Cargolux Airlines International announced the reinstatement of its Boeing 747 freighter service to Santiago de Chile with a weekly flight, beginning on 28 July 2013.
Santiago will be added to Cargolux’s regular South American rotation on Sundays, also stopping in Viracopos, Brazil. Santiago has featured in Cargolux’s network in the past and the company has maintained its successful cooperation with local General Sales and Services Agent ‘Pacific Feeder Services S.A’. throughout the years. Following the re-emerging demand for large capacity freighters to and from Chile, as well as Cargolux’s continuing diversification in South America, the airline decided to add the Chilean capital to its network again.
Apart from general cargo, Cargolux expects to transport mainly pharmaceuticals and machinery to the South American country, while fresh produce, seafood, wine and seeds, as well as outsize cargo, such as mining equipment and generators, will be flown out of Chile. Cargolux is known for its expertise in handling heavy and bulky freight and regularly carries these items for the oil and gas, as well as mining industries, on board of its specialized, nose-door equipped Boeing 747 freighters.
Economic experts expect consumption in Chile over the next five years to be among the strongest in Latin America, helped by the country’s market-friendly economic policies and healthy macroeconomic outlook. In 2013, Chilean air freight tonnage is forecast to rise by 5.6% with an average growth of 10.4% over the coming years. During this period, air freight tonne kilometers are expected to increase by an average of 2.2%. According to the latest OECD report, GDP growth is projected to reach 4.9% in 2013 and 5.3% in 2014.
The addition of Santiago de Chile to Cargolux’s network helps to further expand the airline’s footprint and firmly establishes the Luxembourg freight carrier as a leading supplier of high class air cargo services in Latin America.