Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, will expand its presence in Turkey when it begins daily, non-stop service to Sabiha Gökçen International Airport from 15 December 2015, increasing cargo capacity to and from the country by an additional 168 tonnes per week.
The flight, which will be operated by an A330-200 aircraft with 24 tonnes of cargo capacity, will be the only daily wide-body passenger aircraft with bellyhold capacity to serve Sabiha Gökçen. “Our cargo customers are increasingly looking for ways to ship their goods across the world at a faster pace. The introduction of service to Sabiha Gökçen not only provides an additional gateway for our customers in Turkey, but it also provides quicker access to shipping lanes for businesses located in eastern Istanbul,” said Nabil Sultan, Emirates divisional senior VP, cargo.
Sabiha Gökçen Airport is located 60 kilometres east of Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport, where Emirates SkyCargo already offers 11 weekly flights on B777-300ER aircraft. The new flights to Sabiha Gökçen will save businesses in eastern Istanbul at least an hour’s journey by truck, as it will reduce the need for cargo to be trucked across congested city streets to be shipped via Atatürk Airport.
Each year, Emirates SkyCargo ships more than 5,300 tonnes of cargo in and out of Istanbul. Top imports include medicines, vaccinations, carpets and textiles. The airline began flying to Turkey’s largest city in 1987, making it one of the longest-running routes in Emirates SkyCargo’s network.
