Cathay Pacific Airways is starting a bi-weekly non-stop freighter service from Kolkata airport to Hong Kong, aimed at boosting import and export in the region. Operating on Thursdays and Sundays, the company will operate B747-400F to carry an estimated 30 tonnes of cargo to and fro Kolkata.

Kolkata is Cathay Pacific’s sixth freighter destination in India along with Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

“The announcement of the launch of freighter services has generated excitement in trade and we are confident that we will be able to cater to the needs of the market from this region,” said C Stewart-Cox, the company’s general manager for South Asia, Middle East and Africa. “This latest addition to our freighter network will strengthen ties between Kolkata and Hong Kong and help to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a leading aviation hub”.