BUDAPEST, Hungary – Qatar Airways Cargo has announced that it will increase its weekly flights to three freighters between Doha and Budapest as of 7 October 2016. This comes after just six months of successful cargo flights between Qatar and Budapest, operated by Qatar Airways Cargo.

The additional freighter will operate on Fridays, while the other two freighters operate on Thursdays and Sundays. Flights will be performed by Airbus A300-200F aircraft that typically offers over 60 tonnes of cargo on each flight. The dedicated freighters will complement the existing belly-hold cargo capacity on Qatar Airways’ daily Airbus A320 flights. This month, Qatar Airways celebrated five years of direct scheduled services between Doha and Budapest.

“We are delighted to see the success of Qatar Airways Cargo operations, we welcome the frequency increase which is a quick response to market needs in Hungary and Qatar,” said Jost Lammers, CEO, Budapest Airport. He added: “The operations of Qatar Airways Cargo fit perfectly into our airport’s strategic plans to become a leading cargo centre in Central-Eastern Europe.”

“Qatar Airways Cargo, through its hub in Doha, offers a gateway to the world and especially in the Far East for commercial and industrial partners in Hungary” remarked René Droese, Director of Property in charge of cargo operations in Budapest. He also said: “We highly value the partnership with Qatar Airways Cargo enabling Hungarian manufacturers to reach out to markets far away and build a solid base for growth and creation of further jobs in the region.”

The CEO of Qatar Airways Cargo, Mr. Ulrich Ogiermann said: “Qatar Airways Cargo has experienced tremendous success with the twice-weekly freighters to Budapest, and strong support from our customers has created the demand to increase capacity by a further 50 percent, adding a third frequency only seven months after inaugurating services to the Hungarian capital. Budapest remains an important strategic hub for Qatar Airways Cargo, and our services maximise the potential of its geographical position in Eastern Europe. With consistently high loads, we move a wide range of high-value commodities, including automotive parts, machinery, and a growing amount of specialist temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals to various destinations, not only to the 54-strong exclusive freighter destinations that Qatar Airways Cargo serves, but also across six continents via the belly-hold of the Qatar Airways passenger fleet via its state-of-the-art cargo facility at Hamad International Airport in Doha.”

Between January and August this year, Budapest Airport handled 70.2 tonnes of goods, and air cargo volume increased by 14.8% compared with previous year, an outstanding achievement in the European market. Budapest Airport serves the robust Hungarian electronic, fine machinery, automotive, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries with its increasing international connectivity for these export-oriented businesses.