Emirates SkyCargo launches Maastricht freighters as Schiphol congestion continues

Emirates SkyCargo launched its second scheduled freighter service to the Netherlands, this time to Maastricht, where the Dubai-based carrier will operate two 777F flights a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Starting at the end of March, Emirates SkyCargo plans to increase its freighter frequency into Maastricht to seven weekly flights, totaling 1,400 tonnes of additional capacity.

Is congestion at Schiphol, some 200 kilometers to the northwest a factor? “Schiphol reduced slots for freighters, and we looked around and found MST, which is centrally located and very open for business,” Emirates SkyCargo’s senior vice president for cargo, Henrik Ambak, told Air Cargo World. “They made us feel very welcome.”

SkyCargo also noted that, “flights to Maastricht are expected to supplement the cargo capacity offered on freighter and passenger aircraft to Amsterdam, as well as providing air cargo connectivity to neighboring regions in Belgium and Germany.”

Moreover, with Brexit looming, it makes sense for Emirates, which runs a massive Asia-E.U. freight network, to bolster its network in Europe if the British carry out their plans to throttle cross-channel supply chains.

“The Netherlands is one of our most important cargo markets, globally, and the freighters to Maastricht will allow us to build a stronger presence to respond to customer needs in the region,” said Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of cargo.

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