São Paulo – Emirates, the airline of the United Arab Emirates, has started operating a weekly cargo flight between Campinas, in the interior of São Paulo, and Dubai. Each month, a total of 460 tonnes of cargo should be transported each way, in a Boeing 747- 400F. Viracopos airport is one of the main cargo terminals in the country.
The aircraft can carry up to 117 tonnes of cargo. According to Ralf Aasmann, Emirates director general in Brasil, the flights have been operating at 90% of their transport capacity. The cargo plane’s trips between the Emirates and Brazil began on October 31st.
The second flight in the route was filled with material from Formula 1 teams Ferrari and Red Bull, which were in Brazil and should compete for the Formula 1 world championship in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirates, on Sunday.
Emirates already transported cargo in its daily passenger flights between São Paulo and Dubai. With cargo capacity of 105 tonnes, the passenger aircraft will continue being used for this purpose. According to Aasmann, the high demand for products caused the company to make a cargo aircraft available.
The executive said it is possible for new exclusive flights to be established for cargo transport. "That is if there is demand and we can supply it, as it is necessary to have aircraft available. According to the market development, we may put another aircraft on the route."
The flights that leave Brazil fly from Campinas to Dakar (Senegal) and then on to Dubai. The return trip leaves from Dubai, heads to Frankfurt (Germany), Dakar and then Campinas. “Germany has a very great demand for export to Brazil," explained Aasmann regarding the stop in Frankfurt. The stop in Dakar, in turn, is for the purpose of distribution of Brazilian products on the African continent.
Aasmann said that from Brazil, the main products shipped should be machinery, auto parts and perishable goods in general. The flight from Dubai to Campinas should also bring machinery and parts for vehicles. The Boeing 747 leaves from Dubai on Sundays and from Campinas on Mondays.
The director at Emirates pointed out that choosing Brazil for the company’s new cargo route is due to the Brazilian interest in the Arab world. "It is an enormous market that is expanding its interest in our products (the airline’s) and in the Middle East. We also transport many Brazilian tourists to Asia and the depreciation of the dollar stimulates [international] trips."
*Translated by Mark Ament
