Etihad Cargo, the cargo wing of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has certified international ground handling services company Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) as a preferred handling partner (PHP).

The two-year PHP certification with WFS is focused initially on six Etihad Cargo stations; London, Brussels, Paris, Bangkok, Washington and Seattle.  Etihad Cargo hopes to expand cargo operations with WFS at other destinations over time.

Etihad Cargo has specific performance benchmarks in the areas of safety, security management, regulatory compliance, training, IT interfaces, business planning and risk management, said David Kerr, Etihad Airways vice president Cargo.

“WFS is a leader throughout the aviation community, providing a broad array of quality and reliable ground services,” Kerr added.

“The Etihad Cargo-WFS PHP deal will standardise the product and service we jointly deliver, strengthen our network operations, and will enhance the reliability and quality of ground handling services to our customers.  It also raises the bar for other suppliers to join our Etihad Cargo PHP program.

“We look forward to developing this partnership into one of mutual confidence and trust, and maximising the returns on our commercial operations.”

Olivier Bijaoui, president and chief executive officer of WFS, said: “We are proud to have attained the status of a preferred handling partner of Etihad Cargo at major stations in Europe, North America and Asia.”

“We welcome a program that promotes high quality cargo handling procedures and world class service levels because it enables us to demonstrate the professionalism and consistency of our people and processes, and provide for ongoing growth opportunities.

“WFS stations around the world will work hard to showcase our service quality to Etihad Cargo and to further develop our relationship based on our proven ability to deliver the outstanding performance levels the airline demands for its customers,” he added.

Etihad Cargo serves 92 destinations internationally and operates a fleet of three Boeing B777F, one Boeing 747-400F, one Boeing 747-ERF, one Boeing 747-8F and two Airbus A330-200F. – TradeArabia News Service