Emirates brings in dedicated freighter

Northbound traffic rights being negotiated EMIRATES HAS launched a weekly dedicated B747-400 freighter service from Europe to South Africa, arriving in Johannesburg every Wednesday with departure the same day. At present however Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations prohibit the airline from flying northbound cargo on the return leg. "We have been contracted to fly a perishable load weekly out of Harare to Europe, mainly flowers, and for that reason it was decided to bring imports for South Africa to make the southbound leg viable," says the airline's South African cargo manager Kum Naicker. The first flight left Amsterdam on Tuesday, October 9 with an almost full cargo load for South African destinations. After a refuelling break at JIA it ferried empty to Harare where it took on its first full perishable consignment. "We are hoping the situation can be changed," says Naicker. "We are busy negotiating traffic rights with CAA and SAA in order to utilise the trip to Harare when possible for local cargo, and perhaps when space is available from Harare northbound to have this filled with South African exports to Europe. That is all on the table at present and we must await the outcome. But we are satisfied with the southbound loads. We have a team promoting the service in Europe right now and they are reporting considerable success."