Emirates, Etihad extend cooperation into cargo segment

Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways have extended their cooperation into cargo – the latest sign of a strengthening partnership between the two carriers, which already work together on aviation security and aircraft maintenance. Abdulla Mohamed Shadid, managing director of Etihad Cargo, said the business is looking to replicate that partnership model with other carriers as it eyes a wider network. He stressed that the work between Etihad Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo is purely at “arm’s length” as the two continue to operate as separate entities. “That was one of the first partnership agreements we signed in July of last year to be able to do cargo back and forth,” Shadid said. “Since then, we’ve been carrying some cargo – it’s not a lot, but about 70 or 80 tonnes a month on average, [where] some is our cargo on their aircraft and some theirs on ours on an opportunistic basis when capacity is there.”<br/>