Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, has announced the launch of a weekly service to Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio, US.

Commencing May 27, the new weekly service to Columbus will be Emirates SkyCargo’s 48th destination in its worldwide freighter network and sixth in the US, said a statement from the airline.

The flight will depart on every Wednesday and stop in Copenhagen in route to Columbus, and in Chicago and Copenhagen on the return flight to Dubai, it added.

The announcement was made on the side-lines of the 7th Air Cargo Europe Exhibition and Conference taking place in Munich, Germany, where Emirates SkyCargo is showcasing its products and services.

The flight will be operated by an Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 777 Freighter, which has the capacity to carry just over 100 tonnes of cargo, and with its main deck cargo door being one of the widest of any aircraft, enables it to uplift outsized cargo and carry larger consignments.

Nabil Sultan, senior vice president, Emirates Divisional, Cargo, said: “Our freighters play a major role in our network strategy, and with the addition of Columbus to our freighter schedule, we will be able to connect businesses in the US mid-west and the rest of our global network through our Dubai hub, thereby improving freight connectivity and creating new opportunities for American companies to reach new markets.”

“Columbus also serves as an ideal alternative point to Chicago where shipments originating or destined to the mid-west can be trucked much more efficiently,” he said.

Elaine Roberts, president and CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, said: “This new service and partnership with Emirates wouldn’t be possible without the common vision and tireless efforts of our business partners throughout the Columbus Region.

“We have been working together to position Rickenbacker as a critical global air cargo gateway for all commodities. When the Emirates SkyCargo service from Dubai is combined with the existing import and export services through Asia and Europe, Rickenbacker will provide global business solutions in a way the region has never seen before,” she added. – TradeArabia News Service