Pittsburgh International Airport has been confirmed as the airport of choice by EFL – a Sri Lanka freight forwarder and Qatar Airways customer. EFL announced the utilization of Qatar Airways Cargo’s nonstop service, specifically through one of the two weekly Boeing 777 freighters Qatar currently operates, following its first successful 90-ton shipment in May.

“Today’s announcement continues moving the airport corridor forward as a manufacturing and distribution hub. Congratulations to Christina and her team for this huge success for our region. As Pittsburgh strives to make additional connections to the global marketplace, this is a big step along that path,” said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

“The success of Qatar Airways, and the partnership with EFL, strengthens our ability to attract manufacturing and distribution to the airport. We are planting the seeds for manufacturing, distribution, logistics and connectivity in the global marketplace. We are excited to see it bear much fruit in the years to come, and to see the growth of jobs in these areas continue.”

A combination of proximity to major air cargo markets and cities positions Pittsburgh International Airport as an ideal choice for global freight forwarders. The Qatar Airways Cargo flights to Pittsburgh contribute to a total of 265 jobs and $42.8 million of economic output. Qatar Airways’ Pittsburgh-based flights represent the first scheduled international freighter route for the airport.

“Our goal is to build Pittsburgh into an international logistics center and with great partners like Qatar Airways Cargo and EFL, that goal is becoming a reality,” Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis said. “This is cargo that used to enter into the U.S. through major airports such as New York and Chicago but instead they’re choosing to use our region as a gateway. That means jobs and business for our region.”

The addition of EFL serves as another example of how the airport’s gateway maintains competitive advantage through efficient and reliable global supply chain solutions in combination with the exemplary operations of Qatar Airways Cargo, including a 72-hour transit time from the Asia-Pacific region to U.S. regional and distribution centers.

“At EFL, it has been a constant pursuit to find efficient and innovative solutions for our customers, which has led us to this initiative with Qatar Airways Cargo, with who we have a relationship for over a decade,” added EFL’s Group Chief Executive Officer Senthil Shanmugam. “Considering EFL’s spread of seven offices in the USA, (with) five of them in (the) East Coast and Midwest, having a gateway that is accessible to these regions was important. Pittsburgh is a logical location for this operation as it allows us to have a fast turnover of cargo in comparison to more traditional and congested gateways. We’re grateful to the Allegheny County Airport Authority for assisting us with facilitating this effort.”