo 2000, there is a standard quality system designed to benefit both airlines and their customers.”

With a fleet of 139 Boeing, Airbus and McDonnell Douglas aircraft – including B747-200Fs and MD-11Fs – Saudi serves more than 57 international and 26 domestic destinations. Its direct cargo operations cover 11 international destinations from mainline stations in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.

Lothar Moehle, Regional Director EMEA of Cargo 2000, said: “The Middle East is one of the fastest-developing markets for air cargo and it is signifi cant that so many of the major airlines based there want to adopt Cargo 2000’s quality standards as part of their programme for service improvement and businessdevelopment.”