Qatar Airways Cargo announces Pittsburgh as its latest freighter destination in the United States, effective 11 October 2017, making it the first international airline to commence freighter service to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh will be Qatar Airways Cargo’s fifth freighter destination in the Americas launched this year, strengthening the cargo carrier’s commitment to supporting the American air trade and supply chain industry.
Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, Mr. Ulrich Ogiermann, said: “Qatar Airways Cargo takes great pride in adding another freighter destination to our expanding network in the Americas, which is a significant market for us. We believe that air freight is a key enabler of international trade. Through the announcement of Pittsburgh as our thirteenth freighter destination in the Americas, we have taken our commitment to the business community, freight forwarders and shippers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to a new level.”
Pennsylvania Governor Mr. Tom Wolf said: "Allegheny County continues to build greater capacity for regional economic growth through innovation and expansion at Pittsburgh International Airport. I am proud to see Qatar Airways Cargo's business coming to Western Pennsylvania."
Qatar Airways Cargo currently transports over 100 tonnes of belly-hold cargo each week on the daily wide-body A350 passenger flights to Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania. The introduction of freighters to Pittsburgh will inject an additional 200 tonnes of weekly capacity, offering businesses in the city and the wider region with direct air freight service to the cargo carrier’s global network.
The introduction of twice-weekly Boeing 777 freighter services will complement and enhance Qatar Airways Cargo’s existing service to the United States. The new Doha-Luxembourg-Atlanta-Pittsburgh-Luxembourg-Doha route will not only connect Pittsburgh with European markets via the cargo carrier’s European hub in Luxembourg, but also link trade businesses in Asia and Middle East through an easy transit at its state-of-the-art home base in Doha, Qatar.
Pittsburgh, located in Allegheny County in the western part of Pennsylvania, is known as the “Steel City” for its many steel-related businesses. The manufacturing sector in Pittsburgh has diversified over the years, with cutting-edge companies in life sciences, robotics, health care, information technology, nuclear engineering and energy, joining leading firms in traditional industries such as steel and chemicals. Pittsburgh is perfectly placed to service not only the city and Allegheny County but the surrounding areas in Ohio and West Virginia. Products expected to be transported into and out of Pittsburgh include heavy electronics, high-value manufactured goods and pharmaceuticals.
The award-winning Qatar Airways Cargo carrier serves seventeen belly and freighter destinations in the Americas, four of which are served exclusively with Boeing 777 freighters: Mexico City, Mexico; Halifax, Canada; Quito, Ecuador and Pittsburgh, USA.
