MUNICH: May 09, 2017. Emirates SkyCargo and Cargolux are to share aircraft capacity, networks and respective hubs in Dubai and Luxembourg in a new agreement designed "to present a broader enriched product offering and add value to our customers," according to Emirates Divisional senior vice president Cargo Nabil Sultan.

In what the two companies describe as the first deal of its kind in the air cargo industry, Cargolux will provide B747 freighter capacity to Emirates SkyCargo and both carriers will develop block space and interline agreements for use on each other's networks, including Emirates Airline's passenger capacity and Cargolux's freighter routes.

Emirates SkyCargo will also begin freighter services to Luxembourg next month, and Cargolux will reciprocate by increasing its current three times a week service to Dubai World Central. Both airlines will use each other's hub facilities for "seamless movement of cargo" that will include pharma and perishables.

Cargolux president & CEO Richard Forson (left of picture with Nabil Sultan) said he was delighted to be working with Emirates Sky Cargo: "Our supplementary capabilities allow us to develop service offerings that both of us could not provide on our own."

One result of the "strategic operational partnership" is significant leverage of capacity, routes and the hub operations of both carriers. lux-Airport is currently constructing four new aircraft stands for B747-8 freighters that will be available next year.

The airport said it handled 286,000 tonnes of airfreight in the first four months of 2017, a rise of 16.4 percent year-on-year as March and April traffic increased 22.1 percent and +19.4 percent respectively. Last year it handled 821.000 tonnes of freight, a rise of 8.2.percent over 2015. It was the fourth consecutive year of growth and the airport's best result since 2008.

The new deal between Cargolux and Emirates SkyCargo is likely to make this year's result even better. Meanwhile, lux-Airport has made a new cargo video: