Abu Dhabi Airports received the inaugural flight of SF Airlines’ new Wuhan-Abu Dhabi route, which is SF Airlines’ first flight to the MENA region, according to an official statement. The milestone comes as part of a collaboration between Abu Dhabi Airports, Etihad Cargo, SF Airlines, and Kerry Logistics, the statement added. The flight comes as part of the company’s plans for global expansion, it said.

The details: The new round-trip route will run weekly, hauling 220 tons of express air cargo, Chinese state-owned news outlet Xinhua said, citing a statement from SF Airlines. General cargo, e-commerce goods, and express shipments will be the focus of the new route, Xinhua added.

What SF Airlines gets out of it: The partnership will allow the airline to tap into Etihad Cargo and Kerry Logistics’ considerable bank of regional expertise and resources, “resulting in higher-quality and more reliable service delivery for their customers,” the statement said.

And what the regional firms are getting: “This marks a new milestone in our efforts to become a leading cargo and logistics hub in the region,” MD & CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports Jamal Al Dhaheri said in the statement. The newly inaugurated route will also provide Etihad Cargo’s customers with “greater connectivity with 25 domestic destinations in SF Express’s Chinese network,” according to a parallel statement by Etihad Cargo.

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