Emirates SkyCargo to relaunch DWC hub in late 1Q22

Emirates (EK, Dubai Int’l) has announced that it will relaunch its second cargo hub at Dubai World Central airport on March 26, 2022, nearly two years after it consolidated all freight operations at Dubai Int’l due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the growth of Emirates’ passenger network and operations, as well as the progressive increase in cargo volumes, Emirates SkyCargo will once again structure its operations across two hubs in Dubai,” the airline said.

All of the carrier’s dedicated freighter operations will move to Dubai World Central, while Dubai Int’l will continue to handle cargo transported in the bellyholds of passenger aircraft. The airline consolidated all of its operations at Dubai Int’l at the end of March 2020 to “streamline cargo operations between its freighter flights and the new dedicated cargo flights being offered on Emirates’ passenger aircraft fleet”.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows that the carrier’s dedicated freighter fleet comprises ten B777-200Fs with a further two on order from Boeing.

While Dubai World Central is a predominantly cargo airport, it also caters to limited passenger traffic. The ch-aviation schedules module shows that in summer 2022, it will be served by Ethiopian Airlines, Gulf Air, and IndiGo Airlines owing to runway works at Dubai Int’l. Emirates does not run any passengers flight from this airport, though. The Dubai-based carrier operates a fleet of trucks ferrying cargo between the two airports with a five-hour connecting time between them.