Qatar Airways Cargo has introduced direct freighter service from Bogotá, the capital of Colombia to Dallas Fort Worth in Texas.
The once-weekly Boeing 777 freighter departs from Bogota on Mondays and flies to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
In a statement, Qatar Airways Cargo said the freighter offers close to 100 tonnes of cargo capacity and will be transporting perishables like flowers, fruits, vegetables, and coffee, as well as live animals, machinery and other general cargo destined for DFW.
"The Americas is highly important for us and we have a strong presence in the region. Through this enhancement on the route, we are pleased to grow our existing partnership with Dallas Fort Worth International Airport," said Guillaume Halleux, chief officer of cargo at Qatar Airways.
"Our customers in DFW now benefit from a direct freighter service to uplift perishables and other cargo directly from Colombia," he added.
John Ackerman, EVP of Global Strategy and Development at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, said Qatar's service direct from Bogota to DFW reduces transit times for high-quality perishable goods by two to three days, extending shelf life for retailers and providing fresher products for consumers.
"This route adds a vital link to South American markets, enhances our global air cargo network and strengthens our ability to flow goods between Latin America and Asia," Ackerman added.
Since the first Boeing 777 freighter took off from Doha to Chicago in August 2010, Qatar Airways Cargo has expanded its network across several countries in the American continent.
The carrier serves the Americas with freighters as well as belly-hold cargo flights, flying to 14 freighter destinations and 14 belly-hold cargo destinations.
The cargo carrier offers more than 5,300 metric tonnes of weekly cargo capacity each way, to and from the Americas.
