SILK WAY WEST AIRLINES ANNOUNCES REGULAR FLIGHTS TO DAMMAM &TASHKENT

Silk Way West Airlines is expanding its network in the Middle East and Central Asia through regular cargo flights twice a week to and from the Saudi Arabian city of Dammam, as well as to and from Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

These scheduled routes will enable freight to be delivered directly from Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport to Dammam King Fahd International Airport and Tashkent International Airport, both of which are among the most important international air cargo gateways in their respective regions.

Over the past decade, Silk Way West Airlines has served both destinations several times per year through charter services, shipping general cargo including textiles, cars, perishables and other goods.

With the launch of these routes to Dammam and Tashkent, the airline will enhance its role in the Middle Eastern and Asian continental freight network and improve the quality of air cargo transportation services for both local and international partners. These new routes will also enable Silk Way West Airlines to meet its strategic goals of serving increased international demand and significantly expanding its global network.

Underlining the strategic importance of these new services, Silk Way West Airlines Vice-President CIS and Central Asia Vugar Mammadov said: The demand for transportation to the Middle East and on the Middle Corridor route continues to rise. As a result, Azerbaijan is gaining increasing importance as a central logistics hub. We are pleased that now we can offer our customers regular flights from Baku to Dammam and Tashkent. We will continue to increase the number of flights we operate, as well as the destinations we serve, as Silk Way West Airlines continues to expand opportunities for its customers around the world.

Suid Cargo will commence non-scheduled cargo flights from its hub at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport in the second quarter of 2023.

Suid Cargo will initially lease a Boeing 727-200 freighter from Astral Aviation, with plans to acquire additional freighters such as Embraer 190 Freighter and Airbus 320F or Boeing 737-800F in 2024.

Suid Cargo will operate to over 20 destinations to Mozambique, Madagascar, Malawi Mauritius, Zambia, Namibia, D R Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola and Rwanda thus promoting exports from South Africa including transit shipments and ‘Sea Air’ Cargo from Durban and Cape Town Airports. It plans to transition to a Scheduled Carrier in 2024 and to operate on the domestic network.

Suid Cargo Airlines, South Africa’s newest Cargo Airline, will begin non scheduled flights from its hub at OR Tambo International Airport in the second quarter of 2023 utilising a leased Boeing 727-200F from Kenya’s Astral Aviation Ltd, in addition to Astral’s Boeing 747-400F, Boeing 767 and Boeing 757F on charter basis.

Making the announcement at the Air Cargo Africa 2023 event in Johannesburg, Thomas Honiball, Accountable Manager and CEO, states that it plans to acquire additional freighters in 2024 which will comprise of narrow body freighters such as the Airbus 320F or Boeing 737-800F in addition to the Embraer 190 Freighters in 2025.

We are honoured to support South Africa’s newest Cargo Airline, Suid Cargo Airlines, initially with our Boeing 727-200F and to offer our fleet of B747-400F, B767F and B757F on charter basis, which will enable the start up Cargo airline to scale its operations to cover Southern, West and East Africa including Asia, Middle East and Europe.

Sanjeev Gadhia , CEO, Astral Aviation

Kevin Moodley, Commercial Director of Suid Cargo Airlines, explains that the new airline will promote exports from South Africa in addition to transit shipments to over 20 African destinations, and will have a unique Sea-Air Cargo product from the Ports of Durban and Cape Town thus reducing transit time to the land locked regions in Africa.

Suid Cargo will enter into long term partnership with freight forwarders, consolidators, integrators, e-commerce retailers and shipping lines in addition to interlining with African and Foreign Airlines to promote the Johannesburg Hub with plans to transition to scheduled services in 2024 which will include operating a domestic network.