Qatar Airways Cargo will launch a new freighter service to Los Angeles from 4 April 2015. The twice-weekly B777 freighter service to Los Angeles will become Qatar Airways Cargo’s fourth US freighter destination alongside Houston, Chicago and Atlanta. 

The new addition will provide 100 tonnes of cargo capacity per flight, departing Doha on Wednesdays and Saturdays via Luxembourg and Mexico to Los Angeles International Airport. The LAX freighter will add to the current US destinations served by Qatar Airways, which include New York, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas and Miami.

Los Angeles International Airport is a major international cargo airport serving California, the world’s 16th largest economy. Los Angeles ranks fifth in the US in terms of air cargo volumes processed. In 2014, LAX handled more than two million tonnes of air cargo, valued at more than US$91.6 billion. Qatar Airways uplifted over 49,000 tonnes of airfreight from the US market in 2014 and it will continue to be a key growth market for Qatar Airways Cargo, with the market predicted to add more than one million additional tonnes of freight before 2018.

Qatar Airways chief officer Cargo, Ulrich Ogiermann said: “We are proud to announce our fourth freighter destination in the United States further strengthening Qatar Airways Cargo’s worldwide airfreight network. Los Angeles is a significant global cargo hub, which is reflected by the increasing airfreight volumes seen at Los Angeles Airport. With the new destination, we are able to offer our customers capacity and five-star service into, and out of, this key cargo destination in the United States.”