IAG Cargo to seek oil & gas traffic with New Orleans ‘Critical’ service

In expectation of higher demand for oil-and-gas equipment traffic, IAG Cargo said it will begin serving the New Orleans market four times a week, beginning at the end of March. The new route will be the only one flying directly from London Heathrow (LHR) hub to New Orleans (MSY).

“This new route will add to our strong network offering in North America, giving local businesses a valuable connection to global markets,” said David Shepherd, IAG Cargo’s commercial director. “ IAG Cargo will help support business looking to trade in the region by offering a diverse premium product portfolio and opening new export routes. “

The New Orleans route, set to launch on March 26, 2017, will be served by IAG Cargo’s 787-8 aircraft, offering up to 15 tonnes of temperature-controlled belly capacity. IAG Cargo is also launching its new “Critical” product on the route, which Shepherd said will include emergency shipments, “which we anticipate will include machinery parts and oil-and-gas components from the local area,” providing shippers in the petroleum industry “an absolute guarantee to fly.”

Beside oil and gas, the state of Louisiana, with a GDP of US$243.3 billion, also has a healthy perishables export, which can also be handled via IAG’s Constant Climate and Constant Fresh services to ensure strict temperature control for shippers and forwarders.