Malaysian freight specialist MASKargo is to inaugurate flights on the Kuala Lumpur – Shanghai – Karagandy – Amsterdam route from October 30; a major development for Karagandy International Airport in Kazakhstan. The dedicated cargo service will fly between one and three times every week and will be flown using a Boeing 747-400F and the airline’s recently delivered Airbus A330-200F.
Negotiations between the airport and MASKargo have been taking place for a number of years after two sides first met a Routes conference in the mid-2000s. A delegation from the airline visited the facility in November 2008 and likewise Karagandy officials travelled to the Malaysian capital in 2009 to finalise the route. However, the plan was frozen due to the economic crisis and difficult operating conditions.
These talks recommenced in May this year when MASKargo also discussed the potential of supporting the development of Karagandy International Airport as a hub for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
“The inclusion of Karagandy on this route is an apt choice as flying into Kazakhstan provides the gateway into CIS countries. The stop also offers us the opportunity to explore the Russian market due to recent changes in customs regulations between Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus. We are also pleased with the modern facilities available at Karagandy Airport which can support the MASkargo operation,” a senior executive of the airline confirmed to The HUB last week.
MASKargo, a subsidiary of Malaysian flag carrier Malaysia Airlines, took delivery of its first Airbus A330-200F last month. It has four of the type on order and expects the second to be delivered in November 2011 with the remaining two aircraft to be delivered in 2012.
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