IAG Cargo has today announced that it will be launching a new route to New Orleans, Louisiana, from 26 March 2017. The airline will become the only carrier to fly direct from its London Heathrow (LHR) hub to New Orleans, International Airport (MSY).

The new service will be served by a British Airways B787-8 aircraft, offering a number of benefits to businesses on top of direct access into Europe. These include belly hold capacity up to 15 tonnes and a state-of-the-art air conditioning system, which maintains a regular hold temperature to within one degree’s accuracy. With flights operating four times a week to and from New Orleans, the new route will help to better connect customers to the 350+ destinations on IAG Cargo’s global network.

David Shepherd, commercial director, at IAG Cargo commented: “This new route will add to our strong network offering in North America, giving local businesses a valuable connection to global markets. IAG Cargo will help support business looking to trade in the region by offering a diverse premium product portfolio and opening new export routes.

“The launch of our new Critical product in particular will mean emergency shipments, which we anticipate will include machinery parts and oil and gas components from the local area, now benefit from an absolute guarantee to fly”.

Louisiana has a GDP of US$243.3 billion and New Orleans is the largest city in the state, with perishables, oil and machinery parts being key export commodities from the region. IAG Cargo’s offering of premium products, such as Critical, Constant Climate and Constant Fresh, ensures shippers and forwarders are able to select custom freight products for the transportation of goods across IAG Cargo’s extensive global network.