To begin with, the deal includes establishing a transit centre at Parma Giuseppe Verdi to receive cargo for forwarding to Milan Malpensa airport for onward transport. The project will be undertaken in conjunction with Etihad Cargo and partner airlines, ultimately providing an efficient solution for companies in the region using these delivery services to reach their global markets.
The new hub will feed traffic to and from flights operated by Etihad Airways with its equity partner, Alitalia, who currently offer bellyhold capacity on 38 weekly flights between Italy and the UAE. In addition, six weekly freighter services operate from Milan, including a twice weekly service to Bogotá and the four times a week service to Abu Dhabi, offering a combined capacity of 800 tonnes.
Vice President of Etihad Cargo, David Kerr, said: "This agreement with Parma Airport is a further demonstration of our confidence in Italy, one of the largest cargo markets in Europe. We have already strengthened our freighter capacity out of Milan in the last few weeks, having placed a new 777 freighter on the Milan-Bogotá sector, so the opportunity to use Parma gives us a further chance to strengthen our cargo services from Europe.”
At present, Parma airport itself only handles a small number of flights, including passenger services to Catania in Sicily and the offshore island of Lampedusa operated by MistralAir. Parma, however, is at the centre of one of the largest exporting regions in Italy for high value goods. These freight items require fast and secure transport, which are all factors that determine the demand for air freight services.
Guido Dalla Rosa Prati, Chairman of Parma airport, said of the venture: "With the co-operation of Etihad Airways, the strategic development plan for the airport is already coming to life. We are really honoured to have gained the interest of Etihad Airways, a key player in the world of aviation, and I am proud of the agreement which will generate new business opportunities for Parma and neighbouring territories.”
Adaptations to airport infrastructure are already underway, in preparation for the opening of the new hub from July 2016. The airport authority commented that cargo and logistics will play a central role in the ongoing development plan.
It is hoped that the new transit centre will not only benefit the local economy but also have a positive impact, both directly and indirectly, on employment rates in the local area.
