First A330-200F delivered to Etihad

Etihad Airways this week took delivery of the first of three new A330-200F aircraft.

Carrying French red onions and other perishable goods, the plane flew from Toulouse in France to Etihad's Abu Dhabi base.

The Abu Dhabi carrier is launch customer for the aircraft.

“Etihad is now at the point where the cargo side of the business is substantial,” said Roy Kinnear, senior vice president of Etihad Crystal Cargo.

“This aircraft will bring us more payload at a reduced operating cost and will offer us better connectivity and more transfer flows.”

Cargo accounts for more than 15 per cent of the airline's business, Kinnear said.

The freighter will service Beijing and Hong Kong, Tripoli, N’djamena and Nairobi in Africa and Milan and Frankfurt.

Joining the aircraft on those routes from October 1 will be a second A330-200F, due to be delivered next month.