Cathay   Pacific  cargo  yesterday started a weekly freighter service through  Sharjah,   en  route  from Frankfurt to Hong Kong. Eva Air is  also due  to  begin  direct cargo flights from Thursday.

   The   airport   will   thus  have managed to  attract  four  carriers  in a  span of less than two months,  with U.S.  major  UPS and    Egypt Air   having    just started operations.

Other airlines set to fly through Sharjah include     Gulf   Air, Transavia  and  FinnAir,   while Indian   Airlines   is   increasing flight   frequency   through   the airport.

Commenting on Cathay's inaugural flight,     Simon    Large,    country manager,   said :  " The B747-200 freighter  service   underlines   our pool partner status with Lufthansa, while     enhancing    our   existing operations   in   the  UAE. "   The German  carrier  has  a  dedicated cargo hub in Sharjah.

While  Cathay  earns  21 - 23  per cent  of its revenues from its cargo operations,  the airline  has - in line with general industry trends - been

facing problems due to the economic downturn in Hong Kong and South - east  Asia.  "  But  our  Middle  East operations  remain   strong, "   Large stated.


A. Baig, cargo manager,  added that while  it  was  as  yet early days,  the flight  through Sharjah was expected to fare well.

Meanwhile, Dr Ghanem Al Hajri, director  general,  Sharjah  Inter- national     Airport,      said     the increasing  numbers  of   carriers using the terminal  demonstrated that   business   for   the   airport continued  to  expand despite the global economic downturn.

He pointed out that the UAE was more a cargo hub  than  a  cargo generator,  and that the authorities   in   Sharjah   facilitate   this movement through better service at competitive rates.

He  added  that  development   at the    airport   was    an    ongoing process,  and that  the authorities were gearing up for period ahead through  a  marketing  campaign, scheduled  to   be    launched    in 1999.