Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s leading air cargo carrier, is proud to announce the launch of a new strategic partnership with MASkargo, the cargo airline and subsidiary of Malaysia Aviation Group.
This partnership, inaugurated today by Qatar Airways Cargo’s Chief Officer Cargo, Mr Mark Drusch, and MASkargo’s Chief Executive, Mr Mark Jason Thomas, marks a significant milestone in enhancing global cargo connectivity and operational efficiency.
The collaboration, which officially began on October 1, 2024, has already seen the successful movement of approximately 2,400 tonnes of cargo, including over 600 tonnes of perishables and 130 tons of pharmaceuticals.
Qatar Airways Cargo Boeing 777 flights will now operate from Doha to Kuala Lumpur twice a week, increasing weekly cargo capacity by over 200 tons. The strategic partnership will further solidify connectivity and efficiency to Sydney and Melbourne with MASkargo Airbus A330 freighters carrying more than 75 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity to these cities, with a swift connection time of just eight hours in Kuala Lumpur. The strategic hubs at Hamad International Airport (DOH) and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) will play a pivotal role, providing seamless connections and state-of-the-art handling facilities.
The agreement benefits both parties, allowing MASkargo to access key points in Europe, GCC, Levant and Africa, while Qatar Airways Cargo gains increased capacity access to Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and North East Asia. It also supports the local market in Kuala Lumpur by enabling the export of products to more global markets.
In July 2024, Qatar Airways Cargo and MASkargo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deliver an enhanced product offering to cargo customers and achieve operational synergies. This strategic joint cargo business agreement allows both airlines to leverage each other’s network strengths and fleet capacity, significantly increasing cargo offerings.
The collaboration between Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines extends beyond cargo. As members of the oneworld alliance, both airlines have a strong partnership on the passenger side as well. The codeshare agreement, which includes 62 destinations across Malaysia, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and Africa, exemplifies their commitment to providing seamless travel experiences. The strategic MoU signed in 2022 further enhances this partnership, facilitating an increase in flight options and destinations for passengers.